LONDON: Wales great Shane Williams has declared Australia the most in-form team at the World Cup, but is adamant the Red Dragons have learned from their past mistakes and are ready to break a Wallabies jinx.
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Williams revealed losing to Australia in a run that stretches back to 2009 were some of the most painful defeats of his 87 Test career.
Wales have been dogged by injuries, and Williams described the country as "in mourning" when star duo Leigh Halfpenny and Rhys Webb were ruled out before the start of the World Cup.
But the former British and Irish Lions winger says Wales won't settle for a quarter-final berth and that they've got a better chance of winning the World Cup than they did four years ago.
"It's still early days … this is game on the weekend is so massive, it could be the difference between getting to the World Cup final or not," Williams told Fairfax Media.
"Australia has possibly played the best rugby in the World Cup so far, and I don't think they're finished yet.
"This weekend is going to be a cracker. Wales had a bit of a bad luck [with injuries], but they've soldiered on. We are up against it, but with that determination and the pride in the jersey … Australia's team is stronger on paper but it's about how difficult Wales can make it."
The Wallabies have won their past 10 matches against Wales, and nine of those have been by 10 points or less.
The current Wallabies squad has played a combined 123 matches against Wales, winning 117 of those and only five players have ever lost to the Red Dragons.
It's an amazing statistic which will be used to fuel the Welsh fire at Twickenham on Saturday night (Sunday morning AEDT).
Williams lost five of his eight games against the Wallabies, but the diminutive winger says history will count for little when the teams go into battle.
"There's a lot to play for … the losses against Australia are just the way the games have panned out," Williams said.
"Wales plays exceptionally well for 70 minutes and then switch off when Australia up their game and win the match.
"It's about learning from those experiences. Wales know Australia is a good side, but they're in a good position. It's been a long time … you can't switch off at any moment.
"I was involved in many of those last-minute defeats and it never got any easier. The more it happened the worse it got. Honestly, they were among the [most] painful defeats I ever experienced in my career."
The winner of the match will get a smoother path to the World Cup final, playing Scotland or Japan in the quarter-final as well as avoiding New Zealand and South Africa until the final.
Wales lost Halfpenny, Webb and Johnathan Davies before the World Cup started and then were struck with more injury drama when Scott Williams and Hallom Amos both went down.
But coach Warren Gatland used the drama to galvanise the squad and they scored a last-gasp victory against England and will escape from the pool of death.
Wales were tipped as one of the World Cup contenders four years ago, and Williams describes the tournament in New Zealand as the "one that got away" after they lost their semi-final to France.
"In 2011, we had a young squad and we genuinely believe we could have won that World Cup and it was the one that got away," Williams said.
"The players are still here – Warburton, George North, Jamie Roberts. They've got four years of experience, four years stronger, mentally and physically fitter … they've probably got more chance of winning the World Cup than they did this time four years ago.
"It was such a tough pool group … but I think this Australian team is the strongest it's been for a very long time, and Michael Cheika has a lot to do with that."
