Latest Build up for the Wales summer tour to Australia. TEAMS ANNOUNCED...!!!

Leigh Halfpenny wrote:There is unfinished business between the two teams after the bronze final at the World Cup," said Halfpenny.

"We wanted to make up for the disappointment of losing to France in that game, but we lost."

"We are looking to get one back on them. We want to come here and send a message to the rest of the world that we mean business - it is a big target for this group to beat Australia in their own backyard."

"We haven't had a conversation about the goal-kicking for this tour as yet, but I certainly hope to carry on. I bided my time and got my first real chance in the Six Nations and I was pleased to be the top scorer and top of the accuracy stakes as well. I hope that will speak for itself."

"It was good to get a look at the stadium before the first Test and it was nice to see some different rugby. It was a good game - fast and with lots of tries.

"It's a big stadium and it's really nice. I'm sure it will be pretty full and have a great atmosphere on Saturday.

"I just can't wait to play again. I'm itching for a game. I just want to get back onto the pitch after a few weeks lay-off. We have had a couple of weeks in which to put in some good conditioning work and we've been training well. Everyone is itching to go because a fair few of us haven't played for a while."

Scott Williams of the Scarlets and Wales wrote:

"I'm just really happy to have the opportunity to start a game. I've played a lot coming off the bench, with Jamie being in great form.

"This is my opportunity now and I will do my best to try and take it. It's my big chance on the weekend."

"I think it's an advantage because we've trained and played a lot together," added Williams. "We are used to each other.

"We know we are going to have our work cut out. Australia are not going to be a pushover. They had a really scrappy game against Scotland and were unlucky there.

"But we are just concentrating on what we are taking into the game now. We have got a massive opportunity to put a stamp on a southern hemisphere side."

Sky Sports Rugby wrote:Defensive coach Shaun Edwards insists Wales are targeting a place in history in their three-Test series against Australia this month.

The series, which opens with the first Test in Brisbane on Saturday, pits the Six Nations champions against the Tri-Nations winners.

But history is against the tourists, with Wales having not taken a major scalp in the southern hemisphere since beating Australia at the 1987 World Cup.

The Wallabies also won both clashes between the sides at the back end of last season, including the World Cup third place play-off, but Edwards believes this will be a huge driving force for the young Welsh players.

He said: "The history books are against us... but the thing about these guys is they are very young... and they want to make their own history.

"The thing that rankles them is they've never beaten Australia and that will be a big driving force for them, to rectify that in Australia."

Australia go into the clash on the back of a 9-6 defeat to Scotland on Tuesday but Edwards, who will be working under Rob Howley on the tour in the continued absence of the injured head coach Warren Gatland, warned the hosts should never be underestimated.

"Every time you play against Australia, you are playing against a very good team, whoever puts on that green and gold jersey is going to be a very good player," he said.

"The history books are against us... but the thing about these guys is they are very young... and they want to make their own history." Shaun Edwards

Scrum-half Mike Phillips added the Welsh want to build on their Six Nations' Grand Slam.

"It's all about winning and we want to carry on in that way and move to the next level," he said. "We want to push on and get the next big scalp."

David Pocock Australia Captain wrote:"It was definitely not the start we were after for the Test season, we go into Saturday after the loss knowing we have no option but to perform against Wales."

"They are Six Nations champions, their attack is probably one of the best in the world in the way they use the ball. They have big guys in the backline, their centres create a bit of havoc and their wingers run really good lines. Defensively is one of the areas, over the last three or so years, they have really improved."

"It is important because you win the first one, then you only have to win another one, but like any three-Test series the first one is important but it's not the end of it. You have three games."