Neil Jenkins accepts Test match rugby is “an uncompromising place” as Wales strive to avoid the most unwanted record in their 143-year international history.
Defeat against Autumn Nations Series opponents Australia in Cardiff on Sunday would inflict an all-time low of 11 successive Test match losses.
Wales have not won a Test since beating Georgia in the 2023 World Cup pool stage, while Warren Gatland’s overall success rate since returning for a second stint as head coach currently stands at less than 30 per cent.
To underline the size of Wales’ task, Australia have won on nine of their last 11 Cardiff visits and are fresh from a scintillating victory over England last time out.
Jenkins has been in the Wales camp for almost all of the past 33 years, winning 87 caps between 1991 and 2002 and then returning as an assistant coach and kicking specialist two years later.
He has been there every step of the way with Gatland, including the New Zealander’s first reign that featured World Cup semi-final appearances, Six Nations titles and Grand Slams.
“You want to win. And when you don’t, you feel upset,” Jenkins said. “You are desperate to be successful. It hurts. If I didn’t care about it, I wouldn’t be here, I can assure you of that.
“The boys are working incredibly hard. We’ve got a lot of talent in the squad, and we need to be on it on Sunday.
“You have to get back on the horse with a tough game coming. We are more than capable of winning, and we’ve got to show that on Sunday.”
Wales’ demoralising run includes home defeats against Italy and Fiji, a Test series loss in Australia and narrow reversals at the hands of Scotland and England.
Fiji’s first victory on Welsh soil has ramped up the pressure on Gatland, who has found himself in a position of facing questions about his future from the media.
Life is not about to get any easier for Wales either, with world champions South Africa looming on November 23 before a Six Nations opener against France in Paris.
“He (Gatland) understands it. It is common sense we are under pressure. I’ve been in here long enough as a player and coach,” Jenkins added.
“At the end of the day, we are doing our utmost to win. Gats has been his usual self. He works hard and keeps going – he understands the game inside out.”
Australia stunned England as Max Jorgensen’s last-gasp try sealed a 37-42 victory for the Wallabies at Twickenham
‘Test rugby is an uncompromising place’
Gatland has seen a number of front-line players retire from Test rugby during the last 18 months – star names such as Alun Wyn Jones, George North and Dan Biggar – while Louis Rees-Zammit went to the NFL and influential No 8 Taulupe Faletau has been a long-term injury absentee.
More than 20 new players have been capped since Gatland returned, with that inexperience underlined by fly-half Gareth Anscombe having more caps than the rest of Wales’ back division combined on Sunday.
“There are no excuses at the end of the day,” Jenkins said. “We can probably hide behind that (inexperience), but Test rugby is an uncompromising place.
“We have made errors, and it is costly. We have done 80 per cent of things right, but it is the other 20 per cent we need to get right.
“The players don’t shy away from hard work. That is all we are trying to do. If we keep working the way we are, there is no doubt we can get over the line. Once we break the shackles, I think we can be dangerous.
“We know they (Australia) are going to be a good side and full of confidence after winning at Twickenham for the first time in a long time. We are excited for the challenge.
“Whether we’ve lost eight or 10 on the bounce, Test football is about winning. We are more than capable of doing that.”
Replacement reshuffle for Wales after 6-2 split backfires
Gatland has opted for five forwards and three backs on his bench this week after the decision to select a 6-2 split backfired against Fiji.
The wrong replacement was sent on when Mason Grady went down injured with fly-half Sam Costelow playing out of position on the wing despite Ellis Bevan being allocated as cover for that position.
Costelow, Rhodri Williams – who last played for Wales in 2013 – and Eddie James will provide back cover against Australia.
Wales team to face Australia: 15 Cameron Winnett, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Max Llewellyn, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Blair Murray, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Ellis Bevan; 1 Gareth Thomas, 2 Dewi Lake (captain), 3 Archie Griffin, 4 Will Rowlands, 5 Adam Beard, 6 James Botham, 7 Jac Morgan, 8 Aaron Wainwright.
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Keiron Assiratti, 19 Christ Tshiunza, 20 Tommy Reffell, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Sam Costelow, 23 Eddie James.
