Wales vs Australia LIVE rugby: Result and reaction as hosts booed off after record defeat
Wales 20-52 Australia: Warren Gatland’s hosts fell to an 11th successive defeat as Australia racked up a record score in Cardiff
Australia hooker Matt Faessler and fullback Tom Wright both scored a hat-trick of tries as the Wallabies thrashed a tired-looking Wales 52-20 to condemn the home side to their worst run of results.
It was an unprecedented 11th successive defeat for Wales, who last won at the World Cup 13 months ago, and the result will add significant pressure onto veteran coach Warren Gatland, whose tenure had already been under scrutiny.
Australia, who had a poor run of results themselves this year, continued their upturn in fortunes as they won a second successive test after last weekend’s 42-37 victory over England, with lock Nick Frost and centre Len Ikitau also scoring tries and Noah Lolesio kicking six conversions.
Wales’ points came from tries from Aaron Wainwright and Ben Thomas and eight from the boot of flyhalf Gareth Anscombe and a Sam Costelow conversion.
Follow all of the latest from the Principality Stadium in our live blog below:
Wales 13-33 Australia
55 mins: Wales are not able to be as clinical as Australia from the lineout, as Australia hold the hosts at bay and regain possession. There’s a raft of changes for Wales, Rhodri Williams and Eddie James among them.
TRY! Wales 13-33 Australia (Faessler)
54 mins: They can! And it’s getting ugly for Wales again as Matt Faessler completes a hat-trick! It again comes from the line-out, as Faessler finds the impressive Rob Valetini.
Faessler again pops up to score his third of the day - and Lolesio adds the conversion.
Wales 13-26 Australia
52 mins; Australia have upped it since going down to 14 men. They’ve returned to the corner after drawing another penalty. With two tries already, can they plunder another from the set-piece?
TRY! Wales 13-26 Australia (Faessler)
47 mins: Australia go back to the playback and score the same try from the lineout as they did in the first half, as Matt Faessler joins the maul and bundles over to halt Wales’ momentum.
Noah Lolesio stretches their lead to 13 points - but Samu Kerevi is off! It’s a red card for Australia after the TMO bunker review.
Wales 13-19 Australia
47 mins; Wales have not been able to get anything going against the 14-men of Australia. Now there’s another TMO review as Ellis Bevan flies into the ruck off the ball, with contact around the chin. Bevan had his arms low, and seems to get away with it with only a penalty awarded.
Australia have the ball back in the corner.
Wales 13-19 Australia
45 mins: There’s another lovely take from the impressive Tom Rogers, but Wales concede another penalty in the breakdown as they looked to advance from halfway. The gold shirts advance to the corner.
Wales 13-19 Australia
42 mins: Australia are down for 14 for now and it would not be a surprise if that remained the case for until the 80. Wales look to build some momentum but concede the penalty for not releasing, inside the 22’.
YELLOW CARD! Wales 13-19 Australia
42 mins: Samu Kerevi could be in trouble here. He crunches into Jac Morgan . There’s shoulder on shoulder, but is there head on head there too? The verdict is yellow, but the bunker review is underway.
Wales 13-19 Australia
41 mins: We’re back underway in Cardiff. Can the Wales fightback continue? Australia have made a half-time change with James Slipper replacing Angus Bell in the front row.
HALF TIME! Wales 13-19 Australia
Australia made 89 carries to Wales’ 52 in the first half, with the hosts making 115 tackles to the Wallabies’ 69. Most of them would have been in the first 20 minutes, as the visitors racked up three tries, but they deserve some praise after responding well to stay in the game.
“Wales deserve credit for the second 20 minutes,” says Dan Biggar on TNT Sports. “You go 19 points down after losing 10 matches. They deserve credit for fighting their way back into the game.”
“In the first 20 Australia dominated physically,” says Sam Warburton. “The second 20 minutes, in making some carries, Wales were so much better.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments