Wales v Australia, Millennium Stadium, November 28

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Matt Giteau misses the vital kick against Scotland © Getty Images

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Matches Wales 12 - 33 Australia | Scotland 9 - 8 Australia

Players/Officials Warren Gatland | Matt Giteau

Tournaments/Tours Australia tour

Teams Australia | Wales

Wales coach Warren Gatland has backed Australian playmaker Matt Giteau to make a rapid recovery from his Murrayfield agony.

Giteau missed a string of kicks against Scotland, including a missed conversion during the game's final nerve-tingling seconds, any of which would have won the game for Australia given they lost by one point.

The Wallabies' 9-8 defeat - their first loss to Scotland since 1982 - has been the low point of their current European tour so far. But Wales coach Warren Gatland, whose team are next up for Giteau and company at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, does not expect a repeat.

"Matt Giteau is a real competitor," said Gatland. "Champion players don't tend to back up with poor performances twice in a row, and we are all expecting Matt to play really well on Saturday."

The bookmakers have installed Wales as favourites this time around, but Gatland is refusing to read too much into the dramatic events of Edinburgh four days ago.

"Australia should not have lost - they created so many opportunities," he added. "It was a great win for Scotland, and you have got to congratulate them, but if that game was played 99 times out of 100 and Australia took their chances, they would have won.

"As a team, Australia have been quite unlucky. They could easily have been playing for a Grand Slam this weekend. My experience of Australian teams in the past is when they are in this situation and taken a bit of criticism, there is normally only one way they come out - with all guns blazing.

"Out of the Tri-Nations teams, they are the ones that has played the most rugby. They have a very young, developing side with a lot of potential. The test for us is to continue with our progression on Saturday, and be smart in the way we play."

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