Rugby World Cup 2023: Wales want to avoid 'rabbit hole' of permutations - Thomas
- Published
Australia's comeback victory in the 2022 autumn series was Wayne Pivac's final game in charge of Wales
Rugby World Cup 2023: Wales v Australia |
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Venue: OL Stadium, Lyon Date: Sunday, 24 September Kick-off: 20:00 BST |
Coverage: Live BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website & app; live text commentary on BBC Sport website & app. |
Assistant coach Jonathan Thomas says it is an old cliche, but that Wales are focused on themselves as they prepare to take on Australia in Lyon on Sunday.
Victory would guarantee Wales a place in the World Cup quarter-finals.
In contrast, defeat for the Wallabies could see them on the brink of a group stage exit for the first time.
"When you start thinking about permutations or selection of the opposition, this and that, you go down a rabbit hole," said Thomas.
"Confidence, for me, comes from the work you do in the week, so we need to prepare well this week."
Wales currently top Pool C after bonus-point wins over Fiji and Portugal, while Australia have six points after a bonus-point win over Georgia and a losing bonus point in their historic defeat by Fiji.
Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones took full-blame for his side's performance and said Sunday's match in Lyon is do or die.
As well as their slump in form, Australia face the prospect of being without key players such as lock and captain Will Skelton, prop Taniela Tupou and hooker Jordan Uelese through injury.
Their youngest squad member Max Jorgensen has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament after breaking his fibula in training on Wednesday.
But Thomas says this changes nothing from a Wales point of view.
"We respect Australia as a rugby nation, they are a wounded animal, they can be dangerous," he said.
"I think, for us, we're very clear that we want to go and win the game, we need to train appropriately and we need to go out and do the job and focus on ourselves."
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Thomas added that all members of the squad, with the exception of back row Tommy Reffell, are available for selection with the team announced on Friday, after initially being scheduled for Thursday.
Reffell was a late withdrawal before the Portugal game with a tight calf.
"Tommy is being assessed every day, that's probably the only one that we'll weigh up. Everyone else has a clean bill of health," said Thomas.
Reffell, co-captain Jac Morgan, prop Nicky Smith and full-back Leigh Halfpenny also did not take a part in the first part of the team training session on Wednesday evening.