Howley demands bravery

Rob Howley says confidence has returned to Wales

Wales v Australia at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Sunday 25 November, live on BBC2, kick-off 1500 GMT.

Wales and Lions scrum-half Rob Howley is looking forward to renewing his rivalry with Australia skipper George Gregan on Sunday.

Howley has had some memorable battles with the Wallaby No 9 in the past, the most recent being the Lions' Test series down under in June and July.

Gregan and Australia emerged as winners from a tight series then, but Howley warns that Wales must put their bodies on the line if they are not to be embarrassed in the Millennium Stadium on Sunday.

Australia will be busting a gut on Sunday to ensure they finish on a winning note

Wales scrum-half Rob Howley

"I'm sure we'll be looking to stand up and be counted," Howley said. "If we don't it could easily end up being a cricket score.

"That's the realistic situation on Sunday that if we play to the best of our ability we can give Australia a game.

"England and France showed how physical they were in the tackle area and that's one area where we can beat them."

The Wallabies are smarting from back-to-back defeats against first England and then France last week.

Howley will win his 54th cap on Sunday, seeing him draw level with Robert Jones as Wales' most capped scrum-half.

The Cardiff No 9 says that there's never a good time to play Australia, but is expecting a backlash from a team whose pride has been dented.

George Gregan is an old adversary of Howley's

"Despite them losing to England and France I still think overall they're the team to beat in the world at the moment.

"They will be busting a gut on Sunday to ensure they finish off their tour to the northern hemisphere on a winning note."

Wales have recently hit a bad patch, with heavy defeats to Ireland and then Argentina heaping pressure on coach Graham Henry and his players.

They at least got back to winning ways last week with a morale-boosting 51-7 win over Tonga.

But injuries have taken a heavy toll on the Wales squad, forcing Henry to field an inexperienced centre pairing of Iestyn Harris and Jamie Robinson, while recalling veteran wing Wayne Proctor three years after he won his last cap.

"The development of the squad has come on over the last three weeks," Howley added.

Jamie Robinson has got the nod from Graham Henry

"No disrespect to Tonga, but I suppose it was more of a confidence game for everyone to get their game back on track as individuals and as a team.

"It's been difficult but it's been the first real low we've had since Graham came here in 1998.

"It's just a period where we're mising players through injury, club rugby isn't great at the moment in Wales, and players are struggling with form.

"The majority of us got our confidence back last week and now we're looking forward to this opportunity to see where we stand in world rugby."

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Wales: K Morgan (Swansea); W Proctor (Llanelli), J Robinson (Cardiff), I Harris (Cardiff), G Thomas (Bridgend); S Jones (Llanelli), R Howley (Cardiff); S John (Cardiff), R McBryde (Llanelli), D Morris (Swansea), I Gough (Newport), A Moore (Swansea), C Charvis (Swansea), B Sinkinson (Neath), S Quinnell (Llanelli, capt).
Reps: B Williams (Neath), D Jones (Neath), C Wyatt (Llanelli), G Thomas (Bath), D Peel (Llanelli), A Marinos (Newport), R Williams (Cardiff).

Australia: M Burke (NSW); B Tune (Queensland), G Bond (ACT), E Flatley (Queensland), J Roff (Biarritz); S Larkham (ACT), G Gregan (ACT, capt); N Stiles (Queensland), M Foley (Queensland), B Darwin (ACT), M Cockbain (Queensland); D Giffin (ACT), O Finegan (ACT), P Waugh (NSW), T Kefu (Queensland).
Reps: B Cannon (NSW), R Moore (NSW), J Harrison (ACT), G Smith (ACT), C Whitaker (NSW), S Kefu (Queensland), C Latham (Queensland).

Referee: Steve Lander (England).