Wallabies overcome string of setbacks
Australia snapped an eight-match losing streak against England with a 30-28 victory at Perth Stadium despite the loss of lock Darcy Swain to a red card before halftime.
Jordan Petaia, Folau Fainga’a and Pete Samu scored tries in the last quarter as Australia recorded their first win over England since knocking the co-hosts out of the 2015 World Cup.
Samu’s try took Australia to a 30-14 lead but England debutants Henry Arundell and Jack van Poortvliet scored tries in the dying minutes to make the scoreline more respectable.
It was quite a turnaround for the Wallabies, who must have thought they were cursed after the first 34 minutes of the match.
They lost first fiveeighth Quade Cooper to a calf injury in the warm-up, fullback Tom Banks with a broken forearm after a nasty fall 21 minutes in, and Swain to a red card for a headbutt just after the half hour mark.
● Fullback Damian Willemse kicked a pressure penalty after the hooter to secure South Africa a 32-29 victory over ill-disciplined Wales in a see-saw test at a raucous Loftus Versfeld.
The tourists took the world champions close but paid the price for their cynical play in their own 22 as they lost four players to yellow cards and conceded a penalty-try.
● France delivered a far from polished performance but found second-half solutions to beat Japan 42-23.
France, ranked second in the world and hosting next year’s World Cup, are touring Japan without many regulars rested after their Six Nations success and they were held in check by a spirited Japan in the first half at the Toyota Stadium.
But the French broke the shackles and imposed themselves in second half to outscore their hosts five tries to two.
● Israel Folau’s return to international rugby lasted only half an hour as his Tonga team were thrashed 36-0 by a clinical Fiji in their Pacific Nations Cup opener in Suva on Saturday.
The former Wallabies outside back was playing his first test since he was sacked by Rugby Australia in 2019 for social media posts considered homophobic.
The 33-year-old got just one touch of the ball before limping off with his team already 19-0 down in front of a crowd of just under 15,000 at Fiji’s National Stadium.
Benefiting from a rule change that makes it easier to switch allegiance, the visitors also fielded former All Black backs Malakai Fekitoa and Charles Piutau but they saw little ball as the Fiji pack controlled possession.
● Argentina celebrated their first home rugby test in 1057 days with a win after Scotland were beaten 26-18 at Estadio 23 de Agosto.
The Pumas tore up the first half to lead 18-6 but Scotland tied the score in the third quarter but the Pumas responded with style.