Cardiff Blues : News : Wales team to play Australia- 1st test

Wales have named a side to play Australia in Brisbane this weekend showing four changes from that which sealed a 16-9 victory over France last March to be crowned Champions of Europe and achieve their third Grand Slam in seven seasons.

Teams Connacht v Blues Teams Connacht Rugby v Cardiff Blues Opposition Connacht Rugby (A) Opposition Connacht (A) 9-13 HT 0-13 Match Report Opposition Connacht Rugby Venue Sportsground Time KO 17:00 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Connacht Form L W L D L Teams Blues v Edinburgh Teams Cardiff Blues v Edinburgh Rugby Opposition Edinburgh Rugby (H) Opposition Edinburgh (H) 19-21 HT 9-8 Match Report Opposition Edinburgh Rugby Venue Cardiff Arms Park Time KO 19:05 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Edinburgh Form W W L L W Teams Dragons v Blues Teams Newport Gwent Dragons v Cardiff Blues Opposition Newport Gwent Dragons (A) Opposition Dragons (A) 5-16 HT 5-3 Match Report Opposition Newport Gwent Dragons Venue Rodney Parade Time KO 18:30 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Dragons Form L L L W L Teams Blues v Treviso Teams Cardiff Blues v Benetton Treviso Opposition Benetton Treviso (H) Opposition Treviso (H) 34-18 HT 17-3 Match Report Opposition Benetton Treviso Venue Cardiff Arms Park Time KO 18:30 Referee Fitzgibbon Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Treviso Form W L W D W Teams Blues v Ulster Teams Cardiff Blues v Ulster Rugby Opposition Ulster Rugby (H) Opposition Ulster (H) 19-48 HT 9-17 Match Report Opposition Ulster Rugby Venue Cardiff Arms Park Time KO 19:05 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Ulster Form L W W W W Teams Blues v Glasgow Teams Cardiff Blues v Glasgow Warriors Opposition Glasgow Warriors (H) Opposition Glasgow (H) 3-18 HT 3-12 Match Report Opposition Glasgow Warriors Venue Cardiff Arms Park Time KO 18:30 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Glasgow Form W L W W L Teams Sharks v Blues Teams Sale Sharks v Cardiff Blues Opposition Sale Sharks (A) Opposition Sharks (A) 34-33 HT 12-24 Match Report Opposition Sale Sharks Venue Salford City Stadium Time KO 12:45 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Sharks Form W D W L W Teams Blues v Toulon Teams Cardiff Blues v Toulon Opposition Toulon (H) Opposition Toulon (H) 14-22 HT 8-6 Match Report Opposition Toulon Venue Cardiff Arms Park Time KO 12:45 Referee Clancy Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Toulon Form W L W W W Teams Leinster v Blues Teams Leinster Rugby v Cardiff Blues Opposition Leinster Rugby (A) Opposition Leinster (A) 59-22 HT 40-3 Match Report Opposition Leinster Rugby Venue Royal Dublin Society Time KO 18:30 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Leinster Form W W W W W Teams Blues v Munster Teams Cardiff Blues v Munster Rugby Opposition Munster Rugby (H) Opposition Munster (H) 18-24 HT 3-10 Match Report Opposition Munster Rugby Venue Cardiff Arms Park Time KO 19:05 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Munster Form W L L L W Teams Blues v Wasps Teams Cardiff Blues v London Wasps Opposition London Wasps (H) Opposition Wasps (H) 22-17 HT 7-14 Match Report Opposition London Wasps Venue Cardiff Arms Park Time KO 19:30 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Wasps Form L L L L L Teams Scarlets v Blues Teams Scarlets v Cardiff Blues Opposition Scarlets (A) Opposition Scarlets (A) 22-16 HT 13-13 Match Report Opposition Scarlets Venue Parc y Scarlets Time KO 18:30 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Scarlets Form W W W L L Teams Zebre v Blues Teams Zebre v Cardiff Blues Opposition Zebre (A) Opposition Zebre (A) 7-14 HT 7-5 Match Report Opposition Zebre Venue Stadio XXV Aprile Time KO 15:00 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Zebre Form L L L L L Teams Ospreys v Blues Teams Ospreys v Cardiff Blues Opposition Ospreys (A) Opposition Ospreys (A) 33-12 HT 16-6 Match Report Opposition Ospreys Venue Liberty Stadium Time KO 19:05 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Ospreys Form W W W L L Teams Blues v Montpellier Teams Cardiff Blues v Montpellier Opposition Montpellier (H) Opposition Montpellier (H) 24-35 HT 15-19 Match Report Opposition Montpellier Venue Cardiff Arms Park Time KO 12:45 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Montpellier Form W W W W L Teams Montpellier v Blues Teams Montpellier v Cardiff Blues Opposition Montpellier (A) Opposition Montpellier (A) 34-21 HT 17-8 Match Report Opposition Montpellier Venue Time