Lady luck made a decision to bestow her favours on Australia. George North was then held up by Ben McCalman, on for Genia, after a break on the right-hand touch-line but the Wallabies defence was magnificent.
Advertisement
By the end, Wales were drained – as much by what they had let slip as by what they had put in.
In this mildest of English autumns it was Scotland who appeared to have adopted Brazilian football tactics against Samoa at the weekend – however many you score we can score more – while the Wallabies relied as never before on their capacity to defend their goal-line in holding out Wales, even when reduced to 13 men for seven minutes of a 15 minute siege.
There were other instances.
Australia were down to 13 men when lock Dean Mumm was yellow-carded for taking a man out at the line-out. The reason it is now advantage Australia, and maybe even theirs to lose, is because of what the win over Wales did for them. He called Justin Tupuric into the backrow and moved captain Sam Warburton to the blindside flank to focus on strangling Australia’s supply of quick ball, and the Welsh achieved that with their choke tackle technique and commitment at the breakdown.
There are nine Australian survivors from the 2009 disaster in a World Cup squad of 31 and another six from the 2012 horror night. Against England they showed us that they can attack. “Disappointed we lost today, but definitely back ourselves for next week”.
Yes, they beat them at the Millennium Stadium last November, but you have to go back 15 years and 16 Tests to find the next Welsh triumph. “We are playing against the current champions of the southern hemisphere, a team that has been in fantastic form recently”.
Monday’s review may inspire one or two.
Australia’s Israel Folau runs past Dan Biggar. Up stepped Bernard Foley, and over went a fifth penalty from his trusty boot to extend the lead.
“It is one of the best wins I’ve been involved with in this team”. They mixed, rushing up with sliding laterally, and around the fringes, they were low, aggressive and crucially, organised.
“He only wants the best out of you and I appreciate it”. “We would have liked to have probably had a bit more ball, but that’s just how the game panned out”. “It’s about guys doing their job well”.
However Michael Cheika’s Wallabies rose to the challenge, and produced a defensive effort yet to be replicated by any side in this World Cup to date, keeping Wales scoreless and forcing a turnover in their own half. He was happy and proud in the aftermath but not oblivious to the flaws in the performance. “They had a few tricks up their sleeve, moving us up the middle, they have got players that play with a lot of passion and will to win”.
“We had to show a different skin”, added the coach, who has been in charge for less than a year following the resignation of Ewen McKenzie.
Rugby World Cup finals have all been won with an accent on defence, and Australia have done their prospects of lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy in three weeks no harm at all by adhering to Nathan Grey’s defensive systems. That’s going to be evident moving through into the knockout stages. “There is no favourable side of the draw”.
No tries were scored, but it was a thrilling game in which the Welsh got over the Australian try line on three different occasions, but were held up each time.
“Defence is one of the most humbling parts of the game because you can get torn apart if you are not concentrating”.
Advertisement
“That was disappointing but at the same time I think Australia defended really well”. It’s about the integrity of the preparation; always looking forward.
