Rugby: Wallabies fired up by lack of respect from Welsh

Firmly believing his rebuilding side is on track for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, defiant Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has vowed to fight on come what may in today's year-ending showdown with Wales in Cardiff.

With just two wins from their past 10 tests, and coming off Australia's first loss to Scotland in 27 years, the Wallabies are facing their second-worst season, results-wise, of the professional era.

Defeat at Millennium Stadium would leave Australia with five wins, eight losses and a draw from 14 tests in 2009 - the worst return since Eddie Jones was sacked as coach after presiding over a five-from-13 record in 2005.

"I'm really enjoying working with this group. I think we've got an exciting future," Deans said ahead of the pivotal encounter between the third-ranked Australians and sixth-ranked Welsh.

"Obviously every time you hit the ground there's pressure, but that's just part of the industry.

"The key is dealing with that, coping with that, and bringing some of your own pressure to bear.

"You can't help but encounter the criticism one way or other. If you don't read it yourself or hear it yourself, others tend to tell you about it.

"It's part of the territory. I'm not afraid of it. It's just one of the realities. The key is not to go belly up and I won't be doing that."

Deans is also aware that Australian fans are disillusioned by the fact the Wallabies have only managed to score 15 tries in 10 Tests since the start of the Tri-Nations.

"It's all answered by the fact that we're not winning enough. If we're winning enough, whatever we were doing would be fine," he said.

But the embattled coach admits the Wallabies will need more attacking intent if they are to notch just their second victory over Wales in Cardiff in five tests since 2001.

"It will be a very good contest. There will be a lot of movement," he said.

"Both sides are constructive and like to use the ball, both sides like to involve their outside backs and, when you look at where both sides are at their most effective, the outside backs are a big part of that.

"So we're expecting them to play positively. But we also want to go into the summer with a good performance under our belt, so we want to involve everyone. We want to bring some pressure to bear on Wales. And to do that we'll have to play. We won't be able to be conservative to achieve that."

Skipper Rocky Elsom says the fact Wales don't respect the Wallabies like they do the All Blacks is giving his side added motivation to put the hosts in their place.

"I first came over here in 2005 and for some reason they are always very confident against Australia," Elsom said.

"Yeah, they really made no bones about it during the [2007] World Cup that they were pretty happy we were in their pool.

"And to be honest, they've had reasonable success, a draw and a couple of wins, it's not too bad. But they're very open with that [confidence].

"It's sort of put there in front of us, so this I guess will settle that score at least for a little while."

The Test is just one of three this weekend featuring the world's top six teams, with fifth-ranked Ireland, the reigning Six Nations kings, hosting second-ranked South Africa, the Tri-Nations champions, in Dublin and fourth-ranked France taking on top-ranked New Zealand in Marseilles.

"It's a fantastic feast of rugby and I think you've seen in recent weeks just how small the margins are," Deans said.

"So I guess you'd only be betting money you could afford to lose, for those of you who are gamblers.

"We've got enough at stake."

- AAP