KO 19:00 Referee Garner Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Montpellier Form W W W W L Teams Blues v Scarlets Teams Cardiff Blues v Scarlets Opposition Scarlets (H) Opposition Scarlets (H) 6-9 HT 3-9 Match Report Opposition Scarlets Venue Cardiff Arms Park Time KO 19:05 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Scarlets Form W W W L L Teams Blues v Dragons Teams Cardiff Blues v Newport Gwent Dragons Opposition Newport Gwent Dragons (H) Opposition Dragons (H) 12-10 HT 9-0 Match Report Opposition Newport Gwent Dragons Venue Cardiff Arms Park Time KO 14:05 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Dragons Form L L L W L Teams Munster v Blues Teams Munster Rugby v Cardiff Blues Opposition Munster Rugby (A) Opposition Munster (A) 6-17 HT 3-3 Opposition Munster Rugby Venue Musgrave Park Time KO 19:30 Referee Owens Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Munster Form W L L L W Teams Toulon v Blues Teams Toulon v Cardiff Blues Opposition Toulon (A) Opposition Toulon (A) 45-25 HT 19-8 Match Report Opposition Toulon Venue Stade Mayol Time KO 14:35 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Toulon Form W L W W W Teams Blues v Sharks Teams Cardiff Blues v Sale Sharks Opposition Sale Sharks (H) Opposition Sharks (H) 26-14 HT 9-7 Match Report Opposition Sale Sharks Venue Cardiff Arms Park Time KO 15:40 Referee Fitzgibbon Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Sharks Form W D W L W Teams Saracens v Blues Teams Saracens v Cardiff Blues Opposition Saracens (A) Opposition Saracens (A) 19-11 HT 6-8 Opposition Saracens Venue Allianz Park Time KO 15:00 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Saracens Form W L L W L Teams Blues v L Irish Teams Cardiff Blues v London Irish Opposition London Irish (H) Opposition L Irish (H) 10-6 HT 7-3 Match Report Opposition London Irish Venue Cardiff Arms Park Time KO 19:30 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L L Irish Form W D L W L Teams Blues v Leinster Teams Cardiff Blues v Leinster Rugby Opposition Leinster Rugby (H) Opposition Leinster (H) 11-26 HT 3-23 Match Report Opposition Leinster Rugby Venue Cardiff Arms Park Time KO 19:30 Referee Fitzgibbon Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Leinster Form W W W W W Teams Edinburgh v Blues Teams Edinburgh Rugby v Cardiff Blues Opposition Edinburgh Rugby (A) Opposition Edinburgh (A) 16-17 HT 6-14 Match Report Opposition Edinburgh Rugby Venue Murrayfield Time KO 19:30 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Edinburgh Form W W L L W Teams Blues v Connacht Teams Cardiff Blues v Connacht Rugby Opposition Connacht Rugby (H) Opposition Connacht (H) 22-26 HT 8-15 Match Report Opposition Connacht Rugby Venue Cardiff Arms Park Time KO 19:30 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Connacht Form L W L D L Teams Glasgow v Blues Teams Glasgow Warriors v Cardiff Blues Opposition Glasgow Warriors (A) Opposition Glasgow (A) 29-13 HT 10-13 Match Report Opposition Glasgow Warriors Venue Scotstoun Time KO 19:35 Referee Clancy Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Glasgow Form W L W W L Teams Treviso v Blues Teams Benetton Treviso v Cardiff Blues Opposition Benetton Treviso (A) Opposition Treviso (A) 26-17 HT 13-10 Match Report Opposition Benetton Treviso Venue Stadio di Monigo Time KO 19:30 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Treviso Form W L W D W Teams Blues v Ospreys Teams Cardiff Blues v Ospreys Opposition Ospreys (H) Opposition Ospreys (H) 16-23 HT 10-20 Match Report Opposition Ospreys Venue Millennium Stadium Time KO 17:15 Referee Owens Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Ospreys Form W W W L L Teams Blues v Zebre Teams Cardiff Blues v Zebre Opposition Zebre (H) Opposition Zebre (H) 28-13 HT 21-6 Match Report Opposition Zebre Venue Cardiff Arms Park Time KO 14:30 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Zebre Form L L L L L Teams Scarlets v Blues Teams Scarlets v Cardiff Blues Opposition Scarlets (A) Opposition Scarlets (A) 24-6 HT 10-6 Match Report Opposition Scarlets Venue Parc y Scarlets Time KO 18:30 Referee Owens Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Scarlets Form W W W L L Teams Ulster v Blues Teams Ulster Rugby v Cardiff Blues Opposition Ulster Rugby (A) Opposition Ulster (A) 37-13 HT 10-13 Opposition Ulster Rugby Venue Ravenhill Time KO 19:45 Referee Previous Meeting Blues Form L L W L L Ulster Form L W W W W Teams v Teams v Opposition () Opposition () Ticket Information Tickets {FixBroadcast} Opposition Venue Referee Previous Meeting Form Form

