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George North: Welsh response to Georgia loss 'brilliant' ahead of 'must win' Wallabies Test
By AAP
George North says Wales have one chance to avenge their embarrassing defeat to Georgia and that is against Australia in Cardiff.
George North says Wales have had "a brutally honest" week ahead of an Autumn Nations Series finale against Australia.
Wales tackle the Wallabies just seven days after being humiliated by Georgia in Cardiff.
It was arguably their worst result of rugby union's professional era, arriving just eight months after Wales lost at home to annual Six Nations strugglers Italy.
A fourth successive victory over the Wallabies would not erase memories of the Georgia debacle, but it should at least lift spirits ahead of a tough Six Nations opener against Ireland in just 10 weeks' time.
"I think this week has been a great example of the boys stepping up when we need to," Wales centre North said.
"Obviously, last Saturday didn't go well and we were the first to put our hands up on that.
"The reaction this week has been brilliant. The boys have been brutally honest, and that is what we needed to be, getting down to the hard graft.
"Without hyping it up, I think it is a must-win game for both sides."
North, who wins his 109th cap on Saturday, acknowledges that such defeats are unacceptable.
And Wales' current world ranking of ninth reflects a year when they have won just three Tests and lost eight.
"From a playing point of view and a squad point of view we cannot be at that level," he added.
"Without sounding arrogant and above our station - and in fairness to Georgia they got the result - those are the games we expect to win and win well.
"And when you don't get that then it falls back on us and we have to take the heat when it comes."
Wales' attacking structure has rarely fired during an autumn series of considerable under-achievement, and they have one last chance to get it right.
"It is going to be a big challenge (against Australia). They have played the No.1 and No.2 teams in the world (Ireland and France) the last few weekends and lost by a few points each time, so they will come here, especially after the defeat to Ireland, wanting a big performance.
"If you think how many weeks it is until the Six Nations camp, and that sits on you a fair while, especially after the result against Georgia.
"There is a lot of hurt here, and Saturday is the first chance we have to put it right."
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Latest Comments
Nah, that just needs some more variation. Chip kicks, grubber stabs, all those. Will Jordan showed a pretty good reason why the rush was bad for his link up with BB.
If you have an overlap on a rush defense, they naturally cover out and out and leave a huge gap near the ruck.
It also helps if both teams play the same rules. ARs set the offside line 1m past where the last mans feet were😅
Go to commentsYeah nar, should work for sure. I was just asking why would you do it that way?
It could be achieved by outsourcing all your IP and players to New Zealand, Japan, and America, with a big Super competition between those countries raking it in with all of Australia's best talent to help them at a club level. When there is enough of a following and players coming through internally, and from other international countries (starting out like Australia/without a pro scene), for these high profile clubs to compete without a heavy australian base, then RA could use all the money they'd saved over the decades to turn things around at home and fund 4 super sides of their own that would be good enough to compete.
That sounds like a great model to reset the game in Aus. Take a couple of decades to invest in youth and community networks before trying to become professional again. I just suggest most aussies would be a bit more optimistic they can make it work without the two decades without any pro club rugby bit.
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