Wales under attack Down Under
Wales coach Gareth Jenkins has been forced to defend his squad selection for the tour of Australia after Wales arrived in Sydney to a hostile reception.
Jenkins is without nearly 20 players for the two Tests after deciding to rest key men like Stephen Jones and Dwayne Peel.
But he was hit by a barrage of criticism from an Australian press corps already angered by the lack of access Wales had promised to their players and coaches during the two-Test series.
“After the squad touched down for their two Tests it was fortunate customs officers didn’t send them home on the next plane for arriving under false pretences,” wrote rugby journalist John Geddes in the Sydney Daily Telegraph.
“The Tests had plenty of potential to be a guide to the World Cup, with the two sides to meet in the pool matches – until we were dudded by the Welsh.”
Jenkins staged a hastily arranged press conference in order to counter the accusations, his case helped by the fact Australia coach John Connolly is not planning to select star winger Lote Tuqiri.
“I must admit I’m a bit taken aback by the attitude towards our squad selection in Australia,” said Jenkins.
“We were able to bring a hungry bunch of players out to Australia some of whom did not get the chance, for whatever reason, to play international rugby earlier in the season.
“A hungry group of players, 15 with 20 caps or more of international experience and containing six British Lions and a captain who is one game away from becoming the most capped Welshman in rugby history.
“Some time in the middle of August, just like every other international management team in the world game, we will be selecting a group of 30 players to take us to the World Cup.
“This group of players here in Australia have a fantastic opportunity to be a part of that – and they know it.
“We have an excited, enthusiastic and energised squad and the motivation behind the group emanates from the quality and experience within it.
“I feel that this was an over-reaction and displayed a lack of knowledge of my country’s depth of talent.
“There is no doubt that these games are all about world cup preparation, that’s what will ultimately take our focus, but the team themselves will be focussed on being competitive on Saturday and the week after.
“Everybody knows we are in a World Cup year and it’s a unique set of circumstances.
“We all have our own way of preparing and in the northern hemisphere this period is one in which we get a chance to re-energise one group of players and find out more about another.
“We are not a development squad, we are overflowing with Test match experience.”
