The Wales national rugby union team toured Australia in May and June 2007, playing two tests against the Australia national team as part of their preparation for the 2007 Rugby World Cup. They lost the first test in Sydney 29–23 before being shut out in the second, losing 31–0 in Brisbane, and Australia claimed the newly inaugurated James Bevan Trophy with a 2–0 series win.
Fixtures As part of their preparations for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Wales scheduled two test matches against Australia, one of their opponents in Pool B of the tournament. They would play for the James Bevan Trophy, which was commissioned by International Business Wales (IBW), the economic arm of the Welsh Assembly government, to commemorate James Bevan, a rugby player who was born in Australia to a Welsh father and who returned to Great Britain before becoming the first captain of the Wales rugby union team. The first test was scheduled to be played at Stadium Australia in Sydney on 26 May 2007, while the second would be played at Lang Park in Brisbane a week later, on 2 June 2007. Australia won the first test 29–23, before claiming the second 31–0.
Date Venue Home Score Away26 May 2007Stadium Australia, Sydney29–232 June 2007Lang Park, Brisbane31–0
Squads Wales Wales coach Gareth Jenkins named an initial 28-man squad for the tour of Australia on 30 April 2007. Centre Gavin Henson was included despite a knee injury having kept him out since January, while wing Dafydd James, prop Iestyn Thomas and versatile forward Michael Owen also returned to the international fold after absences. Flanker Robin Sowden-Taylor, who suffered a broken and dislocated ankle in September 2006, recovered in time to be selected. Sixteen senior players were left out, taking part in a home summer training camp instead, leaving room for the uncapped pair of prop Ceri Jones and lock/back rower Scott Morgan in the squad. Captain Gareth Thomas was the subject of a club-versus-country battle following his selection; while the Welsh Rugby Union claimed that the tour was IRB-sanctioned and that they had first option on Thomas's availability, his club Toulouse were insistent that he honour his contract with them and finish the 2006–07 Top 14 season. On legal advice, he joined up with the Wales squad on tour, but hoped that he would be able to return to France for a potential play-off final at the Stade de France on 12 June; however, Toulouse were eliminated in the semi-finals by Clermont. On 9 May, uncapped prop Jamie Corsi and veteran centre Sonny Parker were called up to replace the injured Rhys Thomas (ankle) and Dafydd James (knee). Wing Hal Luscombe also pulled out for personal reasons, and was replaced a week later by the uncapped Tom James; hookers Matthew Rees and Gareth Williams were also added to the squad after Mefin Davies (rib) and Huw Bennett (neck) suffered injuries. Rees joined the tour on the condition that he would be allowed to return home after the first test in order to be present for the birth of his first child. The Dragons players in the squad flew out to Australia later than the rest of the group due to the Dragons' involvement in a qualification play-off for the 2007–08 Heineken Cup on 18 May, as did Bath scrum-half Andy Williams. Wing Aled Brew was not considered for the first test due to a ligament injury, while Gareth Williams tore a calf muscle in training, leaving Hibbard and Rees as the two hookers available for the first test; Mefin Davies recovered from his rib injury in time to fly out for the second test in place of Williams, while Steve Jones took the place of the departing Rees. Prop Adam Jones also suffered a torn calf in training, ruling him out of the second test; he was replaced by Chris Horsman, who went straight onto the bench as Corsi was also carrying an injury.
Name Position Club Caps Notes Hooker Ospreys 11 Withdrew due to injury Hooker Leicester Tigers 37 Withdrew due to injury; returned to squad to replace Matthew Rees Hooker Ospreys 2 Hooker Newport Gwent Dragons 5 Replacement for Gareth Williams Hooker Llanelli Scarlets 10 Replacement for Huw Bennett; left squad for personal reasons after first test Hooker Cardiff Blues 5 Replacement for Mefin Davies; withdrew due to injury Prop Newport Gwent Dragons 0 Replacement for Rhys Thomas Prop Worcester Warriors 9 Replacement for Adam Jones Prop Ospreys 40 Withdrew due to injury Prop Harlequins 0 Prop Llanelli Scarlets 30 Prop Newport Gwent Dragons 1 Withdrew due to injury Lock Ospreys 23 Lock Cardiff Blues 39 Back row Newport Gwent Dragons 84 Back row Cardiff Blues 0 Back row Newport Gwent Dragons 34 Back row Cardiff Blues 3 Back row Llanelli Scarlets 20 Back row Ospreys 32 Scrum-half Newport Gwent Dragons 32 Scrum-half Cardiff Blues 20 Scrum-half Bath 4 Fly-half Ospreys 11 Fly-half Newport Gwent Dragons 30 Centre Ospreys 20 Centre Ospreys 21 Replacement for Dafydd James Centre Cardiff Blues 18 Centre Toulouse 92 Captain Wing Newport Gwent Dragons 1 Wing Cardiff Blues 4 Wing Llanelli Scarlets 45 Withdrew due to injury Wing Cardiff Blues 0 Replacement for Hal Luscombe Wing Harlequins 16 Withdrew for personal reasons Full-back Ospreys 12 Sources:
Australia The Australian Rugby Union named an initial joint training squad of 59 on 7 May 2007 for the Wallabies and Australia A teams' mid-year fixtures. This was reduced to 37 on 13 May for a three-day training camp in Sydney the following week, before a final cut to 30 players on 20 May for the Wales tests; flanker Phil Waugh and centre Stirling Mortlock were named as joint captains, and there were four uncapped players in the squad: James Horwill, Julian Huxley, Digby Ioane and Sam Norton-Knight. Wing Lote Tuqiri was ruled out of the tests against Wales in favour of an intensive training programme.
