Triple big match coup for Gatland’s Wales

Feb 22 2008 by Paul Abbandonato, Western Mail

WALES have confirmed an autumn fixture with Australia ... meaning Warren Gatland’s team will test themselves against the very best in the world over a 21-day period this year.

WRU chief David Pickering pulled off the coup after a trip Down Under to thrash out the fine details of the clash with the Wallabies in November.

The official confirmation means Ryan Jones and his team-mates will face South Africa on November 8, New Zealand on November 22 and Australia on November 29.

Completing the quartet of games at the Millennium Stadium is a clash with Canada on November 15.

The triple showdown with the southern hemisphere big guns is a mouth-watering prospect for Welsh fans and gives them the opportunity to see world stars such as Bryan Habana, Dan Carter and Stirling Mortlock close up.

The Western Mail understands the Welsh regions will also be re-warded from the hastily-arranged Wallabies fixture to the tune of £400,000 to cover the release of their players for an extra match.Wales have received official IRB approval to stage the game, permission that was required because the date of Wales versus Australia falls outside of the autumn international window.WRU bosses also successfully persuaded Robbie Deans’ Australians to move a scheduled game against the Barbarians at Wembley back a week and come to Cardiff on November 29 instead.Instead, the Wallabies will meet the Baa-Baas on December 6 at the end of a tour which also sees them play England, Italy and France, as well as Wales.News that the southern hemisphere big guns are coming to Wales continues the current boom factor sweeping through our national game.Gatland has revived the fortunes of the Welsh team, while last week the WRU announced a record £10m kit deal.Meanwhile, Gatland’s Wales team have received extra incentive to hold on to their new-found status in the top eight of the IRB rankings.If they do so, they will only have to face one other team from the leading eight in their pool at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.However, should they slip back outside that elite band, they would be pooled with two top-eight sides under a new ranking system.Wales have moved above their World Cup conquerors Fiji into eighth spot on the back of Six Nations victories over England and Scotland.The 12 automatic qualifiers for the 2011 tournament – South Africa, England, France, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Scotland, Tonga, Ireland, Italy and Wales – will be split into three bands of four based on their IRB rankings on December 1 this year.arranged Wallabies fixture to the tune of £400,000 to cover the release of their players for an extra match.

Wales have received official IRB approval to stage the game, permission that was required because the date of Wales versus Australia falls outside of the autumn international window.

WRU bosses also successfully persuaded Robbie Deans’ Australians to move a scheduled game against the Barbarians at Wembley back a week and come to Cardiff on November 29 instead.

Instead, the Wallabies will meet the Baa-Baas on December 6 at the end of a tour which also sees them play England, Italy and France, as well as Wales.

News that the southern hemisphere big guns are coming to Wales continues the current boom factor sweeping through our national game.

Gatland has revived the fortunes of the Welsh team, while last week the WRU announced a record £10m kit deal.

Meanwhile, Gatland’s Wales team have received extra incentive to hold on to their new-found status in the top eight of the IRB rankings.

If they do so, they will only have to face one other team from the leading eight in their pool at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.

However, should they slip back outside that elite band, they would be pooled with two top-eight sides under a new ranking system.

Wales have moved above their World Cup conquerors Fiji into eighth spot on the back of Six Nations victories over England and Scotland.

The 12 automatic qualifiers for the 2011 tournament – South Africa, England, France, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Scotland, Tonga, Ireland, Italy and Wales – will be split into three bands of four based on their IRB rankings on December 1 this year.