Men’s international rugby returns in November, with three test matches at the Principality Stadium awaiting Wales.

Having only won two non-test matches since the 2023 World Cup, earning the unwanted accolade of the Wooden Spoon at the Six Nations and suffering defeats to South Africa and Australia over the summer, Wales are in desperate need of a victory.

Standing in the way of that goal this month are Fiji, Australia, and South Africa, three teams that each pose different questions to Wales and Warren Gatland.

What will Wales have to overcome in order to register a first test win of 2024 against Australia at the Principality Stadium on Sunday? Read on to find out!

Australia

Fixture: Sunday 17th, 16:10

World Ranking: 10th

Other Matches on Tour: England, Scotland, and Ireland.

Head Coach: Joe Schmidt

Following the disastrous World Cup campaign, Eddie Jones resigned as head coach having won just two games out of nine and crashed out at the group stage.

In January, Joe Schmidt was appointed the new head coach of the Wallabies, becoming the third New Zealander to take the job after Robbie Deans and Dave Rennie before him.

Schmidt is most famous for his six-year spell in charge of the Irish national team, leading them to two Six Nations championships and a Grand Slam.

During a career laden with trophies, Schmidt has also lifted the Heineken Cup in back-to-back seasons with Leinster as well as the Top 14 title as an assistant coach at Clermont Auvergne.

More recently, Schmidt has been a key part of the All Blacks coaching set up, initially as a selector and then interim head coach during a Covid crisis, and then attack coach during their run to the World Cup Final last year.

Recent Form:

Schmidt’s first test as Wallabies head coach was a two-match series against Wales, passing the initial assessment by winning 25-16 in Sydney and then 36-28 in Melbourne.

A 40-29 victory over Georgia also helped build momentum and combinations as Australia prepared for the 2024 Rugby Championship.

Much of that good work was dented by back-to-back home defeats to then-world number one side South Africa, with the Wallabies struggling to take the step up in quality.

Two matches in Argentina looked like a good opportunity to rebuild and get some points on the board. A 19-20 win looked to have proved as much, but a 67-27 defeat the next week was a clear sign of how far the team has to go.

The fact that Australia were 3-20 ahead after 29 minutes, only to then concede a whopping 64 points will have been a stark warning sign for Australia.

Subsequent Bledisloe Cup defeats against New Zealand (28-31 and 33-13) left the Wallabies bottom of the Rugby Championship table.

Having arrived in Europe for the Autumn Nations Series low on confidence, Australia ripped up the form book with a stunning 10-try festival of running rugby at Twickenham, beating England 37-42 with an 84th minute winner from Max Jorgensen.

With the Wallabies coming to Cardiff on a high, Wales will be out to spoil the party.

Star Man: Rob Valetini

There are not many bigger ball carriers in world rugby than Wallaby back-row Rob Valetini. The 26-year-old plays his club rugby at the Brumbies and has been a key part of the Australia pack since his debut in 2019.

Earning 48 caps in that time, Valetini is not a prolific try scorer at test level – only five in his career – but provides the necessary go-forward that Australia often lack when he is not in the XV.

Mostly a number eight, the emergence of Wallaby skipper Harry Wilson has seen him shift to blindside flanker this year, but has not diminished his undoubted qualities.

One To Watch: Jospeh Sua’ali’i

In Hunter Paisami, Len Ikitau, and Samu Kerevi, Australia already had a cabal of centres who would envy even the best international sides.

Now, though, they have a genuine superstar in their midst.

Joseph Sua’ali’i was lured from rugby league to union by Rugby Australia and played his first ever professional union match at Twickenham against England last weekend.

And, boy, what a match he had. On top of performing his 13 duties with the defensive nous of a 50-capper, Sua’ali’i showed all the extra touches that will stand him out as a world star in the years to come.

On kick offs, Australia would kick short but high and Sua’ali’i regathered with an ability that reminded one of Israel Folau. His basketball-style pass to Tom Wright for the Wallabies’ opening try was a perfect example of the 21-year-old’s skillset.

Sua’ali’i represented New South Wales in five sports at age grade level: rugby union, league, aussie rules, athletics, and basketball, and with the pure talent his possesses, suddenly the 2025 Lions Tour looks a whole lot more interesting!

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