Wales vs Australia LIVE rugby: Latest updates as hosts continue hunt for first win of the year

Wales face Australia in Cardiff (Getty Images)

Wales must avoid defeat against Australia to spare themselves from their worst losing run in history with Warren Gatland’s side still searching for a first win of 2024.

Gatland has faced calls to quit from a number of his former players as scrutiny grows on his coaching of a young side that looked short of confidence and calm against Fiji. While the New Zealander would appear to retain the backing of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), the prospect of a winless year is a real one with only South Africa to come after this fixture

The Wallabies secured a 2-0 series victory when these two met on Australian soil in July and are bouncing in to Cardiff on the back of a helter-skelter win against England in their Autumn Nations Series opener. Joe Schmidt is a familiar foe of Gatland’s from his time with Ireland and has freshened up his side as he looks to prolong the pain for his old rival.

Follow all of the latest from the Principality Stadium in our live blog below:

Wales dealt major injury blow as Tomos Williams ruled out of Australia clash

Gloucester number nine Williams is replaced by Ellis Bevan, while Ospreys flanker Jac Morgan will make his first Test start since the 2023 World Cup.

Morgan last featured in a Wales Test line-up against World Cup quarter-final opponents Argentina 13 months ago, before knee and hamstring injuries sidelined him for last season’s Six Nations and the summer tour to Australia.

Harry Latham-Coyle17 November 2024 13:45

Warren Gatland ‘didn’t think there’d be this much pain’ in Wales rebuild process

Warren Gatland says he would probably head to the beach with a glass of wine “away from some of the pressure” if it was decided he should not continue in his role as Wales head coach.

Wales have lost their last 10 Test matches and are without a Test win since the 2023 World Cup.

Defeat against in-form Autumn Nations Series opponents Australia would inflict a record run of bad results on them, eclipsing the current sequence and that of 2002 and 2003 under Gatland’s fellow New Zealander Steve Hansen.

Harry Latham-Coyle17 November 2024 13:30

Wales vs Australia LIVE

Good afternoon and welcome to The Independent’s LIVE coverage of the Autumn Nations Series clash between Wales and Australia.

Warren Gatland’s hosts are in desperate need of a win, Wales still without a victory in 2024 and bidding to avoid the ignominy of a worst losing run in the side’s history. Can they end their streak against a Wallabies team riding high after a thrilling win over England?

Kick off is at 4.10pm GMT.

Harry Latham-Coyle15 November 2024 16:18