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Australia’s Bernard Foley holds nerve to leave Wales kicking themselves Australia’s Bernard Foley holds nerve to leave Wales kicking themselves
(35 minutes later)
Wales’ excruciating agony against the southern hemisphere heavyweights continued in Cardiff as they suffered a 10th successive loss to 2015 World Cup pool opponents Australia. Like an overplayed record, this game went along its familiar groove, scratchily for Wales, still producing a sweet tune for Australia. As has generally been the case in the past ten meetings, the action was entertaining and productive. But still basically the same: Wales took the lead late on, only for Australia to come back and win.
The Wallabies’ 33-28 victory means that Wales have now gone 21 Tests in a row without beating Australia, New Zealand or South Africa, which hardly augurs well for a tilt at global glory next autumn. If there was a difference, it was the lack of a truly knife-edge finish. Australia lost the lead with a full quarter of an hour to go, retook it with a drop goal by the masterful Bernard Foley, added a penalty for good measure and controlled the last situations. There was none of the scrambling frenzy that usually sweeps these encounters to the very end.
First-half tries by Israel Folau (two) and Tevita Kuridrani sent Australia on their way, although they were matched blow for blow during a madcap opening period when Wales claimed touchdowns from the scrum-half Rhys Webb, the wing Alex Cuthbert and the lock Alun Wyn Jones, making it 21-21 at the break. There was, however, much to give Wales encouragement. They scored three tries in the first half and exerted huge pressure on the Australian scrum in the last quarter to earn the penalty try that took them so close yet again. There was invention from Dan Biggar until he was injured, territory gained by Jamie Roberts and George North at full blast and assurance from the pack collectively.
A 64th-minute penalty try then edged Wales back in front, but Wallabies fly-half Bernard Foley added a late drop-goal and penalty to give him 18 points – he earlier booted three conversions and two previous penalties – to leave the home side crestfallen. But there were also mistakes. From the moment Alex Cuthbert dropped the kick-off it seemed as if it was going to be one of those days. The new semi-artificial pitch held up superbly. It has been laid to promote fast, fluent rugby, and yet here was one of the principal beneficiaries dropping the first thing that came his way.
Wales’ four successful conversions were shared by three players – full-back Leigh Halfpenny (two), fly-half Dan Biggar and replacement Rhys Priestland – but once again, it was ultimately not to be. The wing made amends with a try, but it was not an auspicious opening. Fortunately for him, the unfortunate start was soon forgotten, as Biggar created an opening for Leigh Halfpenny, who was supported by Sam Warburton. The captain set off at a gallop and Wales after only two minutes were setting up a ruck very much on the front foot. Rhys Webb sold one of his signature dummies, bought by the debutant Sean McMahon, and crossed for the try. After the false start, here was a real beginning.
And there was also a double injury concern for Wales as Halfpenny went off 10 minutes before half-time and Biggar limped out of the action ahead of remaining autumn appointments with Fiji, world champions New Zealand and South Africa. Then came another glitch. Biggar, one of the best tacklers to wear a No10 shirt, went a little high on the outstanding Michael Hooper, who bounced him off and fed Israel Folau. The full-back eased away to score and Biggar dropped the restart short of ten metres. Already the game was a strange blend of thrust and blunder.
Wales included wing George North in the centre after injuries sidelined Jonathan Davies and Scott Williams, while Dan Lydiate gained a back-row start despite his relative lack of match action with French club Racing Metro this season. In the opening quarter there had been two tries, both converted. The rate of scoring was to accelerate. By the end of the first half, the goal lines had been crossed twice more each. Folau latched on to a long cut-out pass, aimed by Webb at Liam Williams – a simple pass to North was the easier option – and the full-back sprinted 60 metres for his second try. Mistake on one side; score on the other.
Australia, meanwhile, handed a Test debut to Melbourne Rebels flanker Sean McMahon, with No8 Ben McCalman also starting as the Wallabies played their first full international since suffering an agonising 29-28 defeat against world champions New Zealand three weeks ago. Wales responded with one of their own. There was nothing wrong in the build-up to Cuthbert’s try; just a well-judged readjustment of balance by Halfpenny, a half-dummied kick by Biggar, a charge by North and a delivery to Cuthbert who took the slightly wayward pass above his head without breaking stride.
Wales had vowed to blast out of the blocks, and so it proved as they stunned Australia through a third-minute try. Word after these quickfire four tries that the most dangerous finisher, Tevita Kuridrani, had hardly touched the ball. He now did, bursting through a pincer tackle of Cuthbert and Alun Wyn Jones to cross. The double-tackles probably got in each other’s way, but the giant centre still had to ride their challenge, and he did so without seeming to notice the contact. It takes enormous strength to give the appearance that there are no collisions worth worrying about out there.
