WALES V AUSTRALIA AT PRINCIPALITY STADIUM, CARDIFF, 2.30PM SATURDAY (0130 SUNDAY AEDT)P
Head to head: Played 39, Australia won 28, Wales won 10, drawn 1P
PAST TEN MEETINGS:P
2015: Australia won 15-6, Twickenham Stadium, LondonP
2014: Australia won 33-28, Millenium Stadium, CardiffP
2013: Australia won 30-26, Millenium Stadium, CardiffP
2012: Australia won 14-12, Millenium Stadium, CardiffP
2012: Australia won 20-19, SydneyP
2012: Australia won 25-23, MelbourneP
2012: Australia won 27-19, BrisbaneP
2011: Australia won 24-18, Millenium Stadium, CardiffP
2011: Australia won 21-18, AucklandP
2010: Australia won 25-16, Millenium Stadium, CardiffP
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WALES RECENT FORM:P
Wales lost 46-6 to New Zealand in DunedinP
Wales lost 36-22 to New Zealand in WellingtonP
Wales lost 39-21 to New Zealand in AucklandP
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AUSTRALIA RECENT FORMP
Australia lost 37-10 to New Zealand in AucklandP
Australia won 33-21 against Argentina at Twickenham Stadium, LondonP
Australia lost 18-10 to South Africa in PretoriaP
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Key match-ups:P
The backrow: In Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric and Ross Moriarty, Wales possess a potent backrow with definite ball-hunting qualities - which has prompted Michael Cheika to deploy his two best ball gatherers, David Pocock and Michael Hooper, while still retaining monster No.8 Lopeti Timani. The clash at the breakdown will prove crucial, with both teams happy to play multi-phase football.P
The centres: Reece Hodge makes his second start at inside centre for the Wallabies after a poor showing against New Zealand, and he's joined by Tevita Kuridrani who is starting his first match since August having been benched for good friend Samu Kerevi. Hodge provides a big kicking game and a steady hand at 12, while Kuridrani is more than a handful when running the ball but they face an enormous task in the form of veteran Welsh pairing Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies.P
Fullback: Unlikely to confront each other much throughout the game, but Israel Folau and Leigh Halfpenny are two of the stars of world rugby. Halfpenny dons a Wales jumper for the first time since September last year, having had a rough run with injury, while Folau enters the match on his longest international tryscoring dry spell. Both will be eager for an early touch and, in Folau's case especially, a five-pointer.P
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Teams:P
Australia: Israel Folau, Dane Haylett-Petty, Tevita Kuridrani, Reece Hodge, Henry Speight, Bernard Foley, Nick Phipps, Lopeti Timani, Michael Hooper, David Pocock, Adam Coleman, Rory Arnold, Sekope Kepu, Stephen Moore (capt), Scott Sio. Reserves: Tolu Latu, James Slipper, Allan Alaalatoa, Rob Simmons, Scott Fardy, Nick Frisby, Quade Cooper, Sefa Naivalu.P
Wales: Leigh Halfpenny, Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North, Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb, Ross Moriarty, Justin Tipuric, Dan Lydiate, Luke Charteris, Bradley Davies, Samson Lee, Ken Owens, Gethin Jenkins (capt). Reserves: Scott Baldwin, Nicky Smith, Tomas Francis, Cory Hill, James King, Gareth Davies, Sam Davies, Hallam Amos.
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