The Wallabies have scrapped to a 47-10 win over the United States Eagles in their final Rugby World Cup warm up match at Soldier Field in Chicago.
The hosts had the 23,212-strong crowd dreaming of almighty upset when they trailed just 14-10 at halftime against a largely second-string Australian outfit that struggled to find rhythm.
But the Australians picked up a gear early in the second half to go clear then piled on further late points.
Bernard Foley, Nick Phipps, Sean McMahon, Dean Mumm, Kurtley Beale, Quade Cooper and Taqele Naiyaravoro all bagged tries for the Wallabies with five eighth Foley adding six from seven with the boot.
After a glut of early possession Australian-born Eagles lock Greg Peterson was shown a yellow card for repeated infringements in just the seventh minute and two minutes later Foley opened the scoring.
He neatly stepped off his left foot from a Phipps scrumbase pass and touched down under the posts for an early 7-0 lead.
Phipps went from provider to scorer six minutes later after some impressive work from Foley, skipper James Slipper and number eight Wycliff Palu.
A deep 22metre restart from the Eagles was taken by Foley who sent Slipper into a half gap, with the prop sending Palu into the clear with a neat offload.
Palu calmly drew the last line of defence to send Phipps on his way for a 14-0 lead.
Just as it appeared the floodgates might open for the visitors, the Eagles found some rhythm and after a 20th minute penalty goal they set the home crowd roaring with a try to halfback Mike Petri.
Takudzwa Ngwenya burst down the right sideline on a lengthy run before being brought down just short of the line but the winger popped a neat pass for the supporting Petri.
AJ MacGinty’s conversion had the locals dreaming of a boilover as they went to the sheds down 14-10.
No doubt on the end of a rocket from coach Michael Cheika at the break, the Wallabies forwards lifted the tempo in the second half with McMahon going over from a rolling maul in the 49th minute and replacement Mumm crashing over on the right fringe soon after.
Beale shut the gate after he finished off a 90-metre special when an Eagles lineout went long and Henry Speight pounced before combining with Joe Tomane and McMahon.
Two tries in the final five minutes to Cooper and debutant Naiyaravoro blew out the score.
Importantly the Wallabies appeared to get through without injury as they continue preparations for their World Cup opener against Fiji in Cardiff on September 23.
Marty
Guest
4 years ago just before the world cup Samoa showed the island nation how to outmuscle the Wallabies and intimidate them. Giteau will has some painful memories of that match. Fiji are a dark horse and will be looking at a couple of upset victories.
Kane
Guest
There is actually nothing in the rules that states what he did was illegal.
Kane
Guest
I see I'm not the only one with mine either. Ref got it right.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
In Quade's defence, he played fullback when he came on. People of at GAGR are getting carried away by Foley making line breaks. Makes us much sense as saying Quade dominated contact so he'll do that against top teams.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I wonder if actually Cheika has given Foley full opportunity to play himself out of contention as first choice option. I don't think anything except an excellent performance yesterday was really acceptable and it was well below that. Foley threw at least 2 passes to nobody for example. Quade was lynched for throwing a pass that was just not easy to catch for example.
The Slow Eater
Guest
+1. He needs to remove that bloody box kicking from his game
The Slow Eater
Guest
You can add McMahon to that list. Thought he had a great solid 80 minutes
GeoffBrizvegas
Guest
The TWINS it all depends on which team was the B Team looked like 2 B teams
dru
Roar Rookie
He wouldn't be the only one with this "opinion". Ref got it wrong.
Taylorman
Guest
Fiji will now be plotting the oz downfall as Wales look gone with davies, webb and maybe halfpenny out. If oz start like that against fiji they will find themselves quickly behind. The vultures are circling thats for sure.
soapit
Guest
i think maily because quade hasnt had much game time of late and if he was looking to be first choice 10 theyd be giving him more time there, not at 15 off the bench
The Twins
Roar Rookie
Only 23,000 turned up to watch a B Team play....? crikey that is bad...
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
I didn't see the Test, but I hope Genia and Cooper got some good time on the field. I've ruminated a lot over Australia's problems at 9-10-12. If you had asked me in 2009 if I'd want Giteau to be 10 for the World Cup, I would have said, "No." But Australia has no solution at 10 right now. Foley was terrible in Brisbane this year. Cooper was skiddish in Auckland. And Toomua hasn't impressed me. Giteau looks solid at 12, and he might be the best of a bad lot. But he's indicated that he's most comfortable at 12, and Cheika has given no indication that he will play Giteau there. But I don't know if I want Giteau there. So if it's not Giteau, then for me, I'd prefer Genia and Cooper. Cooper tends to play his best with Genia. And while you're taking a risk with Quade - a risk you're not taking with anybody else - I think we have to be brave in our selections and take risks. The Aussie media were gushing over Cheika when the Wallabies won the Rugby Championship. But I haven't been a fan of his thus far. As much as I wasn't a fan of Robbie Deans, you could for instance, see improvement in the Wallabies back three in 2010 (Beale-Mitchell-O'Connor). The Wallabies backline in the Test against France in 2010 was fantastic. I haven't seen anything like that with Cheika. What I dislike about Cheika is that I have absolutely no idea what the best Wallabies side right now. There's been no consistency in selection with all his chop and changing. Folou will be fullback, and AAC will be a wing, and that's all I know! He's not a far cry from some of the selections Greg Smith (may he rest in peace) made in 1996, chopping and changing. During that time only Campese and Horan were the only players who weren't dropped or recalled (and Horan was recovering from a knee injury, and Campo was past it). If we're going with Cooper, then he should have made that decision two months ago. Cooper needs as much practice to find some form and confidence. If we're going with him, then stay with him, and give him as much time on the field as possible.
Marty
Guest
Wallabies leading by 4 after the first 40 or 50 mins of play. Simply put their performance was a joke. They're only a danger to themselves.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
Me too Shop, I have tried to guess what might be - "useless" came to mind - but it remains the Great Unsolved Mystery of the Weekend. I do not like any shift towards censorship if it is borne only of delicate sensitivities on the part of a small cadre. That is lowest common denominator stuff.
30mm tags
Guest
Was it that player whom Foley stepped around for the try in the first few minutes?
exWalfan
Guest
Yes we all have so much faith in Cheika...then he picks Nick Phipps.Seriously Speight?? He wouldnt make the fijian side. We are out in the pools except that maybe Halfpenny is also gone but fiji is a 50/50. The Poite appointment vs England means we dont have a chance in that one, he'll abstract every scrum to constantly penalise Aus. "Cheika: ignorant or arrogant? probably both".
Shop
Guest
I'm becoming very curious as to what this impolite word is. Any hints?
Cynical Play
Guest
You seem like a smart guy. Then you open your mouth.
Adrian
Roar Rookie
Exactly Thai The "smoky" in combinations could be Phipps and Cooper, given it worked in 2nd half of Springbok test, but hasn't been seen since