Warren Gatland has warned that the next three weeks “may be too hard” for some of his Wales players ahead of their opening game against Australia.
The visit Down Under may mark the end of a long season, but the players will continue to work hard in training as they attempt to recover from a disappointing Six Nations campaign and defeat to the Springboks at Twickenham last weekend.
And, in newly released footage of a team meeting prior of the South Africa match, Gatland warned that “one or two” of his squad members may find the next few weeks too challenging as they are pushed through their paces on tour.
The visit Down Under may mark the end of a long season, but the players will continue to work hard in training as they attempt to recover from a disappointing Six Nations campaign and defeat to the Springboks at Twickenham last weekend.And, in newly released footage of a team meeting prior of the South Africa match, Gatland warned that “one or two” of his squad members may find the next few weeks too challenging as they are pushed through their paces on tour.
Gatland rallied his troops, saying, “We will not make excuses about how hard we want to work as a group. We realize how hard we have to work.
“We have our backs against the wall.” We have an opportunity as a group to address this in the next five weeks.”
Kurtley Beale will miss the series against Wales after it was confirmed he had ruptured his Achilles.
The 35-year-old, who had recently returned to the Wallabies squad, picked up the injury at the weekend playing for Randwick against Eastern Suburbs.
The back went down untouched and was carried off the field, with the worst-possible news now confirmed by scans. “It’s super sad and everyone’s feeling for Kurtley,” Wallabies flanker Fraser McReight said.
