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:
Wales team news
Wales have suffered a major injury blow with Aaron Wainwright — one of their best in Sydney and throughout the Six Nations — ruled out. Taine Plumtree moves to number eight with James Botham brought in on the flank, while there are changes in the back three, too: Liam Williams slides out to the wing and Cameron Winnett is at full-back.
Wales XV: 1 Gareth Thomas, 2 Dewi Lake (capt.), 3 Archie Griffin; 4 Christ Tshiunza, 5 Dafydd Jenkins; 6 James Botham, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Taine Plumtree; 9 Ellis Bevan, 10 Ben Thomas; 11 Rio Dyer, 12 Mason Grady, 13 Owen Watkin, 14 Liam Williams; 15 Cameron Winnett.
Replacements: 16 Evan Lloyd, 17 Kemsley Mathias, 18 Harri O’Connor, 19 Cory Hill, 20 Mackenzie Martin; 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Sam Costelow, 23 Nick Tompkins.
Australia team news
Veteran prop James Slipper skippers the Wallabies with Liam Wright, captain last week, unavailable due to a shoulder injury. Charlie Cale starts at number eight as Rob Valetini moves to the blindside in the only alteration to the starting team. Hooker Josh Nasser is a new face among the replacements, though, and should get a debut off the bench.
Australia XV: 1 James Slipper (capt.), 2 Matt Faessler, 3 Taniela Tupou; 4 Jeremy Williams, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto; 6 Rob Valetini, 7 Fraser McReight, 8 Charlie Cale; 9 Jake Gordon, 10 Noah Lolesio; 11 Filipo Daugunu, 12 Hunter Paisami, 13 Josh Flook, 14 Andrew Kellaway; 15 Tom Wright.
Replacements: 16 Josh Nasser, 17 Isaac Kailea, 18 Allan Alaalatoa, 19 Angus Blyth, 20 Langi Gleeson, 21 Nic White, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Dylan Pietsch.
Australia vs Wales talking points: Can a Botham inspire victory in Melbourne again?
James Botham will hope to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather – cricket great Sir Ian Botham – when he features at AAMI Park. It was 38 years ago, barely a five-minute walk away, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground that Sir Ian played a major role in England retaining the Ashes. The 1986 Boxing Day Test saw him take five first-innings wickets as Australia collapsed to 141 all out, and England went on to win by an innings inside three days, giving them a 2-0 series lead with one game left. James will certainly not lack any inspiration, and maybe it will turn out to be another memorable Botham family day.
The key talking points ahead of the second Test between Australia and Wales
Wales have not won a Test match since the 2023 World Cup.
Australia vs Wales talking points: Visitors’ pack light on experience
Australia captain James Slipper has 135 Test caps – 23 more than the entire Wales pack on Saturday. Their combined total is just 112, including only 35 in the back-row where a reshuffled unit sees Taine Plumtree switched to number eight instead of Wainwright and James Botham starting at blindside flanker. Wales encountered problems at scrum and lineout time during the first Test, which are two areas that will require considerable improvement if they are to have any chance of avoiding a 2-0 series defeat. Australia’s forwards are not the most fearsome in world rugby, and Wales must at least gain parity up-front.
Australia vs Wales talking points: Aaron Wainwright injury a major blow
Amid Wales’ prolonged struggle, number eight Wainwright has shone like a beacon through one outstanding display after another. He marked his 50th cap in Sydney last weekend by producing a performance that put him head and shoulder above any of his team-mates – then it all went wrong. Wainwright suffered a hamstring injury during the closing minutes, ruling him out of the tour remainder and potentially serious enough to mean several weeks’ sidelined. There can be little doubt that when it rains, it pours for Wales at the moment. Losing Wainwright is a setback from which they might not recover from.
It is ‘non-negotiable’ that Wales win second Test in Australia – Owen Watkin
Owen Watkin says it is “non-negotiable” that Wales win Saturday’s second Test against Australia in Melbourne.
Wales face the Wallabies for a second time in eight days, having lost 25-16 last weekend.
That defeat was Wales’ eighth on the bounce and they have not won a Test match since beating 2023 World Cup pool-stage opponents Georgia.
Another defeat against Australia would leave Wales one short of their worst Test run, which was a 10-game sequence in 2002 and 2003 under New Zealander Steve Hansen.
It is ‘non-negotiable’ that Wales win second Test in Australia – Owen Watkin
Wales are aiming to bounce back from their Sydney defeat in the second Test.
Warren Gatland says Wales have got to stay ‘in the arm-wrestle’ amid losing run
Wales will meet Australia in Melbourne after slumping to an all-time world ranking low and facing a possible ninth consecutive Test defeat.
A 25-16 first Test loss in Sydney meant that Wales dropped to 11th place – they have been overtaken by Fiji – only five years after briefly being ranked world number one.
It is the first time since World Rugby launched its rankings in 2003 that Wales have fallen outside the top 10.
Warren Gatland says Wales have got to stay ‘in the arm-wrestle’ amid losing run
Wales have not won a Test since beating World Cup rivals Georgia last year.
Australia vs Wales key details
When is Australia vs Wales?
The second Test is due to kick off at 10.45am BST on Saturday 13 July at AAMI Park in Melbourne.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Action, with coverage on the channel from 10.30am BST. Subscribers can stream the action via Sky Go.
Is Australia v Wales on TV? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch second Test
Everything you need to know ahead of the second Test
Australia vs Wales
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the second Test between Australia and Wales in Melbourne.
The Wallabies made an excellent start to life under new head coach Joe Schmidt in Sydney last week, finding their stride to secure victory and take a 1-0 lead in this two-match series.
Defeat for Wales, meanwhile, kept an eight-match winless run going for Warren Gatland’s side as they continue to seek direction amid a significant rebuild under the New Zealander.
Kick off at AAMI Park is at 10.45am BST.
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