Gatland to watch Invesco opponents

Wales coach Warren Gatland will check the form of two of Wales' opponents for the upcoming Invesco Perpetual Series in Saturday's Bledisloe Cup clash.

New Zealand and Australia meet for the first time in Japan at Tokyo’s National Stadium where Lyn ‘The Leap’ Davies won Olympic long jump gold in 1964.

While the All Blacks have already retained the Bledisloe Cup after three earlier victories this year, both countries will be eager to arrive in the UK next week on a positive note.

For the All Blacks, it is a last run before facing Wales at the Millennium Stadium and coach Henry, who led Wales for four years between 1998 and 2002, will use the game as a final chance to hone his team for Cardiff.

Henry said: “This game (in Tokyo) is very important for both teams at the start of our tours. Straight after Australia we have Wales who are a very good side, especially in Cardiff, so we want to go there with confidence.

“There’s a great tradition to that fixture so we will be looking to gain momentum from this game against Australia and increase the spirit within the group before starting out European tour.”

New Zealand have a familiar look to their team having named only three players with less than 25 caps, including new lock Tom Donnelly for only his second Test appearance. Former World Player of the Year winners Dan Carter and Richie McCaw both start.

Matters could not be more different for Australia who have lost five of their last six internationals and are desperate to avoid a record seventh defeat in a row to their arch rivals New Zealand.

They have also been hit by the loss of midfield play-maker Berrick Barnes, who withdrew this week with an ankle injury and remains a doubt for the rest of the Wallabies Grand Slam tour of Great Britain and Ireland that culminates with the Test against Wales on November 28.

That has prompted a re-call for promising teenager John O’Connor while Adam Ashley-Cooper switches to centre inside Ryan Cross, with Stirling Mortlock also out injured.

The Wallabies welcome back long-term injury Digby Ioane and will be led for the first time by Rocky Elsom in his first year back in Australia since lifting the Heineken Cup with Leinster last May.