Rugby World Cup 2019: As a Kiwi, Wales coach Warren Gatland has added incentive to beat Wallabies
Wales coach Warren Gatland fears the Wallabies because as a New Zealander, he always wants to finish in front of his neigbours from across the ditch, particularly when they punch above their weight.
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As a New Zealander, Wales coach Warren Gatland doesn’t need any extra incentive to want to beat the Wallabies but boy are there some juicy carrots this time.
If his team wins on Sunday, not only will Wales earn an easier path through the playoffs but the Wallabies will face the daunting prospect of probably having to beat both England and New Zealand to make the final.
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"Personally, it's always nice to try and get one up on Australia. They’re our (New Zealand's) closest rivals obviously,” he said.
But as a Kiwi, Gatland also knows Australia’s history of peaking at World Cups and that’s what worries him.
The Wallabies won two World Cups in the 1990s when the All Blacks were the game’s biggest chokers and Australian beat Wales in a crucial pool match four years ago that set them on their way to the final.
“The thing about Australia as a country in all sports, not just rugby, is they punch massively above their weight,” Gatland said.
"I’ve got a massive amount of respect for what Australia has done and achieved in a lot of different sports. It's always a nice challenge and it just goes to show how modern rugby can change from one week to the next in terms of a team turning up mentally and physically right.
"We just have to make sure we’ve got the right mental attitude and we have to bring physicality to Sunday’s match. That's an important aspect of the match for us. We have got to be really physical against Australia because they’re going to be physical against us. We have to match that intensity.”
Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards said the stakes were massive for both teams.
“Let’s be honest we’ve been preparing for this since the draw was made. It’s a pivotal game,” Edwards said.
“I said to the players yesterday this is a game they will remember for the rest of their lives and we want to be successful in it.”
“History tells you there have been a lot of one-score games between us and Australia. It wouldn’t surprise me if it’s another one score game and hopefully it goes to Wales.
“These are two top teams and equally matched having it out in the pool games. Hopefully it will be a good advert for the game of rugby.”
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Originally published as Rugby World Cup 2019: As a Kiwi, Wales coach Warren Gatland has added incentive to beat Wallabies