In the front row Scarlets hooker Ken Owens replaces Matthew Rees and it's all change in the second row with Bradley Davies (Blues) and Luke Charteris (Dragons) replacing Ian Evans - who joins the tour party immediately after his wedding this weekend - and Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), who moves to the bench.

There is one change to the backline which remained together for the duration of the 2012 RBS Six Nations clean sweep, with Scarlets centre Scott Williams replacing the injured Jamie Roberts (knee).

That means 15 of the players who travelled to Brisbane early last week, and missed Wales' 30-21 victory over the Barbarians at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, have been handed starting positions with the 16th, uncapped Ospreys centre Ashley Beck, providing cover from the bench.

The rest of the replacements bench is made up of starters from the Baa-Baas victory, each of whom were involved in the match day 22 on Grand Slam day.

Scarlets hooker Rees joins prop Paul James, lock Jones and back row Ryan Jones (all Ospreys) to provide cover for the forwards with Blues scrum-half Lloyd Williams and Perpignan pivot James Hook complete the line-up.

"We are well prepared and looking forward to the challenge this weekend," said Wales caretaker head coach Rob Howley.

"Australia will be disappointed after their defeat to Scotland, but that will make them all the more dangerous for us.

"The Wallabies are still the second highest placed side in the world rankings and we are playing them in their own back yard.

"We all appreciate the enormity of the task ahead of us, the long term stats don't make happy reading for the Welsh against the Wallabies, but as recently as this season we have two losses racked up against Australian opposition and we are determined to stop that trend.

"We have created some winning momentum, we have a recent home win against the Barbarians to take into this game and have built a certain amount of confidence within the squad."

WALES: Leigh Halfpenny, Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Scott Williams, George North; Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips; Gethin Jenkins, Ken Owens, Adam Jones, Bradley Davies, Luke Charteris, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton (Captain), Toby Faletau
REPLACEMENTS: Matthew Rees, Paul James, Alun Wyn Jones, Ryan Jones, Lloyd Williams, James Hook, Ashley Beck

WALES

15 Leigh HALFPENNY (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,060)

DoB: 22.12.88. 5'10" / 1.77m. 13st 6lbs / 85kgs

International record: 32 caps (W 17, L 15; 141 pts - 11T, 7C, 24PG)

14 George NORTH (SCARLETS - Cap No 1,078)

DoB: 13.04.92. 6'4" / 1.92m. 17st 3lbs / 109kgs

International record: 21 caps (W 11, L 9, D 1; 50 pts - 10T)

13 Jonathan DAVIES (SCARLETS - Cap No 1,066)

DoB: 05.04.88. 6'1" / 1.86m. 16st 8lb / 105kgs

International record: 26 caps (W 16, L 10; 35 pts - 7T)

