Shane Williams: Talent not an issue for Wales, it’s ability to hold their nerve
There is absolutely no question that Wales can beat Australia after out-playing them so many times in recent years. It’s just a question of whether they can hold their nerve.
When you’ve had your heart broken so many times by the same opposition, it is bound to play on the minds of the players. They’re only human.
It seems to be a trend with the Wallabies that it all comes down to the final seconds. Just like the rest of the Southern Hemisphere, they are capable up finding another gear when they really need it and that is something we haven’t been able to match. It was the same against New Zealand on the summer tour.
It comes down to psychology. When Wales are leading these teams, as they did against the All Blacks, there can be a sense of desperation to simply cling onto the lead for dear life. I know, I’ve been there. You want to win so much that it stops you playing.
And against the likes of Australia, that is asking for trouble because one thing these guys never do, is panic. It doesn’t matter if there are only a few minutes left on the clock, they still believe they can score.
They key for Wales is make sure they punish Australia when they have the chance. That means finding that ruthless streak to go for the kill when you have them on the ropes because believe me, they would not show you any mercy if the tables were turned.
That was what we did back in 2008. We landed the first blow with an early try and just kept hammering the pressure on them.
We had guys like Lee Byrne and Ryan Jones who were playing the rugby of their lives. We were all full of confidence after winning the Grand Slam and gave a good show in South Africa during the summer.
We had also just come off a hell of a game with the All Blacks a week earlier. We had led at half-time before Ma’a Nonu did what he does best to settle the game.
Most people will remember that game for the stand-off that followed the Haka before kick-off. It was the longest two minutes of my life but that bloody-mindedness summed up the attitude we had within the squad at the time. By the time we took the field against Australia, we knew we could win.
It was also the icing on the cake for myself after possibly the greatest week of my career. Five days earlier I had been in London to be presented with the World Player of the Year award. Then I came back to Cardiff, scored the first try and we beat the Wallabies. It was a whirlwind week but one that I will never forget.
Little could I have imagined that we would still be waiting for another Welsh win over Australia eight years later.
Warren Gatland was still in his first year in charge and with the way the team was progressing, I thought the gap was closing on the then Tri- Nations.
The team Wales are likely to pick next week is arguably far stronger than we had in 2008. It’s certainly far more experienced with guys who have been on Lions tours, played in World Cup semi-finals and won Grand Slams. Gethin Jenkins, Alun Wyn Jones and Jamie Roberts will all have a massive role to play as the three survivors from that 2008 victory. Though hopefully Jamie lasts a bit longer this time.
For as long as I live, I will never forget the sound of the collision in that game between him and Stirling Mortlock. It was like someone bashed two dustbin lids together.
I remember turning around and thing, ‘What the hell was that?!’ and saw two of the biggest three-quarters every to play the game both lying on the ground. I thought straight away that one or both of them must be seriously injured. I genuinely feared the worst.
Mortlock went off bloodied and somehow Jamie carried on and even made a break during the move for my early try. It wasn’t long before the pain sank into that massive head of his and it turned out he had fractured his skull!
