Australia 15
Wales 6
Bernard Foley's five penalties were enough for the Wallabies to see off a considerable Welsh challenge at Twickenham this evening, leaving the Aussie's top of Pool A with a quarter-final against Scotland to look forward to.
It wasn't the tryfest we had witnessed earlier in the day, but it was a pulsating second half contest with three yellow cards dished out and Australia down to 13 men for a substantial period of the second half.
Wales took the initiative early on and won a penalty for Dan Biggar to convert in the 5th minute. It was an error strewn first half and both sides gave away needless penalties as they struggled to gain attacking momentum.
Foley got the Wallabies off the mark with a penalty in the 25th minute, before adding another in the 31st. The two fly-halves then exchanged further penalties before going in for the break, with the score 9-6 in favour of the Southern Hemisphere side.
The game will be remembered best for an incredible defensive effort from Australia when they went down to 13 men going into the final quarter, as they survived an all out assault on their line.
Will Genia and Dean Mumm could only watch on from the bin as it looked like Wales would get over for that crucial try with the score at 11-6. Wales did get over the line but three times they were to be denied.
The incredible phase of play began in the 57th minute when Will Genia saw yellow for a cynical tackle on Gareth Davies who tried a quick tap and go. With Genia in the bin, Biggar turned down the three to put it in the corner.
Multiple infringements from the Wallabies heaped further pressure on them and it told as Toby Faletau managed to ground the ball on the whitewash after relentless Welsh pressure, but he agonisingly knocked on as he reached out for the line.
It went back for another penalty which Biggar put in the corner and from the resulting lineout Mumm was sent to the line for tackling Alun Wyn Jones in the air.
Wales took the scrum option but lost ground when they decided to go wide with Israel Folau almost intercepting, but eventually they found an overlap to send George North racing free down the right wing but a magnificent covering tackle from Ben McCalman managed to hold up the giant wing.
They continued to lay siege on the Wallabies line but heroic defending denied a Welsh try, with Liam Williams being held up as pumped the legs. It was another scrum 5m out but Australia were back to 14 men. A massive tackle from Adam Ashley-Cooper then brought a turnover under the Wallabies posts, before they won another penalty inside the Welsh half.
Foley slotted his fifth penalty of the day in the 73rd minute and Australia returned to their full compliment, and it proved to be too much for Wales as the Wallabies comfortably saw them game out, with Alex Cuthebert getting binned with five minutes remaining for a deliberate knock-on. Foley missed the ensuing penalty but it mattered little in the end.
Wales never got out of their own half after this as Australia were happy to claim a 15-6 victory to see them top of Pool A.
Full match Highlights:
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