Warren Gatland revels in Wales calm as Cheika whips up Australia storm Paul Rees
almost 6 years in The guardian
Wales content with favourites tag in World Cup showdown while Wallabies hope to be galvanised by sense of injustice
While Australia’s head coach, Michael Cheika, was highjacking his own media conference to rage against what he saw as an injustice perpetrated on one of his players, his opposite number, Warren Gatland, sitting in contented comfort a few miles to the west, reflected on how Wales were regarded as the favourites to win the effective pool decider here on Sunday.
The last time Wales were fancied to win this fixture was in 1981, when Australia were on a level with Argentina now, a good few rungs off the top. Their standing changed after the 1984 grand slam tour of Europe and after winning only four of their first 11 fixtures against Wales they have lost four in 31, the last of which was 10 months ago when the sides met in Cardiff. Continue reading...