Flying Wallaby wing Mark Nawaqanitawase said he is eager to get at Wales’s famed tough defence as Australia look to keep their Rugby World Cup hopes alive at 5am (AEST) on September 25.
Defeat to Fiji last weekend has left the Wallabies hopes hanging by a thread and another reverse against Warren Gatland’s Wales in Lyon on Sunday would almost certainly see them heading home early from the tournament.
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Australia made few inroads into Fiji’s bruising defence last week in Saint Etienne, but Nawaqanitawase is unbowed and believes they will be able to muscle into the Wales backline.
“Wales have always been a strong team with some talented players, I guess we’re going to have to put up a fight against these guys,” said the 22-year-old Waratahs back.
“It will be a tough game but we’re looking forward to it.”
Nawaqanitawase made his name last November with two tries in a stunning comeback victory for Australia in Cardiff when the Wallabies overturned a 21-point deficit to claim a last-gasp 39-34 victory.
It was only his third appearance for the Wallabies and he is chomping at the bit to get stuck into the Welsh again.
“For us, we’ve just got to take confidence in what we can do. I’m really keen to have a crack at these guys,” said the strapping 100kg, 191cm wing, who has scored in each of Australia’s first two Pool C matches.
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“As much as they’re pretty good in defence, there will be some cracks in the game after we move them around a bit, so we’re going to look for those opportunities.”
With Wales having pipped Fiji 32-26 and then the Pacific Islanders defeating Australia 22-15, a Wallaby victory on Sunday would set up the possibility that progression from Pool C comes down to bonus points — all three sides currently have two each.
But Nawaqanitawase says that cannot be a consideration on Sunday.
“First of all, just focus on getting that win. Anything else that comes extra will be a bonus,” he said.
But for Wales, victory would secure their progression to the knockout stages with a game to spare.
TEAMS
Wales: 1. Gareth Thomas, 2. Ryan Elias, 3. Tomas Francis, 4. Will Rowlands, 5. Adam Beard, 6. Aaron Wainwright, 7. Jac Morgan (c), 8. Taulupe Faletau, 9. Gareth Davies, 10. Dan Biggar, 11. Josh Adams, 12. Nick Tompkins, 13. George North, 14. Louis Rees Zammit, 15. Liam Williams, 16. Elliot Dee, Corey Domachowski, 18. Henry Thomas, 19. Dafydd Jenkins, 20. Taine Basham, 21. Tomos Williams, 22. Gareth Anscombe, 23. Rio Dyer
Australia: 1. Angus Bell, 2. David Porecki (c), 3. James Slipper, 4. Nick Frost, 5. Richie Arnold, 6. Rob Leota, 7. Tom Hooper, 8. Rob Valentini, 9. Tate McDermott, 10. Ben Donaldson, 11. Marika Koroibete, 12. Samu Kerevi, 13. Jordan Petaia, 14. Mark Nawaqanitawase, 15. Andrew Kellaway, 16. Matt Faessler, 17. Blake Schoupp, 18. Pone Fa’amausili, 19. Matt Philip, 20. Fraser McReight, 21. Nic White, 22. Carter Gordon, 23. Suliasi Vunivalu
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