Under-fire Wallaby skipper Gregan takes comfort from old Welsh woes

UNDER-FIRE Australia captain George Gregan can draw comfort that however bad things have been in the Wallaby camp over the last year, they barely compare to the dark days Wales have been through.

Gregan has faced up to his critics for the last three years but calls for his axing have increased over the last month as Australia equalled their worst run of results in 36 years.

Defeat to England at Twickenham, when their scrum was smashed to bits, was Australia’s seventh successive Test defeat. The run was broken against Ireland last weekend, but the pressure remains firmly on.

Gregan extends his world record to 118 Test caps today and will captain Australia for the 50th time. It could be his last, as defeat to Wales could spell the end for both head coach Eddie Jones and Gregan.

Not that Gregan is thinking in those terms.

“We had seven defeats in a row but I remember catching up with Steve Hansen after we lost in Auckland earlier this year and he had 11 defeats in a row when he was coach of Wales,” he said.

“He told me: ‘Come cry on my shoulder when you have lost 11 in a row.’ I’m glad I’m not crying on his shoulder now.”

Gregan again denied he will stand down from Test rugby after today’s game and he urged the Australian Rugby Union to keep faith with Jones.

“The first rule of leadership is that everything is your fault. I put my hand up for it. It comes with the job. Eddie and I, as head coach and captain, are the two primary leaders and you will always be under pressure when things don’t go your way,” said Gregan.

“Eddie is judged on what he does and his preparation on this tour has been good. There are a lot of players on their first tour, first experience of Test football.

“It has been a tough year for everyone and we don’t hide away from the fact we haven’t got the results we wanted. But from a coaching point of view and bringing players through, this trip has been a big positive.”

England will put an emphasis on attack against Samoa at Twickenham today - and head coach Andy Robinson wants a “more ruthless edge” to the world champions’ finishing ability.

Robinson watched his forwards dominate possession in beating Australia and then losing narrowly to Graham Henry’s Grand Slam-chasing All Blacks earlier this month, but England managed a poor return of just three tries.

Wings Mark Cueto and Ben Cohen both touched down against the Wallabies, yet England’s solitary try during their 23-19 New Zealand defeat came from a catch-and-drive lineout.

Robinson is looking to liven things up, hence the inclusion of Gloucester wing James Simpson-Daniel at outside centre this weekend and a first Twickenham start for prolific Wasps finisher Tom Voyce.

“We created opportunities last week, and our plan is to create the same chances. We must display a more ruthless edge in our finishing,” said Robinson.

With the pack again likely to dominate, Simpson-Daniel’s pace and defence-shredding running angles are key ingredients as England target a stylish finish to a satisfactory autumn campaign that has set them up for a major assault on the Six Nations.

Robinson has made five changes from the side defeated by New Zealand, calling up Simpson-Daniel, Voyce, scrum-half Harry Ellis, prop Matt Stevens and debutant lock Louis Deacon, with four uncapped players on replacement duty - Lee Mears, Perry Freshwater, Peter Richards and Tom Varndell.

Meanwhile the All Blacks are aiming to complete a clean-sweep of the home nations at Murrayfield today after defeating England, Wales and Ireland this month.

Now only the Scots stand between the Kiwis and their first Grand Slam since 1978. Scotland are looking for their first win over New Zealand on a Murrayfield pitch which has seen heavy snowfall in Edinburgh.

Frank Hadden’s side lost to Argentina a fortnight ago before struggling to defeat Samoa last Sunday.