The Wallabies have lost to Wales 26 to 22 in an absolute thriller as the two big dogs of Group D went head to head.
This was picked as the game that would decide who would win the group and get the ‘easier’ quarter-final, and both sides played with an intensity that respected the importance of the game.
In true sporting cliche it was a game of two halves. In the first the Wallabies just couldn’t seem to get into the game for any decent periods and they were always on the back foot.
The Welsh kept stinging them and started with a drop goal in the opening seconds of the match that the Aussies certainly wouldn’t have expected.
Minutes later the Welsh were 10 up after a lovely cross-field kick found Marika Koroibete struggling and Hadleigh Parkes took advantage of his superior aerial ability.
Australia did strike back pretty quickly with their own cross-field kick strategy working well when Bernard Foley found Adam Ashley-Cooper out wide.
The old campaigner stepped back inside, rode a tackle and dived over for the score.
But the conversion was missed and the Welsh just kept coming at the Aussies. There were a number of moments where the Wallabies will feel as if they got the rough end of the stick from the ref as decisions went against them and Wales took full advantage using their penalties to gain both territory and points.
Just before halftime, Wales were able to score ten points in two minutes. First a penalty goal, and then a heartbreaking intercept try where the Welsh scrum-half Gareth Davies picked off a long pass from opposite number Will Genia and sprinted clear to score a run away 70m try.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Australia had to score first in the second half – but they didn’t. Another Welsh drop goal stretched the lead out even further and it looked like the Wallabies were sunk.
But with one key decision things changed – Bernard Foley went off and Matt Toomua came on and in seconds he was having a huge impact.
The Rebels No.10 was able to play much flatter than Foley and really challenged the Welsh line. Soon after he came on, he made a couple of breaks that led to a lovely score by Dane Haylett-Petty.
His whole game was well above the standard that Foley had been delivering and the Aussies started to believe.
Wales tried to withstand about 20 minutes of brutal Australian hammering and while they did their best, eventually their resolve failed and Michael Hooper was able to score.
All the momentum was with Australia and it looked like almost a certainty that they would get the win.
Will Genia will be frustrated with his own performance – it was much talked about how Cheika had changed the halves for this game and to be fair neither Genia nor Foley really had good games.
He almost gave away a second intercept try to Davies again in the second half and there will be a lot of scrutiny at his speed of delivery in the post match analysis.
In the end the Welsh were able to wrestle back just enough control to slow the Wallabies come back. They managed to get a penalty towards the end that stretched the lead from one point to four points and then they played a canny game at scrum time to let the clock run down.
Both teams will be able to find positives from today’s game however the harsh reality is that the Wallabies were their own worst enemy too often.
They turned the ball over 17 times and left points out on the field. With a game that was won and lost by four points those are crucial stats.
(Photo by David Ramos – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)
Michael Cheika is going to come under a lot of scrutiny for his decision to bring in Genia over White and Foley over either Toomua or Christian Lealiifano. It didn’t work and in fact it cost the Aussies a lot in the end.
There were some really good performances from players like Tolu Latu who threw accurately and ran with real power in the loose and Isi Naisarani was a real handful.
Pocock and Hooper were their usual impressive selves but Australia could have done with some more from Pocock – he’s such a good player that they really need him to dominate every game.
Yes there will be discussion over the ref, but if the Wallabies try to blame Romain Poite for losing this one then they are really jeopardising their World Cup campaign.
There are some lessons that need to be learned and learned quickly.
Wallabies 25
Wales 29
Taniwha
Roar Rookie
Jim, don't blame the ref, it's your coach you should be blaming. He's had four years to develop a 10 and he starts Foley in match you had to win to avoid the Poms and ABs. Look at the article Wales online posted ''The key controversial calls from Wales-Australia analysed'' then convince me it's the ref and not Cheika that cost you the test. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/wales-v-australia-myths-debunked-17005364
Malotru
Roar Rookie
Yep pardner.
SandBox
Roar Guru
“is Lealiifano hurt or just benched by Cheika?” I’d like to know the answer to this as well. CLL should be 10, then Toomua, then QC if either get injured. Foley is out of form, and more importantly, out of confidence. I don’t blame him really, but Cheika for not realising this. Like all the Wallabies, they’ve been playing their hearts out with a poor plan
Jim
Guest
Nah i doubt it. Wales were smarter in the first half, though every time the Wallabies got any momentum the refs got involved. Wales were destroyed in the second half, and the 4 minute scrum in the last 7 minutes was the only control they had.
