FUNEREAL ATMOSPHERE

WHEN WalesOnline hosted a brilliant live debate on Thursday evening, openside legend Martyn Williams voiced concern that what he had seen from the regions so far this season would not adequately prepare Wales players for the step up against the Wallabies.

You suspected he was making a shrewd point because he knows a thing or two about the game, but two nights out from kick-off it was all heady optimism, fingers crossed and all that.

Well, Martyn’s home to roost.

Whether Pro12 matches and Challenge Cup rugby against second-string English and French sides is solely to blame is a contentious issue.

But Martyn reckoned the Scarlets’ Champions Cup games were the only ones worth their salt in terms of a stepping stone to the Test game.

You suspect Martyn’s point is part of the problem rather than the whole problem.

But Wales, 10 of their starting line-up being Pro12 players, were a mile off the pace yet again. analysis came WHAT we saw on the pitch from the hosts and the dreadfully flat atmosphere at the Principality Stadium were, of course, inextricably linked.

But, nevertheless, the reputation of the Cardiff arena as an intimidat- ing citadel took a dent here.

There were 55,776 people in the ground and as Wales were run ragged in the first hour of the game there was a sense of disbelief coursing around the stadium.

It was a reminder that Wales must continue to deliver on the pitch if they want punters to continue coming through the turnstiles in numbers.

Home fans definitely didn’t get value for money. THE demise of the previously iron Welsh defence has been a depressing footnote to 2016.

It was an issue in the Six Nations and on the New Zealand tour and it was an issue yet again here.

Wales missed 11 tackles in the first half alone and, dare we say it, some of them didn’t look like they fancied it at times.

It’s unfathomable how a team can simply become so brittle and porous.

Australia cut them to ribbons, most of their tries seeing runners cross the whitewash unmolested.

At present, Wales don’t create a lot going forward and concede too much while defending.

Not a great combination. THERE are bound to be claims that Warren Gatland’s Lions absence is to blame for this defeat, but they are wide of the mark.

Frankly, if his departure alone triggers this sort of decline then it doesn’t say a lot about the players.

Rob Howley will be in the firing line, but he won the Six Nations title in 2013 and I don’t believe for a minute this team wasn’t well prepared for this game.

If you want to blame anyone, blame the players.

Their final quarter revival was way too little, too late. If they want to up things then the time to do it is when they still have a chance to win.