RUGBY legend Graham Price is urging Wales to nullify Australia’s world class openside David Pocock and dominate the battle at the breakdown in Saturday’s second Test.

Wales were well beaten by the Wallabies in the opening match of the three-Test series last weekend, especially come ruck time The hosts comfortably won 27-19 but were give an all mighty scare by Wales who clawed themselves back into the game after trailing by 14 points early in the second half.

The Grand Slam champions are looking to record just their second win over the Wallabies on Australian soil since their solitary victory in 1969.

Tighthead prop Price, a member of the legendary Pontypool front row who played for Wales during their 1970s ‘Golden Era’, thinks the tourists can bounce back in Melbourne this weekend.

But he thinks Wales need to learn some harsh lessons if they are to upset the Tri Nations champions.

“All the talk before the first Test was about how the match would be won or lost at the breakdown and it was an area that Australia dominated,” Price said.

“Pocock was brilliant. How do you deal with Pocock? Back in my day, we’d have given him a good kicking!

“To counter him, I think Wales will need to commit more players to the rucks this weekend.

“The Wallabies also taught us a lesson with their kicking game.

“Every kick with the Austra-lians is a purposeful one and they were good at putting pressure on Wales with the chase.”

Price believes that if Wales can at least achieve parity in the contact area, they have the weapons out wide to cause the Aussies some real damage.

“Wales came back to within a point of them and had they snuck ahead when they had the chance, who knows what the outcome could have been,” he said.

“But the Wallabies were clinical, scoring that try (by centre Pat McCabe) late on which took them out of sight. Australia seem to be able to up the tempo.

“But Wales have got some brilliant players. Wing Alex Cuthbert knows where the try line is and Ashley Beck is in some great form in the centre.

“It would be great if Wales could get a southern hemisphere scalp, keep the series alive, show that last Saturday was just a hiccup and that they’re continuing to make progress after winning the Grand Slam.”

Price was on the winning side twice for Wales against the Wallabies in 1975 and 1981 – both at Cardiff – during his 41-cap career. But he was also on the losing side against them twice on Wales’ tour of Australia in 1978.

The second Test, which the Wallabies won 19-17, was overshadowed by controversy, most notably when Price had his jaw shattered by Australia loosehead Steve Finnane, a Sydney barrister, who hit him with a cheap shot and was never sanctioned.

“I had to eat out of a straw for six weeks after that, but I don’t think he meant to break my jaw,” Price said.

“I think he just caught me with a lucky punch. Plenty of players tried to intimidate me and tried to knock my head off. I don’t feel any animosity towards him.”