Wallabies Lose to Wales in Second Rugby World Cup Match

Despite the huge possession and territory advantage, Australia suffered a loss at the hands of a determined Wales outfit.

The 2019 Rugby World Cup continues to produce unpredictable results for both players and fans alike. With their long overdue win against Australia at a Rugby World Cup, Wales have toppled the Wallabies 29-25, a feat not achieved since 1987.

The result has given Wales a clear lead in Pool D, while the Wallabies should win their remaining two matches which should see them place second in their pool and moving into the quarter finals. Georgia and Uruguay are likely to fall further behind in their remaining two matches which are against the tougher teams in their pool.

With two rounds remaining in the pool stages, England are pulling away and likely to secure top place in their pool. This means the Wallabies are likely to face England in their first knockout match which will promise to be a very tough match for both sides. Upsets such as Japan beating Ireland last weekend and Uruguay beating Fiji also in their own game are always possible at a Rugby World Cup which could ultimately change everything.

Wales executed their game plan flawlessly with Hadleigh Parkes’ try in the 12th minute off an inch-perfect kick while playing a penalty advantage. Wales made Australia pay for an untidy start to the game.

As always, there will be a side that keeps on hammering just like the Australian coach incensed by scrum penalties that he claimed were against his team. Unfortunately, calls can go either way and it is how we have come to understand and accept how the modern game works. A significant number of key calls during the game were open to interpretation such as Samu Kerevi’s impact with a Wales player that he was penalised for. The referee also penalised a Wales player later on in the match for the same practice.

Kerevi's reflections on the impact penatly: "The way that rugby is going, I might as well join the NRL (National Rugby League) next seeing as how they (the referees) police it. Look, it's a hard decision for the referees. I obviously understand that. I guess I got to change the technique, the way I run. It's hard when you slow it down to one-tenth of a second. It looks like I'm going for his neck, but there's no malice in it."

Even though Wales were dominant from the start, the Wallabies hung in there and kept fighting till the end in the same fashion they did against Fiji. Remaining pool rivals will have to keep their wits about them owing to the compelling way the Wallabies are able to turn a game in a very short space. When the backs were able to get some clean ball their offensive patterns were brilliant, with Kerevi’s barnstorming runs laying a great foundation for his outside backs. Matt To'omua came on to replace Bernard Foley 4 minutes into the second half after an early spill. To'omua is chomping at the bit to get a start at either 10 or 12 and he's a very capable player.

On being asked if he thought he should get a start, Matt To'omua said, "I am probably the wrong guy to ask. Everyone wants to start but in saying that I got 35-odd minutes off the bench today and I'm glad I'm getting more and more and more. I'll keep doing what I can to push for a starting job but if it means impact off the bench then I'll do what I can there as well."

At the half time break, Wales had run out to a massive fifteen-point lead. Talismanic skipper Alun Wyn Jones led his troops during his 130th cap for Wales, the most capped player in Scottish rugby history. He showed immense experience and courage, wading out the storm in perhaps what were the most crucial ten-minutes of the match.

Wales were victorious, but Australia had the upper hand on more than one occasion. Unfortunately, they couldn't capitalize on their opportunities letting the game slip away from under their feet.

While a starting position would be preferred, To'omua has had the luxury of being able to watch the match from the sidelines and analyse what needs to happen.

"There's a blueprint in that second half how we want to play going forward. I guess the frustrating thing is we probably said that last week. We need to make that happen. A slow start again, we need to take those lessons. It's kind of the little bit the same as last week in a way, bit of indiscipline, bit of a slow start and we're playing catch up - and for some reason we probably play our best footy when we are playing catch up. So, we need to somehow consolidate that first 40, 50 minutes and that's the springboard."

It was an essential victory for the Welsh and on the other hand, it was a confidence-shattering defeat for the Wallabies.

Rugby defense has become more complicated and structured with time. A clever counter measure to add to your arsenal is the ability to utilise a smart kicking game which could result in better scoring opportunities due to its often 50/50 result. It does come with high risk though.

Wales provided the perfect example of dominating the early 12 minutes of the game and clearly focused on grabbing the lead early including a surprise drop goal by Dan Biggar in the first 35 seconds.

The 10-point substantial lead that Wales put on the Wallabies gained within the first 13 minutes laid the footprint for the remainder of the match and the rather unlucky defeat of Australia. Smart kicking from Biggar and a positive mindset of the Welshmen had paved the way for this historical win.

Skipper Alun Wyn Jones on their win: "I’m pretty happy with the character we showed, particularly in the second half. At times it did feel a bit like the Georgia game where we had a great first half but were a bit tentative in the second half. We’ll have a look at that, but pleased with the result."

The Wallabies next take on Uruguay this Saturday at 3.15pm AEST.