Wales v Australia: Warren Gatland calls for 'never-give-in attitude' to spark his side into life against southern-hemisphere sides

Gatland praises New Zealand's last gasp victories in both rugby union and rugby league last week and challenges his Wales team to do the same

Wales coach Warren Gatland has called for his side to display the same 'never-say-die attitude' that New Zealand displayed last weekend (GETTY IMAGES)

Wales coach Warren Gatland has acclaimed a “never-give-in attitude” of southern-hemisphere teams that was underlined by a rugby union and rugby league winning double last weekend.

New Zealand's league side knocked semi-final opponents England out of the World Cup at Wembley with a converted last-minute try, before the All Blacks similarly accounted for crestfallen Ireland in Dublin 24 hours later.

Australia are Wales' opponents on Saturday, making a Millennium Stadium return a year after stunning their hosts 14-12 through a Kurtley Beale touchdown in the dying seconds.

"It's that never-give-in attitude. We saw it in the rugby league as well (on the weekend)," Gatland said.

"I can only talk about my own experiences. You fight until your last breath with everything you've got. That's the mindset.

"You try to bring that same attitude into the squads you are dealing with. With the Welsh team we've worked hard and are in great shape physically, and it's about transferring that into the little one per centers that we are now talking about.

"The pleasing thing for me as a coach in this autumn campaign is how we fixed for the Argentina game the areas where we were a bit exposed and underdone against South Africa.

"There have also been other improvements, and it's just about little fine margins and making sure we keep working on those. Then with a bit of luck you get across the line."

The 50-year-old New Zealander knows what it takes to topple Australia, having masterminded the British and Irish Lions' 2-1 Test series triumph Down Under earlier this year.

Wales have 11 players from that trip in their starting line-up this weekend, but the recent record against Australia is poor - eight successive defeats since 2008.

"I don't think I learnt anything that I didn't already know," Gatland added.

"You have to play for 80 minutes and there are periods of the game where they are going to come at you and you are going to have to soak up some pressure. It's going to be physical.

"The game at the very highest level is based in certain matches on a lot of emotion, and you have to bring that emotion with you."

"Two contrasting levels of emotion were in the Ireland-All Blacks game. You saw a level of emotion from Ireland, while the All Blacks probably weren't at the same level in the first half. They probably brought a bit more in the second half.

"That is what I learnt from the Australia experience, that emotionally it's difficult to get the very highest level, and if you can on one or two occasions in a year that potentially makes the difference between winning and losing."

PA