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"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two-time World Cup winners the Wallabies have never before faulted at the first hurdle. However, after a crushing 22-15 defeat to Fiji last time out, Eddie Jones’s side are staring into the abyss.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Australians will have to navigate the Welsh challenge without the services of captain Will Skelton, who remains sidelined by a calf injury. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vice-captain Tate McDermott returns to the starting XV after recovering from a concussion – but in another selection oddity from </span><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-09-18-eddie-jones-has-no-regrets-after-fiji-stun-young-wallabies-at-world-cup/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jones</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, he won’t take over the captain’s armband from hooker Dave Porecki. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Earlier in the week, scrum coach Neil Hatley insisted the captaincy wasn’t a “massive thing” for the Wallabies, instead backing a larger leadership group. But critics of Jones – who are not in short supply – will suggest the lack of clarity in terms of leadership only points further to a rudderless Australian ship.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1855957\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/GettyImages-1687309400.jpg\" alt=\"Australia v Wales\" width=\"720\" height=\"478\" /> <em>Australia coach Eddie Jones looks on during their World Cup group-stage match against Fiji at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Etienne on 17 September 2023. (Photo: Chris Hyde / Getty Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jones caused something of a furore when he left experienced pivots Quade Cooper, James O’Connor and Bernard Foley at home and instead selected 22-year-old Carter Gordon as his only recognised flyhalf for the tournament. </span>\r\n<blockquote>We’ve prepared well, are focused on what we need to do, and we’ll be ready to fight on Sunday night.</blockquote>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The wisdom of that decision will be questioned further with Gordon dropped for the showdown against Wales, with fullback Ben Donaldson moving into the No 10 jersey.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Andrew Kellaway takes over from Donaldson at 15 in the only other change to the backline. Among the forwards, Fraser McReight misses out, with Tom Hooper moving to openside to accommodate Rob Leota.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Every team has matches like this during a Rugby World Cup and for this young team it is this week,” Jones said ahead of the clash.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1865692\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/RWC-Australia-pressure-2.jpg\" alt=\"Australia v Wales\" width=\"720\" height=\"434\" /> <em>Jordan Uelese of Australia during the Wallabies' World Cup match against Fiji at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Etienne on 17 September 2023. (Photo: Chris Hyde / Getty Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We’ve prepared well, are focused on what we need to do, and we’ll be ready to fight on Sunday night.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Neither Australia nor Wales head to Lyon with much form to their name. Australia’s opening win over Georgia was their first since beating Wales at Principality Stadium last November. </span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more in Daily Maverick: </b><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/springbok-rugby-world-cup-2023-news-results/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rugby World Cup 2023</span></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wales have won four of their past five games, but have largely flattered to deceive. Their victory over Fiji was a rare bright spot. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A much-changed Wales side stuttered their way to a 28-8 victory over Portugal last time out and only secured the precious four-try bonus point in the 83rd minute. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Warren Gatland has returned to the tried-and-tested for Sunday’s game, with the same starting XV who beat Fiji named to face Australia. That means that Ryan Elias comes back in at hooker at the expense of co-captain Dewi Lake who doesn’t feature in the match-day squad. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nine players who turned out against Australia in the 2019 World Cup are named in the squad, including five members of the starting backline.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We’re happy with our position going into this game. We have two wins and 10 points. There’s confidence among this group and we’ve had a good edge to training this week,” said Gatland.</span>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<script type=\"text/javascript\">!function(e,t,r){let n;if(e.getElementById(r))return;const o=e.getElementsByTagName(\"script\")[0];n=e.createElement(\"script\"),n.id=r,n.defer=!0,n.type=\"module\",n.src=\"https://playback.oovvuu.media/player/v2/index.js\",o.parentNode.insertBefore(n,o)}(document,0,\"oovvuu-player-sdk-v2\");</script>\r\n<div data-oovvuu-embed=\"17735db0-7941-4adf-a088-02e66e69d530\">\r\n\r\n \r\n<div></div>\r\n \r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Everyone wants to be involved and there were some disappointed players this week. Which is exactly what we want with competition strong across the squad. Every game in the World Cup is tough, the stakes are high, and this will be no different.”