Wallabies to play in open stadium in Wales - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Wallabies to play in open stadium in Wales

David Beniuk 06/11/2010 07:59:06 AM Comments (0)

The Wallabies will need to adapt to greasy UK conditions immediately, with their Test against Wales to be played with the Millennium Stadium roof open.

Both sides need to agree for the roof to be closed and the Welsh preference is for the ground to be left open to the elements.

Rain has been falling in Cardiff over the past couple of days with more predicted for Saturday.

Wales are likely to be trying to nullify Australia's sparkling attack and speed in a move which will could make tight play and set pieces more important.

Australia completed their final training session under a closed roof on Friday afternoon.

"It has been resurfaced, it's not totally firm, it won't be totally fast, there will be moisture so it won't be straightforward and it will take some adaptation from our blokes," Wallabies coach Robbie Deans said.

"We've had some experience during the week of training in the rain and hopefully we're better for that."

Australia captain Rocky Elsom said his players would need to draw on previous UK experience.

"Field position usually plays a bigger role up here," he said.

"You need good rugby around that to support a win but there are small differences like that can make a big differences, knowing when to put it into the corner, knowing when to slow the game down.

"It is a little slower as far as the deck goes. At times you need to focus on playing well when the ball's not being moved quickly."

The Wallabies haven't seen a lot of the injury-depleted Wales side but are bracing themselves for a battle completely unlike their recent Tri-Nations campaign.

"We're always reasonably cautious of Wales when we come here, they've played particularly well for a better part of the past five years<' Elsom said.

"There's a little bit of feeling that we've got to be prepared for anything because we're not going to have the same familiarity with them."

Kick-off is at 2.30pm local time (0130 Sunday AEDT).

Respected commentator Gordon Bray, who called his last game for the Seven Network in Hong Kong last weekend, was given the honour of handing out the Wallabies' jerseys.

Brought to you by AAP AAP © 2024 AAP

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