12 Scott WILLIAMS (SCARLETS - Cap No 1,084)

DoB: 10.10.90. 6'0" / 1.83m. 15st 13lbs / 101kgs

International record: 12 caps (W 8, L 4; 25 pts - 5T)

11 Alex CUTHBERT (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,089)

DoB: 05.04.90. 6'6" / 1.98m. 16st 3lbs / 103kgs

International record: 6 caps (W 5, L 1; 15 pts - 3T)

10 Rhys PRIESTLAND (SCARLETS - Cap No 1,080)

DoB: 09.01.87 1.82m / 6'0". 15st 0lbs / 95kgs

International record: 15 caps (W 11, L 4; 53 pts - 1T, 12C, 8PG)

9 Mike PHILLIPS (BAYONNE - Cap No 1,022)

DoB: 29.08.82. 6'3" / 1.91m. 15st 10lb / 101kgs

International record: 65 caps (W 33, L 30, D 2; 40 pts - 8T)

1 Gethin JENKINS (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,006)

DoB: 17.11.80. 6'2" / 1.88m. 19st 1lb / 121kgs

International record: 87 caps (W 41, L 44, D 2; 20 pts - 4T)

2 Ken OWENS (SCARLETS - Cap No 1,088)

DoB: 03.01.87. 6'1" / 1.86m. 17st 3lbs / 109kgs

International record: 5 caps (W 5)

3 Adam JONES (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,018)

DoB: 08.03.81. 6'0" / 1.83m. 19st 4lbs / 122kgs

International record: 80 caps (W 40, L 37, D 3; 10 pts - 2T)

4 Bradley DAVIES (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,065)

DoB: 09.01.87. 6'6" / 1.98m. 19st 4lbs / 122kgs

International record: 33 caps (W 15, L 17, D 1)

5 Luke CHARTERIS (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS - Cap No 1,030)

DoB: 09.03.83. 6'9" / 2.06m. 19st 10lbs / 125kgs

International record: 34 caps (W 18, L 16)

6 Dan LYDIATE (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS - Cap No 1,071)

DoB: 18.12.87. 1.93m / 6'4". 18st 0lbs / 114kgs

International record: 24 caps (W 12, L 11, D 1)

7 Sam WARBURTON (CARDIFF BLUES, CAPTAIN - Cap No 1,070)

DoB: 05.10.88. 1.88m / 6'2". 16st 4lbs / 103kgs

International record: 27 caps (W 15, L 12; 10 pts - 2T)

8 Toby FALETAU (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS - Cap No 1,082)

DoB: 12.11.90. 1.88m / 6'2". 17st 5lbs / 110kgs

International record: 16 caps (W 10, L 6; 10 pts - 2T)

REPLACEMENTS

16 Matthew REES (SCARLETS, CAPTAIN - Cap No 1,033)

DoB: 09.12.80. 6'0" / 1.83m. 17st 1lbs / 108kgs

International record: 51 caps (W 23, L 27, D 1; 10 pts - 2T)

17 Paul JAMES (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,021)

DoB: 13.05.82. 6'1" / 1.86m. 18st 2lbs / 115kgs

International record: 35 caps (W 16, L 18, D 1)

18 Alun Wyn JONES (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,046)

DoB: 19.09.85. 6'5" / 1.96m. 19st 4lbs / 122kgs

International record: 63 caps (W 29, L 34; 35 pts - 7T)

19 Ryan JONES (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,029)

DoB: 13.03.81. 6'5" / 1.96m. 17st 12lbs / 113kgs

International record: 64 caps (W 34, L 28, D 2; 5 pts - 1T)

20 Lloyd WILLIAMS (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,086)

DoB: 30.11.89. 6'0" / 1.83m. 14st 1lb / 89kgs

International record: 8 caps (W 6, L 2; 10 pts - 2T)

21 James HOOK (PERPIGNAN - Cap No 1,047)

DoB: 27.06.85. 6'0" / 1.83m. 15st 2lbs / 96kgs

International record: 63 caps (W 29, L 32, D 2; 346 pts - 13T, 43C, 61PG, 4DG)

22 Ashley BECK (OSPREYS - Uncapped)

DoB: 15.04.90. 6'3" / 1.91m. 15st 13lbs / 101kgs

International record: Uncapped

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Wales team to play Australia- 1st test

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