Confident And Clinical Wallabies Dispatch Of Plucky Welsh In Melbourne
Confident And Clinical Wallabies Dispatch Of Plucky Welsh In Melbourne
Joe Schmidt's Wallabies defeat Warren Gatland's Wales in their test match in Melbourne, as Australia secures a 2-0 series victory over the visitors.
Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies completed a series double over Warren Gatland’s Wales, securing a 36-28 win in Melbourne.
In a nip-and-tuck affair, the Wallabies sealed the deal courtesy of two tries from winger Filipo Daugunu, both of which were special efforts from the Wallabies.
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Starting with the first score, Australia avoided coughing up what would’ve been a coach killer of a try as they fumbled and bumbled the ball on their own try line following a searching grubber kick from the Welsh.
Struggling to regain control, fullback Tom Wright shifted the ball onto winger Andrew Kellaway, who, in a moment of individual brilliance, chipped a short kick over the front line of the Welsh defense, before batting it down to backrow Fraser McReight.
Streaking away from the defense, McReight looked set to go all the way, before pulling up and finding the on-rushing Daugunu, who raced away to touch down inside the opening 10 minutes.
Seven minutes after the try was scored, fly-half Noah Lolesio added a penalty to his conversion to put the home side 10 points clear.
Now firmly in the ascendancy, the Wallabies would strike again, as scrumhalf Jake Gordon sniped his way over the line with Lolesio’s conversion; Schmidt’s side looked home and dry at 17-0 up.
Yet, as has always been a hallmark of Welsh Rugby under Warren Gatland, they never are truly out of a contest.
Leading from the front, captain Dewi Lake directed a well-set maul over the Wallabies try line to get his team on the board in the 27th minute, before scoring a near identical try in the 35th minute. Converting both tries, fly-half Ben Thomas brought his team back to within a score at 20-14.
Closing out the half in the most frustrating of way, Wales continued a theme of conceding a penalty after a score, and Lolesio once again punished them to take his side into halftime more than a score ahead at 23-14.
Following the halftime break, the two sides would reverse roles, as Wales started the brighter of the two when veteran winger Liam Williams slipped through the Wallabies defense to bring the score 23-21 with Thomas’ conversion.
For Wallabies fans, what followed was a major boost, as their team showed early signs of the ‘Schmidt blueprint,' clinically going after the Welsh.
Gaining separation once again for his team, experienced prop Allan Alaalatoa scored in the 53rd minute, before Daugunu finished off a moment of individual brilliance.
Chasing what appeared to be a routine clearance kick from a penalty, the former Melbourne Rebels winger pounced on a head-scratching moment from Liam Williams. The winger looked to keep the ball alive by batting it in the field.
Snatching the ball, Daugunu raced away from the Welsh defense to put his team in what turned out to be an unassailable lead with less than 15 minutes left.
To its credit, Wales continued to fight and was rewarded, as winger Rio Dyer showed incredible rugby intellect and finishing ability to charge down replacement scrumhalf Nic White, before barging through would-be tacklers to score.
This set the stage for a grandstand finish, and Wales nearly secured an unlikely draw. Wales was held up over the line, before replacement Ben Donaldson added some gloss to the scoreline for the Wallabies, nudging over a late penalty.
Next up for the Wallabies is a clash with Rugby World Cup foe Georgia, which will arrive in Australia on the back of an impressive victory over Eddie Jones’ Japan. Wales will conclude its tour with a match against Super Rugby Pacific side the Queensland Reds.
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