Wales name unchanged side for Australia clash

 

Wales have named an unchanged side for their third Test against Australia in Sydney on Saturday.

After only being denied a first win in Australia since 1969 by a last-minute penalty in Melbourne last week, Wales have stuck with the same personnel for the concluding match of the series.

The only change comes on the bench, where Scarlets hooker Ken Owens takes the place of Ospreys' Richard Hibbard.

Caretaker coach Rob Howley is determined for his side to go one better after their heart-breaking 25-23 loss in the second Test.

"We know what we have to do to beat Australia, but there is a difference between knowing how to win and achieving that aim," he said.

"This Wales team was within around 30 seconds of beating the Wallabies on their home patch for the first time in 43 years, the challenge now is to go one better than that and make sure we are ahead not just when the hooter goes, but when the game finishes this weekend.

"The players can take some credit for the way they played for the large part of the match on Saturday, but that will be scant consolation if we don't come home with a win in this series.

"We have risen to our highest position (fourth) in the IRB World rankings because of our performances so far this season, which can have positive repercussions for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, but now we want to stay there and that means coming away with the spoils on Saturday afternoon."

Wales team to face Australia in Sydney on Saturday: L Halfpenny; A Cuthbert, J Davies, A Beck, G North; R Priestland, M Phillips; G Jenkins, M Rees, A Jones, B Davies, A-W Jones, D Lydiate, S Warburton (captain), R Jones.

Replacements: K Owens, P James, L Charteris, J Tipuric, R Webb, J Hook, S Williams.

PA

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