Expat Evans hopes Wales win against Australia

There will be a strong Welsh expat presence in the Allianz Stadium in Sydney this Saturday when Warren Gatland's side take on Australia.

Among them will be former Wales prop Ben Evans, who has made Australia his home for the last decade.

Evans, now 48, made 27 international appearances between 1998 and 2004 and was part of the team defeated by the Wallabies in Sydney in 2003.

That was one of 11 Welsh sides who have lost on Australian soil in the last 55 years.

So will that hoodoo be broken this weekend, or in Melbourne seven days later during this two-match series?

"I hope so," said Evans.

"I think it is going to be 1-1 in the series, although I don't know which away around.

"I would love to see Wales win the series outright but if either team is on the back end of a 2-0 loss, it could be quite damaging for them."

It's ninth against 10th in the world rankings with Wales having lost their last seven internationals and a new-look Australia side only winning one out of their last 12 Tests in Sydney.

Wales enjoyed a record 40-6 victory against the Wallabies in last year's World Cup in France but a lot has changed in the last nine months for both sides.

There are only expected to be six starting survivors between both sides from that night in Lyon, while Australia have a new coach in Joe Schmidt who has taken over from Eddie Jones.

"I don't think Wales have anything to fear," said Evans.

"They need to embrace the tour and have a nothing to lose mindset and I hope that is the way they are approaching things.

"The Australian boys are there for the taking, if Wales turn up and have the inner belief of sticking to the game plan and enjoying the occasion.

"It is not necessarily about bragging rights from what happened in the World Cup, although the Australians will see that as fuel and maybe are quite bitter, because they are proud people."

Evans believes Wales and Australia find themselves in a similar situation with struggling professional sides and financial fears off the field.

"Welsh and Australian rugby is almost in an identical place," said Evans.

"I don't think this series is really on the Australian sporting radar.

"The sport has a lot of competition with Aussie Rules and rugby league and there has been the rise of football.

"The massive thing over here this month is rugby league's State of Origin series between Queensland and New South Wales, with the decider in Brisbane in a couple of weeks.

"There are also some massive AFL matches on as well.

"My first experience of Australian rugby over here was in 2003 and it was super strong.

"The game has gone backwards in the last couple of decades.

"There have been financial issues that have grown bigger, you have seen this with the Melbourne Rebels side folding."

Some of Evans' former team-mates are in the Wales coaching staff like Jonathan Humphreys, Martyn Williams, Rob Howley and Robin Sowden-Taylor.

Evans hopes to catch up with familiar faces.

"These are people I played with and against and there are some great guys there," said Evans.

The former prop was a popular character player and remains an infectious character in retirement.

For the last decade he has settled in the Sydney suburbs with his Welsh wife Liz and two young children.

"We have a great life," he said.

"I do miss home. I miss the people and my friends and family.

"It is a trade-off between what a wonderful place this is but it always pulls hard on the heart strings being away from Wales.

"So it's great when Wales visit and play here. It will hopefully be a special couple of weeks."