Name Position Club Notes Hooker NSW Waratahs Hooker Queensland Reds Prop NSW Waratahs Prop NSW Waratahs Prop NSW Waratahs Prop ACT Brumbies Lock ACT Brumbies Lock Queensland Reds Lock Western Force Lock NSW Waratahs Back row NSW Waratahs Back row ACT Brumbies Back row NSW Waratahs Back row Queensland Reds Back row NSW Waratahs Back row ACT Brumbies Back row NSW Waratahs Captain Scrum-half ACT Brumbies Fly-half ACT Brumbies Fly-half NSW Waratahs Centre ACT Brumbies Centre Western Force Centre ACT Brumbies Captain Wing ACT Brumbies Wing Western Force Wing Western Force Wing Western Force Wing NSW Waratahs Full-back ACT Brumbies Full-back Western Force
Results First test Australia named their team for the first test four days before the match. Julian Huxley was named to earn his first cap at full-back, while utility back Matt Giteau was named at scrum-half in favour of George Gregan, who was one of two backs on the bench. Flanker Phil Waugh recovered from an ankle injury in time to be named as captain of the team. Wing Drew Mitchell, centre Adam Ashley-Cooper and prop Matt Dunning all made their first appearances for the Wallabies since 2005. Wales named their line-up the next day, the highlight being captain Gareth Thomas's selection on the wing for his 93rd cap, overtaking Gareth Llewellyn as the most capped player for Wales; meanwhile, centre Gavin Henson was named on the bench, and coach Gareth Jenkins said he was "likely to play a part in the game at some stage". In the forwards, Jonathan Thomas was named at number 8 ahead of Michael Owen, while Matthew Rees won the battle with Richard Hibbard to start at hooker. Uncapped prop Ceri Jones was named on the bench.
FB 15Julian HuxleyRW 14Mark GerrardOC 13Stirling MortlockIC 12Adam Ashley-Cooper LW 11Drew MitchellFH 10Sam Norton-KnightSH 9 Matt GiteauN8 8 Wycliff Palu OF 7 Phil Waugh (c) BF 6 Rocky ElsomRL 5 Mark Chisholm LL 4 Nathan SharpeTP 3 Guy ShepherdsonHK 2 Stephen Moore LP 1 Matt Dunning Replacements:HK 16Adam Freier PR 17Benn Robinson LK 18Dan Vickerman N8 19Stephen Hoiles FL 20George Smith SH 21George Gregan WG 22Scott StaniforthCoach:John Connolly FB 15Lee ByrneRW 14Gareth Thomas (c)OC 13Jamie Robinson IC 12Sonny ParkerLW 11Chris CzekajFH 10James HookSH 9 Mike Phillips N8 8 Jonathan ThomasOF 7 Gavin ThomasBF 6 Colin CharvisRL 5 Robert SidoliLL 4 Brent Cockbain TP 3 Adam JonesHK 2 Matthew Rees LP 1 Iestyn Thomas Replacements:HK 16Richard Hibbard PR 17Ceri Jones N8 18Michael Owen FL 19Scott MorganSH 20Gareth Cooper FH 21Ceri SweeneyCE 22Gavin Henson Coach:Nigel Davies
Second test
FB 15Julian HuxleyRW 14Digby IoaneOC 13Stirling Mortlock (c)IC 12Adam Ashley-CooperLW 11Drew MitchellFH 10Stephen LarkhamSH 9 Matt GiteauN8 8 Wycliff PaluOF 7 George SmithBF 6 Rocky ElsomRL 5 Dan VickermanLL 4 Nathan SharpeTP 3 Guy ShepherdsonHK 2 Stephen MooreLP 1 Benn RobinsonReplacements:HK 16Adam Freier PR 17Matt Dunning LK 18Mark Chisholm N8 19Stephen Hoiles FL 20Phil Waugh SH 21George Gregan CE 22Mark Gerrard Coach: John Connolly FB 15Gareth Thomas (c)RW 14Chris CzekajOC 13Jamie RobinsonIC 12Sonny ParkerLW 11Aled BrewFH 10James HookSH 9 Mike PhillipsN8 8 Jonathan ThomasOF 7 Gavin ThomasBF 6 Colin CharvisRL 5 Robert SidoliLL 4 Michael OwenTP 3 Ceri JonesHK 2 Mefin DaviesLP 1 Iestyn ThomasReplacements:HK 16Richard Hibbard PR 17Chris Horsman FL 18Scott Morgan FL 19Robin Sowden-Taylor SH 20Andy Williams FH 21Ceri Sweeney CE 22Gavin Henson Coach:Nigel Davies
References