Australia playmaker Matt Giteau has been backed to make a rapid recovery from his Murrayfield agony by Wales boss Warren Gatland.
Giteau’s poor kicking display against Scotland included a missed conversion during the game’s final nerve-tingling seconds.
It meant the Wallabies suffered a 9-8 defeat – their first loss to Scotland since 1982 – and provided the low point of their current European tour.
But Wales coach Warren Gatland, whose team are next up for Giteau and company at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, does not expect a repeat.
“Matt Giteau is a real competitor,” said Gatland. “Champion players don’t tend to back up with poor performances twice in a row, and we are all expecting Matt to play really well on Saturday. Knowing the Australian attitude – it doesn’t matter whether it is rugby union, cricket, rugby league, whatever – when their backs are to the wall, they tend to respond. We expect them to play with a lot of passion.
“It doesn’t matter what sport you play against Australia, if you chalk up a victory it means a lot.”