</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1577100\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-1465137916.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"425\" /> <em>Wales coach Warren Gatland at a warm-up before the Six Nations Rugby clash with Scotland at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on 11 February 2023. (Photo: Stu Forster / Getty Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Defeat to Wales will all but send Australia packing. Only a calamitous breakdown from Fiji against both Portugal and Georgia would then open the door for the Australians. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For Wales, the equation is not quite so bleak. Victory would assure them of top spot in the group, while defeat with a bonus point (or two) will leave the door open as they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Fiji. </span><b>DM</b>\r\n<h4><b>Australia and Wales line-ups</b></h4>\r\n<h4><b>Australia</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">15 Andrew Kellaway, 14 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 13 Jordan Petaia, 12 Samu Kerevi, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Ben Donaldson, 9 Tate McDermott, 8 Rob Valetini, 7 Tom Hooper, 6 Rob Leota, 5 Richie Arnold, 4 Nick Frost, 3 James Slipper, 2 David Porecki (c), 1 Angus Bell</span>\r\n<h4><b>Replacements</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">16 Matt Faessler, 17 Blake Schoupp, 18 Pone Fa’amausili, 19 Matt Philip, 20 Fraser McReight, 21 Nic White, 22 Carter Gordon, 23 Suliasi Vunivalu</span>\r\n<h4><b>Wales</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">15 Liam Williams, 14 Louis Rees Zammit, 13 George North, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Gareth Davies, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Jac Morgan (C), 6 Aaron Wainwright, 5 Adam Beard, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Gareth Thomas</span>\r\n<h4><b>Replacements</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">16 Elliot Dee, 17 Corey Domachowski, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Dafydd Jenkins, 20 Taine Basham, 21 Tomos Williams, 22 Gareth Anscombe, 23 Rio Dyer</span>",
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"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Two-time World Cup winners the Wallabies have never before faulted at the first hurdle. However, after a crushing 22-15 defeat to Fiji last time out, Eddie Jones’s side are staring into the abyss.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Australians will have to navigate the Welsh challenge without the services of captain Will Skelton, who remains sidelined by a calf injury. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vice-captain Tate McDermott returns to the starting XV after recovering from a concussion – but in another selection oddity from </span><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-09-18-eddie-jones-has-no-regrets-after-fiji-stun-young-wallabies-at-world-cup/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jones</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, he won’t take over the captain’s armband from hooker Dave Porecki. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Earlier in the week, scrum coach Neil Hatley insisted the captaincy wasn’t a “massive thing” for the Wallabies, instead backing a larger leadership group. But critics of Jones – who are not in short supply – will suggest the lack of clarity in terms of leadership only points further to a rudderless Australian ship.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1855957\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-1855957\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/GettyImages-1687309400.jpg\" alt=\"Australia v Wales\" width=\"720\" height=\"478\" /> <em>Australia coach Eddie Jones looks on during their World Cup group-stage match against Fiji at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Etienne on 17 September 2023. (Photo: Chris Hyde / Getty Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jones caused something of a furore when he left experienced pivots Quade Cooper, James O’Connor and Bernard Foley at home and instead selected 22-year-old Carter Gordon as his only recognised flyhalf for the tournament. </span>\r\n<blockquote>We’ve prepared well, are focused on what we need to do, and we’ll be ready to fight on Sunday night.</blockquote>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The wisdom of that decision will be questioned further with Gordon dropped for the showdown against Wales, with fullback Ben Donaldson moving into the No 10 jersey.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Andrew Kellaway takes over from Donaldson at 15 in the only other change to the backline. Among the forwards, Fraser McReight misses out, with Tom Hooper moving to openside to accommodate Rob Leota.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Every team has matches like this during a Rugby World Cup and for this young team it is this week,” Jones said ahead of the clash.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1865692\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-1865692\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/RWC-Australia-pressure-2.jpg\" alt=\"Australia v Wales\" width=\"720\" height=\"434\" /> <em>Jordan Uelese of Australia during the Wallabies' World Cup match against Fiji at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Etienne on 17 September 2023. (Photo: Chris Hyde / Getty Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We’ve prepared well, are focused on what we need to do, and we’ll be ready to fight on Sunday night.