THE LOWDOWN FOR AUSTRALIA’S RUGBY WORLD CUP SHOWDOWN WITH WALES

Head to head:-

Games played: 38

Australia: 27 wins

Wales: 10

Drawn: 1

World Cup records:-

Australia: 36 wins, 8 losses

Wales: 21 wins, 14 losses

Best World Cup finish:

Australia: Champions (1991, 1999)

Wales: Third (1987)

World ranking:

Australia: 2

Wales: 3

Recent clashes between the two nations:

2014: Australia won 33-14 in Cardiff

2013: Australia won 30-26 in Cardiff

2012: Australia won 14-12 in Cardiff

Recent form:

Australia: 33-13 win over England; 65-3 win over Uruguay; 28-13 win over Fiji.

Wales: 23-13 win over Fiji; 28-25 win over England; 54-9 win over Uruguay.

Key players:

Australia: Sean McMahon. Watch out for the firebrand No.7 to step into the shoes of Michael Hooper with ease. McMahon plays a different style to defensive pest Hooper, but his all-out aggression and focus on attack will be felt. He’s been man of the match in his past two Wallabies performances.

Wales: George North. Everybody in Australia remembers this guy from his brilliant British and Irish Lions tour in 2013. Most famously, North showed off brute strength to fling would-be defender Israel Folau up on his shoulder and carry him 10 metres downfield. Wales have moved him to the centres to involve him more.

Teams:

Australia: Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tevita Kuridrani, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, David Pocock, Sean McMahon, Scott Fardy, Dean Mumm, Kane Douglas, Sekope Kepu, Stephen Moore (capt), Scott Sio. Res: Tatafu Polota-Nau, James Slipper, Greg Holmes, Rob Simmons, Ben McCalman, Nick Phipps, Matt Toomua, Kurtley Beale.

Wales: Gareth Anscombe; Alex Cuthbert, George North, Jamie Roberts, Liam Williams; Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies; Taulupe Faletau, Justin Tipuric, Sam Warburton (capt); Alun Wyn Jones, Luke Charteris; Samson Lee, Scott Baldwin, Paul James. Res: Ken Owens, Aaron Jarvis, Tomas Francis, Jake Ball, Ross Moriarty, Lloyd Williams, Rhys Priestland, James Hook.