There will be a strong Welsh expat presence in the Allianz Stadium in Sydney this Saturday when Warren Gatland’s side take on Australia.
Among them will be former Wales prop Ben Evans, who has made Australia his home for the last decade.
Evans, now 48, made 27 international appearances between 1998 and 2004 and was part of the team defeated by the Wallabies in Sydney in 2003.
That was one of 11 Welsh sides who have lost on Australian soil in the last 55 years.
So will that hoodoo be broken this weekend, or in Melbourne seven days later during this two-match series?
“I hope so,” said Evans.
“I think it is going to be 1-1 in the series, although I don’t know which away around.
“I would love to see Wales win the series outright but if either team is on the back end of a 2-0 loss, it could be quite damaging for them.”
It’s ninth against 10th in the world rankings with Wales having lost their last seven internationals and a new-look Australia side only winning one out of their last 12 Tests in Sydney.
Wales enjoyed a record 40-6 victory against the Wallabies in last year’s World Cup in France but a lot has changed in the last nine months for both sides.
There are only expected to be six starting survivors between both sides from that night in Lyon, while Australia have a new coach in Joe Schmidt who has taken over from Eddie Jones.
“I don’t think Wales have anything to fear,” said Evans.
“They need to embrace the tour and have a nothing to lose mindset and I hope that is the way they are approaching things.
“The Australian boys are there for the taking, if Wales turn up and have the inner belief of sticking to the game plan and enjoying the occasion.
“It is not necessarily about bragging rights from what happened in the World Cup, although the Australians will see that as fuel and maybe are quite bitter, because they are proud people.”
2024-07-03 09:28:49
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