Dragons savour Wyning feeling
Wales 9 Australia 6
THE hoodoo is broken, history rewritten. Wales have beaten Australia, after 10 years and 13 attempts.
That may be the only thing worth celebrating after a dreadful match was settled by Dan Biggar’s late penalty – but celebrate they did, long into the Cardiff night.
And timely it was too, with these two grouped at next year’s World Cup. “Part of me says it means nothing, but who knows,” said captain Alun Wyn Jones, the only Welshman playing last night to have tasted victory over the Wallabies. “It’s been a long time, and I’m really pleased for the squad.
“We’ve been gracious in defeat for a long time, now. I’m going to make sure we’re gracious in victory.”
If the first period had been dour [3-3], dominated by aggressive defence personified best by the tenacious Justin Tipuric, the second was a slugfest sprinkled with plenty of endeavour but no stardust.
Australia had two goes at the Welsh line from short-range lineouts but failed, while Warren Gatland’s bench of Lions and occasional captains could not make a dent either. Leigh Halfpenny edged Wales ahead again with 10 minutes to go after replacement hooker Tatafu Polota-nau infringed at a breakdown.
And they had one glorious chance after Samu Kerevi and Israel Folau made a mess of Gareth Anscombe’s high punt, Liam Williams gathered and recycled but Anscombe then passed into Dillon Lewis’s head rather than Jonathan Davies’s hands. Then the Wallabies drew level again, Matt To’omua with a penalty. But the crowd were baying for Kerevi to see red for his elbow-first follow-through on Halfpenny.
That brought on Biggar, and the rest was consigned to history.
We’ve been gracious in defeat for a long time...
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