Australia v Wales LIVE rugby: Latest result and reaction as Wallabies claim 2-0 series win
Wales could not hit back Melbourne, falling to the Wallabies for a second successive week
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Wales’s search for a first win of 2024 continues after Warren Gatland’s tourists slipped to a 36-28 defeat against Australia in Melbourne.
Wales bounced back on countless occasions, but made too many key mistakes, as Filipo Daugunu scored two tries as the visitors’ suffered a ninth successive Test defeat, their worst run since 2013.
Daugunu scored the first try, before Jake Gordon extended their lead to 17-0. Wales fought back with two tries from Dewi Lake, and Liam Williams’ try took Wales to within one score of Australia, but they did not have enough to keep coming back into the clash.
A losing run stretching back to last year’s World Cup was extended last week in Sydney as the Wallabies began life under Joe Schmidt with victory in an encounter that would have encouraged two young sides.
Each has suffered a significant back row injury blow ahead of the second Test of this two-match series, with Schmidt forced to employ a new skipper in the absence of Liam Wright and Aaron Wainwright forced out with a shoulder problem for Wales.
Defeat last week plunged Gatland’s men to a new low of 11th in the world as pressure begins to build on the New Zealander, who has asked for patience as he rebuilds a side shorn of a number of senior leaders over the last 12 months. Can they finally find an elusive victory at AAMI Park?
Relive all of the action from Australia vs Wales below:
Australia 0-0 Wales
2 minutes: So far it has been a game of exchanging kicks, both sides haven’t really driven through the middle of the park yet.
Australia v Wales
The welcome to county and anthems are done and the match is about to get underway.
Australia v Wales
There has been a big push to attract fans to Rugby Union in Melbourne, where it is usually firmly behind AFL and Rugby League.
There has been a rock concert among others, and now a light show as the players make their way onto the field for the national anthems.
Australia v Wales
The pre-match show is still going on, but here are some photos of the players:
Australia v Wales
The match will kick off in around five minutes’ time as Wales look to bounce back after losing the first Test in Sydney.
Australia vs Wales
With one child set to make his rugby test debut for Australia on Saturday and another to debut in sevens at the Olympics, former Wallabies loose forward Brendan Nasser may be the country’s proudest sporting dad over the next fortnight.
Son Josh, a hooker for Super Rugby side Queensland Reds, was named on the bench for the Wallabies’ second test against Wales in Melbourne on Saturday and will hope to help the hosts complete a series sweep.
He follows in the footsteps of his dad, a hard-nosed flanker who played eight tests and was a member of the Wallabies squad that won the 1991 World Cup.
Josh’s younger sister Bella was selected for her first Olympics and could end up a gold medallist at Paris given the strength of the Australian women’s squad.
The siblings, who grew up playing backyard games of touch rugby in Brisbane, will play in front of heaving stadiums on opposite sides of the world.
Josh Nasser has played professionally for five years for the Brisbane-based Reds but has had to bide his time for a shot at test rugby due to a succession of injuries.
A solid season for the Reds and a Wallabies rebuild under new coach Joe Schmidt has now opened the door for the 25-year-old.
Schmidt said he liked Nasser’s background as a prop for Australia’s under-20 team.
“We’ve been really happy with the way he’s trained internally and he’s a very strong scrummager,” Schmidt told reporters on Thursday.
“Josh is an ex-prop so he’s moved into hooker there so he gives us a really strong scrum in the back half of the game.”
Australia vs Wales
There were some signs of promise from Wales’ new-look midfield last week. It is worth remembering that both Ben Thomas and Mason Grady are at least one spot out of position at 10 and 12 perspectively, but Warren Gatland has identified potential in each man at two problem spots within his squad. I’m sure Gatland will be hoping they grow together in those roles, but there is no guarantee that Cardiff utilise the pair in that axis next season with Callum Sheedy on his way to the Welsh capital, making this another crucial opportunity for the head coach to assess them in partnership.
Australia vs Wales
Charlie Cale began the Super Rugby Pacific season having made just four appearances at senior level, but has burst to prominence after an impressive campaign at the base of the Brumbies scrum. Tall and talented, Cale adds nice balance with his lineout prowess, offering both threat as an aerial poacher and solidity as a third target when the Wallabies throw. His long strides, meanwhile, mean he is a real handful in open spaces, marrying well with Rob Valetini’s ability to get across the gainline.
He’s obviously still got a way to go until he’s the finished article, but for an Australia side seeking building blocks as they embark on a new era, Cale looks like a player that Joe Schmidt might stick with.
Dewi Lake says morale not a problem for Wales despite eight-match losing streak
Wales captain Dewi Lake says that morale is not an issue as Wales strive to end one of the longest losing runs in their international rugby history.
Dewi Lake says morale not a problem for Wales despite eight-match losing streak
Warren Gatland’s side have not won since beating 2023 World Cup opponents Georgia.
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