Autumn Nations Series: Wales 20 Australia 52
Never go back. Warren Gatland must wonder if he should have heeded that apparently universal truth. After this defeat the New Zealander has overseen the longest ever run of Wales losses: 11 and counting. The 43-19 pool victory over Georgia at last year’s Rugby World Cup is a distant memory – a result that came days after they thrashed the Wallabies by a record margin. In sobering contrast, this was a record points total for the visitors in Cardiff.
Things have unravelled spectacularly since that World Cup and Gatland, once so assured, looks increasingly out of touch and unsure of himself, scratching around for a way out of this ever-deepening hole. True, he has lost plenty of class players to retirement, injury or overseas contracts. But he is being well remunerated to say the least. The mood pre-match was acrimonious and will only get worse from here.
The shame of it, for Gatland and Wales, was this young side showed exceptional spirit to fight back from 19-0 down. There were six points in it at half-time, and Samu Kerevi’s red card a minute after the restart should have boosted Welsh hopes further. Instead Australia added five more tries when a man down against an increasingly ragged opposition. Matt Faessler and the player of the match, Tom Wright, both scored hat-tricks. Bring on the Lions next year.
There had been some notable verbal jousting even before the match. Regarding midweek criticism from former Wales players, Gatland told TNT Sports: “A couple of them I’m a bit disappointed with ... you’d like to think there is an opportunity for them to back your corner.” Jamie Roberts, on pundit duty, responded. “I am sure he appreciates he’s in the position he is because of what the players gave for him on the park,” Roberts said.
Another maxim that carries weight is that there is no substitute for experience. As Kerevi and Rob Valetini both marked their 50th Australia cap, the Welsh backline by contrast had 63 among them, with the outhalf Gareth Anscombe accounting for 38.
Gatland had called for his current crop to be “more accurate and disciplined” during the build-up, but after a cagey opening, Wright was tearing down the Australian left and feeding Andrew Kellaway with a smart offload inside. Kellaway found Kerevi, who was held up by a stunning tackle by Welsh wing Tom Rogers.
The Wallabies were soon sniping down their right, and when Anscombe rushed out of the line, a dummy by Wright gave him a clear path to score. A Wales raid broke down due to an error by James Botham, Max Jorgensen pounced and offered a cute one-handed offload to Len Ikitau, who released the secondrow Nick Frost. His pace was too much for an out-of-shape Wales defence and the mood under the closed roof at the Principality was darkening with every second that ticked by.
To add insult to injury it was a Gatlandesque try that worsened the gloom. A straightforward maul after a lineout allowed Faessler to touch down, and Noah Lolesio converted. That was 19-0. It was all looking very bleak, but a clever twisting finish by Aaron Wainwright got Wales on the board. Two more Anscombe penalties before half-time made things look a little less desperate, and Gatland’s young side had shown spirit.
Joe Schmidt removed Angus Bell at half-time, seemingly worried about his scrummaging efforts, with James Slipper introduced. There were more worries for the Wallabies coach when Kerevi was sent to the sinbin for a reckless hit on the Wales openside Jac Morgan. Replays were graphic, and a red card via bunker review duly materialised. Still, the card finally emerged after Faessler had scored his second and Australia’s fourth try, stretching the visitors’ lead back to 13. Wales scrumhalf Ellis Bevan was arguably lucky to escape a yellow card for a high challenge on his opposite number Nic White, who was swiftly withdrawn.
Wales had won 18 out of 18 lineouts in the defeat by Fiji, an apparently impressive feat, although if the set piece was functioning so well and they were still beaten, clearly there are grave issues elsewhere. Faessler wrapped up his hat-trick with tries on 48 and 53 minutes before Botham was denied a muscular score in the corner for a forward pass. Wright added the sixth try, converted by Lolesio, and Wales’s Ben Thomas offered some hope, before Ikitau and Wright completed the rout.
Can Gatland build something more cohesive for the Six Nations? Will he get the chance? It it five years or so since the Kiwi signed off from an ‘incredibly special’ first spell. The farewell this time, whenever it comes, is unlikely to be so fond. – Guardian
WALES: C Winnett; T Rogers, M Llewellyn, B Thomas, B Murray; G Anscombe, E Bevan; G Thomas, D Lake, A Griffin; W Rowlands, A Beard; J Botham, J Morgan, A Wainwright.
Replacements: R Williams for Bevan (49 mins); T Reffell for Wainwright (54); E James for Rogers, S Costelow for Anscombe, N Smith for G Thomas, R Elias for Lake, K Assiratti for Griffin (all 55). Not used: C Tshiunza.
AUSTRALIA: T Wright; A Kellaway, L Ikitau, S Kerevi, M Jorgensen; N Lolesio, N White; A Bell, M Faessler, A Alaalatoa; N Frost, W Skelton; S Uru, F McReight, R Valetini.
Replacements: J Slipper for Bell (41), T McDermott for White (47), L Salakaia-Loto for Skelton (55), B Paenga-Amosa for Faessler, L Gleeson for Uru (both 59), Z Nonggorr for Alaalatoa (61), J Suaalii for Kerevi (63). Not used: B Donaldson.
Sent off: Kerevi (41 mins).
Referee: James Doleman (NZ).