Short Arm
Roar Rookie
Sorry, I was just lazy to get up & find my glasses & 2018 Law book. I did state I was unsure though. He's one for you Unreasonable, that I couldn't find in the law book. This relates to Genia's intercept pass. The ball is deemed to be in the ruck when the half has his hands on the ball & he keeps it in front of the last foot. But can the half lift the ball up & keep it within the ruck - Is this still deemed to be in the ruck?
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Yeah, can’t wait to see it.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
You’re absolutely right. Got my columns mixed up. Should have gone to spec savers
Double Agent
Guest
Neil you'll have to put your glasses on when checking the stats. The lineouts were the other way around. Aust 12/12 Wales 7/9.
Double Agent
Guest
A match would go for three hours!!
FunBus
Roar Rookie
I think the worst is the hysterical nonsense that mostly reveals both a lack of understanding of the basic laws of the game and the sense of entitlement of spoilt brats.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
I understand it rather better than you, Adam.
Kiwikrs
Roar Rookie
Punishing after the game doesn't help the team that who were the victims. And player safety should be paramount. WR have been very clear that the attention is on player safety and high contact. There's no excuse
Double Agent
Guest
The two that were scrutinised in this game were feeble to say the least. A high shot can be reviewed and punished after the game as well. A try can't be reversed and the score altered after the game.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
I haven’t bothered to go to a stats site but I watched the game and, in the first 10 minutes alone, we won 2 of the Welsh lineouts. You’re just making stuff up
GibbonRib
Roar Rookie
What if? All of what you said is true EXCEPT The refereeing wasn’t actually that bad – Davies was onside, the Kerevi / Adams penalties cancelled each other out and there were no terrible decisions AND I just got your book for my birthday yesterday, can’t wait to read it
Harry Selassie
Roar Rookie
A slow start, too many errors, particularly in that first half and some dubious lineup choices doomed the Wallabies. Don't blame the officials. That game was there for the taking the Wallabies just did not grab the opportunities and left it too late. We all know taking Foley off and putting To'omua on changed the game (by the way is Lealiifano hurt or just benched by Cheika?) And yes without a Banks or Maddocks on the roster, missing Hodge did hurt the team. AAC did better than expected out of position and DHP had a solid game but at their age can you expect them to produce well in back to back games? You want to believe the Wallabies have learned from these two games, we will find out soon enough yet with the proper lineup this can be a good team.
Keilidh
Roar Rookie
TF, who knows what he is thinking, which games he’s targeting, experimenting or resting players. Who knows what his preferred halves pairing is. Barring injury and suspension, did he put his preferred team on against Wales?
adam smith
Guest
And yet you don’t understand your native tongue?!?
steven bayliss
Roar Rookie
Having refereed for a number of years you pay it as you see it. No amount of criticism will change your mind and often gets your back up and you become more critical of those complaining. It is a difficult job and everyone makes mistakes. It can effect the outcome but that is the game you can't play without a referee. The game was not lost because of any referee's decision. It was lost because of 2 major reasons. Both were decision making calls. Cheika decided that his mates should start and that he should show loyalty to those mates. This is seen over and again in Australian rugby. Junior players not given an opportunity because they did not go to the right school or had no connections. Then a mindset that you must stick to those players you have chosen. There was no justification for Foley and Adam Ashley Cooper being in the squad let alone start. Both in patches have had solid careers. There are much better alternatives but they have been denied the opportunity because of Cheika's mindset, look after the boys he has relied upon in the past. Cheika is a talented coach his record speaks of that but of late his decision making has become clouded at best. The second poor decision and one that certainly lost Australia the game was Hooper's. Wales had just given away 3 penalties near to their own try line. Any referee would be looking at a yellow card on a fourth. Momentum was all in Australia's favour. A kick to touch 5 meters out would have kept up pressure on Wales and the referee if another penalty was awarded. There was 14 minutes to go to if things didn't go right still plenty of time to recover. But the easy option was taken. Penalty goal. All the pressure went off Wales and Australian did not get momentum back and the game was lost.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Think you are right. We’ll see the guys who’ve been on the bench plus Dempsey/Simmons come in to the frame now to give guys a rest. Hopefully Tupou tears it up as I wasn’t impressed by Kepu. We might finally get a look at the O’Connor/Kuridrani Centre pairing as well.