The Wallabies scored a hard-fought 21-18 win over Wales in the Rugby World Cup third-place playoff match in Auckland on Friday night as some consolation after a misfiring tournament.
Tries in the 10th minute from inside centre Berrick Barnes and 76th minute to No.8 Ben McCalman bookended another lacklustre performance by Australia, with James O’Connor adding three penalties and a conversion to seal the victory and with it the bronze medal.
The Wallabies showed intent to play an expansive game early on, but when fullback Kurtley Beale and five-eighth Quade Cooper left the field through injury in the first 25 minutes, Australia adopted a more conservative approach.
Beale exited after just nine minutes with a recurrence of a hamstring injury that has blighted his tournament, but just a minute later, Cooper’s flat ball close to the Welsh line sent Barnes under the posts untouched.
Wales five-eighth James Hook kicked a penalty in the 20th minute to reduce the deficit to 7-3, but moments later, Australia’s injury curse struck again when Cooper – who started the match in a more effervescent mood – attempted an elaborate right-foot step that left him lying on the ground in agony with a suspected cruciate ligament tear.
Both sides missed penalty attempts before the break, with poor handling and wayward passing making for a below-par spectacle and the teams headed for the sheds with the Wallabies leading 7-3.
Wallabies second-rower Nathan Sharpe, who led the side out in his 100th Test match, left the field in the 46th minute after falling awkwardly on his right knee in the fourth minute and was replaced by Rod Simmons.
Sharpe’s departure sparked a Welsh fightback, with referee Wayne Barnes missing a glaring forward pass from Hook after a turnover on halfway.
Opportunistic Welsh winger Shane Williams pounced, skilfully toeing the ball through to score near the left touchline and in the process putting his side in front 8-7.
However, a 42-metre penalty from O’Connor in the 51st minute put the Wallabies back in front and when the winger landed another just five minutes later, the Wallabies had built a handy 13-8 advantage.
In the 68th minute, Barnes – who excelled at five-eighth after Cooper’s injury – booted a field goal which sailed high in the air and just scrapped over the crossbar to put the Wallabies out by more than a converted try.
Wales edged closer a minute later when James Hook’s replacement, retiring veteran Stephen Jones, kicked an easy penalty to set up a tense finale.
However, McCalman put the game out of reach of the Welsh, grabbing his five-pointer with an untouched 10-metre run after some good lead-up work from prop James Slipper and replacement hooker Saia Faingaa.
Wales retained possession for 25-plus phases in the closing minutes that was rewarded when fullback Leigh Halfpenny crossed for an extra-time try which was converted by Jones.
Australia’s win was their first at Eden Park since 1986 and meant the two-time champions claimed their first bronze at the World Cup after losing 22-21 to Wales in the playoff for third place at the inaugural 1987 tournament, also played in New Zealand.
Cooper’s injury ended a forgettable tournament for the Kiwi-born playmaker and he looks certain to miss Australia’s tour of the United Kingdom that will feature games against Wales and the Barbarians.
warrenexpatinnz
Roar Guru
I take your point DS but this is where I differ from some; I am a big bloke, my wife is a Kiwi and Maori and have good honest values and I have taught my children, I believe very well. I come from a middle class Aussie upbringing were my parents were racist, not out and out racists but silly things, jokes, sayings but with that they also helped people less fortunate, any person. I have strived to make my values heard and known amongst friends and family so that I can in some small way stamp out crap that was so common that it embarrased me. Muruli was taunted by many but you would have noticed that a change happened once leading Australian cricketers and journos stood up and spoke for him, you then had people in the crowds targeting the racists and boof heads and although not entirely removed it wasn't drowning out the friendly crowd. I was one of these people targeting the dicks and I will continue to do so at any sporting or cultural event I go to and I encourage anyone else to do the same. The Cooper booing is poor, the treatment of him personaly in the press was even worse and to have the ABs build on this whilst making sure all their closets remained tightly shut was bloody annoying. You now have the French targeted and belittled in the same way that the Wallabies and Cooper were and yet this is seen by many as fine, a step forward in Kiwi sportsmanship? If a country doesn't move forward and stamp out crap, if it sits back and condones it and has people in well respected positions ignore it or brush it off it makes me think the prize of the RWC has got so great for NZ that the soul of the ABs and the pride of NZ just got spat on to lift Bill?
Darwin Stubby
Guest
Would be really interested then Warren on your stance on Aust crowds treatment of Muralitharan over the years ... To the point where he chose not to tour because of the unrelenting abuse he received - to try and claim some form of moral high ground which some Aust fans are attempting and taint a whole country and the tournament is boorish .... Yes the treatment has been over the top but you can't ignore the fact Cooper inflamed it by labeling himself as public enemy #1 and basically saying bring it on .... some didn't need that invitation but it most likely got a lot more onboard ... For me this is as big an inditement on the wallabies management as it is on crowd behaviour
warrenexpatinnz
Roar Guru
Watch the cutaway shots of the "standing ovation" Jeremy and you will see all the Aussies standing and clapping with the majority of Kiwis sitting, patiently waiting for the game to restart. Hearing people talk about Hadlees treatment in the eighties is fine, but that was the eighties and nearly all of us have moved on from that and become a tad more cultured and respectful. The ugliness showed to Cooper and by default the Wallabies is a stain on NZ sportsmanship in 2011 and no matter the dressing up being done by the NZ media now to rectify the damage I think a lot more will come of this over the next wee while. Thanks for the speech after the semi final game Richie, nice to mention your opposition in the same way that James Horwill praised your team and wished you well in the final. Sorry got that wrong, Richie forgot they played someone, the petulant behaviour by certain All Blacks to Wallaby players in the last three minutes was interesting let alone the stupid carry on afterwards especially after they had highlighted this in the Wallabies win in Hong Kong. Yes still bitter, not in the loss as beaten by the better rugby team but starting to think the winning of the game is now much more than the spirit of the game and hopefully this changes after tonight.
