Welsh Coach Questions The Value Of
A Thrashing

Welsh coach Neil Kelly questioned the wisdom of pitting his side against the world champions after Australia ran up a record 76-4 win at Bridgend.

The Kangaroos had a very impressive hit out for the first Ashes Test in Wigan next Saturday with a 13-try massacre of Kelly's team at the Brewery Field.

The Welsh suffered the worst defeat in their history, just seven days after registering a record 74-4 win over Russia, and Kelly revealed that he had expressed his reservations beforehand over the fixture.

"It looked an attractive fixture but I was a bit concerned that this it might undo the work that's been going on in South Wales," he said.

"I thought it might have been a bit premature. It's difficult for the players we have available to compete against a team of this standard.

"Losing Lee Briers was a big blow and this is not the team that played against Australia in 2000. Maybe this was not the best fixture to give us at this stage in our development."

After struggling to find form in their previous warm-up matches against a French Selection and England A, the Kangaroos looked more like world champions and Kelly tipped them to retain the Ashes in a close-fought Test series.

"You've got to be impressed by them," he said. "We knew they were a good side and they will get stronger as the tour goes on. I would have Australia as slight favourites."