Australia 15 Wales 6: Did we see a perfect 10? No, but fly-halves Bernard Foley and Dan Biggar were marked men

Both Foley and Biggar were shackled as soon as they saw the ball in a ferocious encounter

(2015 Getty Images)

It was billed as the battle of the Iceman against the Guv’nor. In the end, the Iceman won.

Dan Biggar and Bernard Foley have arguably been this World Cup’s two most talismanic fly-halves, their finest displays coming at the home of England rugby, as they collectively marshalled the hosts’ tournament demise, and in this head-to-head.

Prior to kick-off, Australia and Wales had promised expansive, expressive rugby with quarter-final qualification secured and the pressure supposedly off in such an unforgiving pool.

With such a platform predicted, the way was paved for Foley to prove his 28 points against England were not a flash in the pan, as some had suggested, while Biggar was given greater freedom to release Wales’s big men.

In the end, it never quite materialised, neither No 10 was able to set the game alight, instead it was reduced to an old-school contest dominated by the packs and excellent defensive work, particularly by Australia when they were reduced to 13 men for seven minutes and penned on their own try-line.

One suspects the Welsh who hark back to the golden era of No 10s would like to see a fly-half in a Wales jersey in Foley’s mould, perpetually seeking an opening, a fingertip pass away from a moment of inspiration, highlighted by a lovely acrobatic twist in the second-half to keep a Biggar penalty in play.

He has also seemingly been allowed to do as he pleases by Michael Chieka, just as often popping up out of position in midfield, on the wing or at full-back.

After a lengthy period of trial and error, Australia look to have finally settled on their first-choice No 10, but in him have they finally found their new Michael Lynagh? The forthcoming games will tell.

Remarkably, Foley has been a fly-half for just two years and was a Sevens specialist and a full-back before the Waratahs made him their pivot.

The Iceman tag has stuck because of his coolness on the biggest stage. He kicked the winning penalty 30 seconds from the end of the 2014 Super Rugby Final to seal a 33-32 victory over the Crusaders.

And he was similarly unflustered throughout this 80 minutes to decide who topped Pool A – bar a late penalty that failed to find its target, the first time that has happened to him in the tournament.

Biggar, too, missed out on one occasion too, having previously boasted a 100% record from the tee in the World Cup.

Seemingly at peace off the field, the Ospreys man is apparently so angry on it: he was perpetually in referee Craig Joubert’s ear and remonstrating with his team-mates.

It was clear that he and Foley were marked out as the danger men from the outset. Shaun Edwards’s defensive game plan was effectively based on rushing Foley to stifle any threat from the most dangerous back line in the tournament, and within 10 minutes of the start, both men had been felled by huge hits. So who was the perfect 10? Neither, quite, but with five kicks to two and Scotland to play, rather than South Africa next week, the spoils are the Australian’s.