Ben S
Roar Guru
Excuse me, Thelma?
Ben S
Roar Guru
PeterK, still holding that Roar title, eh. Well done, sir. Could you explain to me what England has to do with anything?
jeremy
Guest
Fox Sports is saying he got a standing ovation so either I'm totally missing something or you're interpreting the applause as he left the field as something other than respectful. http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/rugby-world-cup-2011/quade-cooper-and-kurtley-beale-injured-as-wallabies-beat-wales-21-18-in-bronze-final-at-eden-park/story-e6frf4zl-1226173432233
stillmatic1
Guest
i hope you remember that when confronted with a large queue at the supermarket!! no grumbling, no complaining, nothing. and if we cant boo, are we allowed to cheer?
stillmatic1
Guest
you should know better yourself warren. have you actually been to other sporting events around the world? or is your disdain just as myopic and biased as the people you criticise? i suggest you get off your high horse, lest the fall be bumpy and you get a nice healthy bruise. for someone who claims they are largely rational, your posts on this matter clearly show you are not. have you been reading too much tabloid journalism? have you been to any games? have you witnessed first hand anything of which you claim? is your passion clouding your vision? and if it is, how can you say that a fan cannot exhibit the same passion? you must live a sheltered life if you believe what you have written. never been to a yankees game? collingwood game? infact, you cant have been to any sporting event in history if you claim that this is unique to NZ. and please dont carry on about the good old days when sport was oh so quaint, it never has been and never will be. and who says any of the stakeholders of rugby (ie: the fans) have to treat rugby as "just a game". it wouldnt be what it is today if everyone held your view. if its just a game, no need to promote it and try and make money right?
stillmatic1
Guest
wow, do you ever not whinge about how kiwis are supposed to treat the opposition? i guess you dont get out much to watch sport? thosebig bad kiwis, shame on them, they should go straight to hell, blah blah blah. its ironic considering aussies lump kiwis with the old "chip on the shoulder" mentality. damo, if you are such a big,brash, confident aussie, why does it affect you? frankly, i'll boo whomever i like with the same fervour and intent that i cheer for somebody. the moral high ground held by some is ridiculous considering the pot shots and supposed "banter" that are thrown around by yourself and others quite freely and frequently. simply put, theroar wouldnt exist without it, but hey champ, practise what you preach.
ThelmaWrites
Guest
Less than 88 at the time of this post, considering a lot are non-Wallaby supporters and a number of repeat-posters.
ThelmaWrites
Guest
It puzzles me that you spend so much time and words on this website finding fault with the Wallabies and Deans, but are so defensive about Martin Johnson. Compensation?
IronAwe
Guest
You really think singing Waltzing Matilda during the Haka is the same as booing a country's national anthem?
peterlala
Guest
Not a great game, but a dominant Wallaby game, which is almost great. The defence was great, again. And it was great for Nathan Sharpe to get 100 games -- and a victory. Also, Australia had been battered by the All Blacks and before that by the Springboks, so their resilience was great.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
Look at all the people who come out of the woodwork when the Wallabies win a game.
p.Tah
Guest
Wazza you cannot honestly say that no AB has ever had underhanded tactics on the field. The booing is unacceptable at anytime (Australians are guilty of it too). It just completely unsportsmanlike. This time round a handful of kiwis fans have blotted their country's copy book and it will be remembered for a long time. Another country will do it in the future. If you feel respect is key virtue, show it regardless of what you think of someone. Others will respect you for it.
warrenexpatinnz
Roar Guru
Little point Jerry, there was cheering when Quade went down, didn't last long but was audiable. Again this isn't the majority of Kiwi fans or media but a select group who have an imoveable chip on the shoulder and who are the same ones that you see at ITM games but then it is passed off as drunken fun, provincial pride?
Andrew
Guest
Did you ever see Aussie crowds boo that grub Richard Loe with his viscous attack on Carozza. Loe's actions were a million times worse than Coopers. Just waiting until Sunday when the kiwis choke yet again!
p.Tah
Guest
...and Ritchie's injured foot is the one he leads with when he is constantly offside ;) Just stirring :)
AJ
Guest
capital
Guest
BP It was pretty obvious that they are a very good side, they just haven't had the killer finish. That will come with combinations and experience, and some of their young players will develop very well. They are a very good side, lacking a bit of depth when they lost critical players, and the ability to convert pressure consistently. Strongly disagree with the sentiment of your post BP