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Neither Australia nor Wales head to Lyon with much form to their name. Australia’s opening win over Georgia was their first since beating Wales at Principality Stadium last November. </span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more in Daily Maverick: </b><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/springbok-rugby-world-cup-2023-news-results/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rugby World Cup 2023</span></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wales have won four of their past five games, but have largely flattered to deceive. Their victory over Fiji was a rare bright spot. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A much-changed Wales side stuttered their way to a 28-8 victory over Portugal last time out and only secured the precious four-try bonus point in the 83rd minute. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Warren Gatland has returned to the tried-and-tested for Sunday’s game, with the same starting XV who beat Fiji named to face Australia. That means that Ryan Elias comes back in at hooker at the expense of co-captain Dewi Lake who doesn’t feature in the match-day squad. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nine players who turned out against Australia in the 2019 World Cup are named in the squad, including five members of the starting backline.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We’re happy with our position going into this game. We have two wins and 10 points. There’s confidence among this group and we’ve had a good edge to training this week,” said Gatland.</span>\r\n<div>\r\n\r\n<script type=\"text/javascript\">!function(e,t,r){let n;if(e.getElementById(r))return;const o=e.getElementsByTagName(\"script\")[0];n=e.createElement(\"script\"),n.id=r,n.defer=!0,n.type=\"module\",n.src=\"https://playback.oovvuu.media/player/v2/index.js\",o.parentNode.insertBefore(n,o)}(document,0,\"oovvuu-player-sdk-v2\");</script>\r\n<div data-oovvuu-embed=\"17735db0-7941-4adf-a088-02e66e69d530\">\r\n\r\n \r\n<div></div>\r\n \r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Everyone wants to be involved and there were some disappointed players this week. Which is exactly what we want with competition strong across the squad. Every game in the World Cup is tough, the stakes are high, and this will be no different.”</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1577100\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-1577100\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-1465137916.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"425\" /> <em>Wales coach Warren Gatland at a warm-up before the Six Nations Rugby clash with Scotland at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on 11 February 2023. (Photo: Stu Forster / Getty Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Defeat to Wales will all but send Australia packing. Only a calamitous breakdown from Fiji against both Portugal and Georgia would then open the door for the Australians. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For Wales, the equation is not quite so bleak. Victory would assure them of top spot in the group, while defeat with a bonus point (or two) will leave the door open as they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Fiji. </span><b>DM</b>\r\n<h4><b>Australia and Wales line-ups</b></h4>\r\n<h4><b>Australia</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">15 Andrew Kellaway, 14 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 13 Jordan Petaia, 12 Samu Kerevi, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Ben Donaldson, 9 Tate McDermott, 8 Rob Valetini, 7 Tom Hooper, 6 Rob Leota, 5 Richie Arnold, 4 Nick Frost, 3 James Slipper, 2 David Porecki (c), 1 Angus Bell</span>\r\n<h4><b>Replacements</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">16 Matt Faessler, 17 Blake Schoupp, 18 Pone Fa’amausili, 19 Matt Philip, 20 Fraser McReight, 21 Nic White, 22 Carter Gordon, 23 Suliasi Vunivalu</span>\r\n<h4><b>Wales</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">15 Liam Williams, 14 Louis Rees Zammit, 13 George North, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Gareth Davies, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Jac Morgan (C), 6 Aaron Wainwright, 5 Adam Beard, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Gareth Thomas</span>\r\n<h4><b>Replacements</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">16 Elliot Dee, 17 Corey Domachowski, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Dafydd Jenkins, 20 Taine Basham, 21 Tomos Williams, 22 Gareth Anscombe, 23 Rio Dyer</span>",
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Australia coach Eddie Jones looks on during their World Cup group-stage match against Fiji at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Etienne on 17 September 2023. (Photo: Chris Hyde / Getty Images)
Jordan Uelese of Australia during the Wallabies' World Cup match against Fiji at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Etienne on 17 September 2023. (Photo: Chris Hyde / Getty Images)
Wales coach Warren Gatland at a warm-up before the Six Nations Rugby clash with Scotland at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on 11 February 2023. (Photo: Stu Forster / Getty Images)