... when the Cardiff clash
fed Gareth Cooper and I ran my line.
“Coops passed to Stephen Jones behind me and, as I was running this line, I thought I am doing a good job here.
“But Mortlock read it and went straight for the interception without clocking my hard line.
“He was running full pelt one way and I was running full pelt the other and bang!
“The middle of my head caught him behind the back of his ear, which is apparently the hardest part of the skull.”
Scans later revealed that Roberts had fractured his skull as a result of the sickening collision with Mortlock.
And the centre admits that he would never be allowed to remain on the pitch in the current era after such a collision.
“The doctor came on and checked me over and was happy for me to carry on,” added Roberts.
“When I consider the protocols now, we have come a long way with concussion.
“You wouldn’t stay on the pitch if that happened today.”
WHAT’S HAPPENED AGAINST AUSTRALIA SINCE THEN?
SINCE that memorable win over the Wallabies, Wales have suffered 13 defeats on the bounce to Australia.
Two of those have been at World Cups, eight have been in autumn internationals and the other three came as Cheika’s side whitewashed Wales in the summer series between the two nations in 2012.
But while they’ve enjoyed a clean sweep in those meetings, it’s been far from plain sailing for the Wallabies against Wales over the last 10 years.
Australia have won seven of those 13 games by five or fewer points, with some of their victories coming in truly dramatic fashion.
Mike Harris scored a penalty at the death to earn Australia a 25-23 triumph in the second Test of the summer series in 2012.
And a late penalty from Berrick Barnes a week later saw Robbie Deans’ side narrowly pip Wales 20-19 in the third and final Test.
The trend continued later in the same year as Kurtley Beale silenced the home crowd with a try 30 seconds from time to snatch a 14-12 victory for Australia.
SO, WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE?
A whole lot more will be at stake when Wales next face Australia after the meeting between the sides this Saturday.
Because for the second tournament running, Gatland’s troops are set to face the Wallabies at the pool stage of a World Cup.
Japan’s Tokyo Stadium will host the Pool D clash between the sides on Sunday, September 29 next year, and it’s a fixture that looks set to go a long way to determining who finishes at the top of the group ahead of the knockout phases of the global showpiece.
So while there’s far more importance on the game between the nations next time around, going into that match in the Japanese capital on the back of a first win over the Wallabies in 10 years would certainly give Wales’ World Cup hopes a significant boost.