Clever link work between Biggar and Halfpenny set up an opportunity for skipper Sam Warburton, who made inroads, before Webb foxed Australia’s defence through a neat dummy and he enjoyed an unopposed run to the line. Just to slow things down a bit – and to bring the scores level on the stroke of half-time, AW Jones crossed from a foot out, the result of Wales chasing points by tries, rather than taking penalty shots at goal. One penalty led to a lineout close to the Australian line; a drive from there led to another, quickly taken by Warburton, and Jones stretched out to dab down under the nose of the referee, who on his 37th birthday had a fine match. Everyone seemed to be having a good time: six tries in the first half; not a single penalty attempt on goal; and the scores standing at 21-21 at the interval.
Halfpenny added the conversion but Australia quickly found their rhythm and they prospered from quick possession as skipper Michael Hooper smashed through Biggar’s attempted tackle and set up Folau for his 16th try in 26 Tests, with Foley converting. The second half was more constricted. Australia edged ahead with two penalties by Foley, before Wales, denied a lot of possession in this second period, began at last to approach the right areas of the field. North was held up over the line, running hard from five metres out and held up superbly by the last line of defence.
There was more to come from Folau, though, and he scored Australia’s second try midway through a frenetic first half when he intercepted Webb’s pass intended for wing Liam Williams and sprinted 80 metres to claim a gift touchdown that Foley converted. But now began a more concerted series of attacks, not so much by North or Roberts at top speed, but by the Welsh pack. Time after time they opted for a scrum, reset five metres out. Slowly, slowly they turned the screw until the referee awarded them a penalty try.
Wales could have gone into their shell after such a quickfire double setback, yet they produced an exhilarating response and were level within four minutes after North broke clear from 60 metres out and sent Cuthbert in for the fourth touchdown of a lung-busting tussle. And so it was that Wales now had to protect their one-point lead. The old scenario. They needed to dredge up the right decisions from the depths of their fatigue and control the last few minutes. They failed again. Or rather, Australia responded to the familiar crisis by improving their thought-processes at the death.
Halfpenny’s conversion tied things up but back came Australia with another soft try from Wales’ perspective as Kuridrani bisected a weak joint effort from Jones and Cuthbert to touch down between the posts, with Foley again converting. Wales could not keep hold of the ball. They yielded territory and gave away penalties. Foley, catching his breath as the forwards pounded away in front of him, finally dropped back and dropped a sweet goal. He then took his time over the last penalty, eating into the clock. Wales gave it one last blast, but Australia held out. If this was team in crisis, they should have them more often. A nerve-settler for the tourists; a sparkling start to the international month.
Wales’ defence had been a strong point throughout much of head coach Warren Gatland’s reign, but not on this occasion as Australia seemed capable of scoring every time they got within sight of the opposition line. Wales Halfpenny (Allen 36), Cuthbert, North, Roberts, L Williams; Biggar (Priestland 47), Webb (Phillips 53); James (Jenkins 56), Hibbard (Baldwin 70), Lee (R Jones 74), Ball (B Davies 68), AW Jones, Lydiate, Warburton (capt), Faletau. Tries Webb, Cuthbert, AW Jones, Penalty Cons Halfpenny 2, Biggar, Priestland
Halfpenny was hurt in the build-up to Australia’s third score, appearing to be concussed, with Cardiff Blues centre Cory Allen taking over from him which meant North reverting to the wing and Williams filling in at full-back. Australia Folau, Asjley-Cooper, Kuridrani, Leali’ifano ((Horne 75), Tomane; Foley, Phipps (Genia 68); Slipper (Alexander 63), Fainga’a (Hanson 70), Kepu (Faulkner 74), Carter (Skelton 50), Simmons (Horwill 64), McMahon (Hodgson 74), Hooper (capt), McCalman Tries Folau 2, Kuridrani Cons Foley 3 Pens Foley 3 DG: Foley
And Wales drew level again during first-half injury time after Warburton took a quick penalty and Jones emerged from under a forward rush to claim the touchdown before Biggar’s conversion made it 21-21. Referee C Joubert (SA)
A 43rd-minute Foley penalty edged Australia ahead and Biggar then limped off nursing a suspected groin problem, which meant an early second-half introduction for Scarlets fly-half Priestland. Match rating 7/10
A further Foley penalty stretched Australia’s advantage to six points, but Wales had no intention of lying down and they upped the ante through their forwards as Gatland used his bench cleverly by sending on prop Gethin Jenkins and hooker Scott Baldwin.
Australia could not cope with a series of scrums in the shadow of their own posts, and referee Craig Joubert awarded a penalty try when the Wallabies collapsed one scrum too many, with Priestland’s conversion edging Wales back in front.
But Foley then dropped a goal with seven minutes left and added another penalty as Australia successfully wound down the clock to claim yet another close-fought triumph at Wales’ expense.
Eddie Butler’s match report from the Millennium Stadium to follow