Lucky No. 14 as Welsh see off Aussies
Wales ended their long losing run against Australia at the 14th attempt as substitute Dan Biggar’s late penalty gave them victory in Cardiff.
With three changes from the side that beat Scotland last weekend, head coach Warren Gatland handed starts to wing Josh Adams, prop Tomas Francis and lock Adam Beard, while British and Irish Lions backs Biggar and Liamwilliams featured among a strong replacements’ bench.
The opening 10 minutes saw both sides probing for an attacking opportunity, with Wales fly-half Gareth Anscombe making a brilliant cover tackle on Wallabies centre Samu Kerevi before Anscombe’s clever attacking kick into space only narrowly failed to find a sprinting Adams.
Centre Jonathan Davies also tested Australia defensively before Wales missed a chance to go ahead when Leigh Halfpenny uncharacteristically drifted a shortrange penalty chance wide.
It was a let-off for the Wallabies, but Wales then gained a second penalty, and Halfpenny this time made no mistake, opening the scoring after 22 minutes.
Neither side could get a consistent upper hand, but Australia drew level seven minutes before the break when fly-half Bernard Foley kicked a 40-metre penalty after Wales flanker Dan Lydiate drifted offside.
Referee Ben O’keeffe, though, completely missed a high arm-led challenge by Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones on Foley just before the penalty award, although it could yet attract further scrutiny.
Halfpenny then missed another sitter, putting the ball wide from in front of the posts and a scrappy first half ended 3-3.
Australia then sacrificed a kickable penalty just 20 metres out, kicking for touch and an attacking lineout instead, but they knocked on possession and wasted the chance as Wales regrouped to clear danger.
But the Wallabies were growing in confidence, with Israel Folau starting to roam dangerously off his wing, and Wales required a lengthy Davies clearance to gain a foothold back in Australian territory as further substitutions saw runs for scrum-half Tomoswilliams and prop Rob Evans.
And approaching the final quarter of a dour encounter, it remained all-square and crying out for a flash of inspiration.
Then came the late drama, though, and Biggar appeared off the bench to nudge Wales back in front after Toomua’s equalising strike two minutes earlier.