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Cardiff - Wales' efforts to extract some measure of payback for last year's heavy defeat to Australia look likely to be frustrated by a rash of injuries when the teams meet in Cardiff on Saturday.
Australia is on a high after recovering from 12 points down to beat southern hemisphere champion New Zealand 26-24 in a Bledisloe Cup match in Hong Kong last weekend.
And Wales' hopes of punishing Australia over the 33-12 hammering it inflicted 12 months ago have been hit by the absence of centre Jamie Roberts, fullback Lee Byrne, wing Leigh Halfpenny and No. 8 Ryan Jones.
With the World Cup in New Zealand just 11 months away, Wales assistant coach Rob Howley isn't demanding the home team produce its best running rugby.
"Obviously we all remember what happened last year and we were all very disappointed," Howley said. "This is our stadium, these are our fans and nobody wants to get beaten in front of their own fans like that.
"The coaching staff and the players were bitterly disappointed after that game, but this is the start of a new series and it is not about performance, it is about winning."
The Welsh side has the talent to do just that if it performs to its peak, but last weekend's displays of Australia and New Zealand confirmed just how far ahead the Tri-Nations sides are when they are on form.
"There's a lot of enjoyment in being out there playing with your mates on the international stage," Australia flyhalf Quade Cooper said. "It's a dream come true and when you enjoy yourself you are going to be more entertaining, not just for the viewers but for us as a team.
"If we play a brand of rugby that is good to watch and be a part of hopefully it can become a winning sort of style."
Australia coach Robbie Deans named an unchanged team for only the second time in two years, meaning that 20-year-old wing James O'Connor will retain kicking duties after converting his own try to clinch the Wallabies' first victory over the All Blacks in 11 matches.
He replaced center Matt Giteau in the role.
"He seems quite comfortable, doesn't he?" Howley said. "He did very well to kick that conversion under pressure last week from near the touchline to win the game, especially as they had not beaten the All Blacks for 10 games.
"But I am sure the Millennium Stadium will provide different climactic conditions and it will be a bit more uncomfortable, and hopefully the crowd will come in to make it a difficult situation for him when he comes up to kick."
In an effort to prepare for the changeable conditions likely at the World Cup, Wales will leave the roof of the Millennium Stadium open Saturday. Wales trained in steady but light rain Friday, with brighter weather forecast for the early afternoon match.
"The big picture for us is there is a Rugby World Cup in New Zealand next year, and we know the conditions having toured there in the summer," Howley said. "The weather is due to be fine tomorrow but it's about the bigger picture and we are looking forward to playing Australia tomorrow."
James Hook will fill in for Byrne at fullback instead of his favored positions of flyhalf or center, while Tom Shanklin and Andrew Bishop team up in midfield, Will Harries replaces Halfpenny and Jonathan Thomas starts in place of injured captain Jones.
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Lineups:
Wales: James Hook, Will Harries, Tom Shanklin, Andrew Bishop, Shane Williams, Stephen Jones, Mike Phillips; Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Rees (captain), Adam Jones, Bradley Davies, Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton, Jonathan Thomas. Replacements: Huw Bennett, Paul James, Deiniol Jones, Martyn Williams, Richie Rees, Dan Biggar, Chris Czekaj.
Australia: Kurtley Beale, James O'Connor, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell, Quade Cooper, Will Genia; Benn Robinson, Stephen Moore, Ben Alexander, Mark Chisholm, Nathan Sharpe, Rocky Elsom, David Pocock, Ben McCalman. Replacements: Saia Faingaa, James Slipper, Dean Mumm, Richard Brown, Luke Burgess, Berrick Barnes, Lachie Turner.
