Leigh Halfpenny has warned Wales will need “to be on the money for 80 minutes” this weekend in their pursuit of a prize that has eluded them for six painful years.
Wales have not beaten a Southern Hemisphere giant – Australia, New Zealand or South Africa – since November 2008, a run of 20 successive defeats. Nine of those losses were against Saturday’s opponents Australia, and five times Wales went down to defeat by four points or less, reeling from such agonising setbacks as 20-19, 25-23 and 14-12.
The countries’ latest meeting – it will be played on a new hybrid Millennium Stadium pitch – is given added significance by them being drawn together in next year’s World Cup pool stages alongside host nation England. Only two teams will secure quarter-final places.
While that Twickenham World Cup clash between Wales and the Wallabies is still 11 months away, full-back star Halfpenny accepts that now is the time to put down a marker.
“We are striving to be the best in the world, and to be that you have got to beat the best. Saturday is an opportunity to do that,” said Halfpenny, who has lost eight times in Wales colours against Australia, but beaten them twice with the British and Irish Lions.
“We know it’s going to be a challenge, but one we are very much looking forward to and one where we are determined to come away with the win.
“Obviously, with the World Cup around the corner and Australia being in our group, to get a win over them would be huge for us
“We have been there or thereabouts pretty much every game against them. It’s about that concentration for the full 80 minutes.
“In a number of the games, Australia has beaten us on the last play or with a few minutes left, so we can’t switch off for one second. They have players who can hurt you, and we have to be on the money for 80 minutes.”
Halfpenny is poised to make his first Wales appearance since suffering a serious shoulder injury during last season’s Six Nations loss to England.
Difficult introduction
And he will go into the four-Test autumn campaign following a difficult introduction to life with big-spending European champions Toulon, whose controversial owner Mourad Boudjellal threatened in September that he could terminate Halfpenny’s contract after claiming that he might have arrived on the Cote d’Azur nursing a groin problem.
It led to suggestions Halfpenny (25) could even return to Wales, although the dust has now settled and he made his Toulon debut last month.
Halfpenny’s relentless goalkicking accuracy – he needs five points to reach 400 for Wales – is likely to be required again in a game that many pundits believe is too close to call.
