Wales hold on for thrilling win over Australia

In a thrilling encounter at Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo, Wales held off an incredible comeback from Australia to take a pivotal 29-25 victory on Sunday. The result makes the winners clear favorites to top Pool D and has all but secured their spot in the Rugby World Cup Quarter Finals.

Wales came flying out of the block and had three points from a Dan Biggar drop goal with under a minute gone. He pulled a penalty attempt just to the left of the uprights soon after, but Australia were already well and truly on high alert.

Their fears were realised in the 13th minute. The Wallabies couldn’t get out of their end and when Wales regained possession, Biggar’s cross-kick was inch perfect to find Hadleigh Parkes for a try in the corner. The flyhalf then nailed the conversion from wide out to make it a double digit score.

Australia finally got into the match half way through the opening half. Samu Kerevi bashed his way over the advantage line and Bernard Foley took a page out of Biggar’s playbook with a cross-kick to Adam Ashley-Cooper for a much-needed try.

The gap was reduced further by a Foley penalty to keep the Wallabies on the front foot. In the build-up Wales lost Biggar to a head knock and Rhys Patchell took his place. He made his mark immediately, directing the attack forward and landing his own penalty goal to erase Foley’s effort.

A harsh call on Kerevi gave Patchell a shot at a long-range penalty and the duly obliged. The bad news continued for Australia but this time self-made as Gareth Davies latched onto a loose pass and sprinted clear from halfway to score, with Patchell’s conversion making is 23-8 at the intermission.

The second half could hardly have been more stark in contrast. Patchell slotted a drop goal just four minutes in to extend the lead and Michael Cheika responded with tactical changes. Matt To’omua replaced Foley and the new flyhalf wasted no time getting into the game, attacking the line and putting Wales on the retreat. After a few phases David Pocock managed to offload to Dane Haylett-Petty who charged through a gap and over the line.

Australia would offer Wales no respite, controlling the vast majority of territory and possession through to the final whistle, but they couldn’t quite close out the game. Michael Hooper crashed over from close range after another assault, and To’omua slotted a penalty to make it a one-point game.

Warren Gatland countered with his own changes, albeit much later, and Owen Watkin responded with a crucial turnover just after entering the fray that led to another successful Patchell kick that put the score out of penalty territory. With Australia on the attack and time nearly up, Liam Williams pinched the ball at a tackle and Wales held on for the final seconds to bring the game to a close.

The winners will have time to recuperate before facing Fiji in Oita on October 9, and will then close out their pool stage against Uruguay at Kumamoto just four days later. Australia will meet Los Teros in Oita on Saturday before taking on Georgia at Shizuoka the following Friday.

 

SCORING

AUSTRALIA 25
Tries – A. Ashley-Cooper (21’), D. Haylett-Petty (46’), M. Hooper (62’)
Cons – B. Foley 0/1, M. To’omua 2/2 (47’, 63’)
Pens – B. Foley 1/1 (29’), M. To’omua 1/1 (68’)

WALES 29
Tries – H. Parkes (13’), G. Davies (38’)
Cons – D. Biggar 1/1 (14’), R. Patchell 1/1 (39’)
Pens – D. Biggar 0/1, R. Patchell 3/3 (32’, 37’, 72’)
Drop goals – D. Biggar 1/2 (1’), R. Patchell 1/1 (44’)

 

TEAMS

AUSTRALIA
1 Scott Sio (17 James Slipper 63’), 2 Tolu Latu (16 Jordan Uelese 66’), 3 Allan Ala’alatoa (18 Sekope Kepu 63’), 4 Izack Rodda (19 Adam Coleman 63’), 5 Rory Arnold, 6 David Pocock, 7 Michael Hooper (capt.), 8 Isi Naisarani (20 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto 68’), 9 Will Genia (21 Nic White 53’), 10 Bernard Foley (22 Matt To’omua 45’), 11 Marika Koroibete, 12 Samu Kerevi, 13 James O’Connor, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper (23 Kurtley Beale 48’), 15 Dane Haylett-Petty

WALES
1 Wyn Jones (17 Nicky Smith 49’), 2 Ken Owens (16 Elliot Dee 66’), 3 Tom Francis (18 Dillon Lewis 63’), 4 Jake Ball (19 Aaron Shingler 63’), 5 Alun Wyn Jones (capt.), 6 Aaron Wainwright (20 Ross Moriarty 49’), 7 Justin Tipuric, 8 Josh Navidi, 9 Gareth Davies (21 Tomos Williams 72’), 10 Dan Biggar (22 Rhys Patchell 28’), 11 Josh Adams, 12 Hadleigh Parkes (23 Owen Watkin 70’), 13 Jonathan Davies, 14 George North, 15 Liam Williams

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant Referee: Luke Pearce (England), Karl Dickson (England)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)