IT'S just as well that Warren Gatland and Robin McBryde know plenty about life in the middle of the front row given the talent at Wales' disposal, writes Chris Kirwan.

Richard Hibbard, Scott Baldwin and Emyr Phillips got the nod for the autumn series but there are plenty of other hookers with international aspirations.

Ken Owen would have been selected were it not for a neck injury while Matthew Rees, Elliot Dee, Sam Parry and Kristian Dacey are all attempting to catch Gatland's eye in World Cup year.

Hibbard is favourite to wear 2 on his back against Australia but Baldwin and Phillips have been grafting hard at the Vale of Glamorgan training base and are keeping the Lions ace on his toes.

Baldwin has started the season superbly for the Ospreys and points to a summer on tour as the reason for his fine form.

"The trip to South Africa was important," said the 26-year-old, whose one cap came as a replacement against Japan in the summer of 2013. "I learned a lot from some good people out there.

"It was my first time to work under Warren, while Robin McBryde has helped a lot and at the Ospreys we've been doing some good things there with the likes of Duncan Jones and Chris Gibbes."

"It's going to be hard to break through, but you just have to work as hard as you can and hope for an opportunity," he continued.

"The step up from regional level is massive and I'm learning every day, but as a player you enjoy having pressure put on because it makes you a better player."

Wales are once again on the hunt of an elusive south hemisphere scalp and, as usual, the Wallabies seem to be the most vulnerable.

But Baldwin knows that Gatland's team can ill afford to be sluggish out of the blocks against their visitors at the Millennium Stadium next Saturday.

He said: "They're a world-class team with some exciting backs and a good scrum that has performed well in the Rugby Championship – you have to be on the money to perform against the best teams in the world.

"But they are capable of beating beaten and the wider plan is the next 12 months, a point that has been flagged up as our main goal."