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Rugby Union

Wales face Australia in centenary celebration this autumn

30/04/2008

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has confirmed Australia will join New Zealand and South Africa as opponents for this autumn's Test series.

The game between Wales and the Wallabies will also mark 100 years of Test rugby between the two sides.

Warren Gatland's men will now face all three of the Southern Hemisphere's top sides in what the coach believes will be a challenging fixture list.

He said: "I am delighted that in one great month of rugby we now have the prospect of testing ourselves against all the best of the Southern Hemisphere teams."

After winning the Grand Slam in his first year in charge Gatland says the autumn series provides the team with the opportunity to judge themselves against different types of teams.

"South Africa, New Zealand and Australia are all World Cup winners so it will be an important milestone in our progression towards the 2011 World Cup. I have always said we must test ourselves against the best and I am delighted we have been able to secure this series," said Gatland.

"We will have played the current world champions three times this year by the end of November and that is just the sort of benchmark rugby we require in order to keep getting better."

Wales and Australia will compete for the James Bevan Trophy at the Millennium Stadium on November 29th.

The match is the last of Wales' autumn fixtures, which also includes a game against Canada.