Wales vs Australia LIVE rugby: Latest updates as hosts rally from 19 points down after ‘ugly’ start
Warren Gatland’s hosts are hoping to avoid an 11th successive defeat
Wales must avoid defeat against Australia to spare themselves from their worst losing run in history with Warren Gatland’s side still searching for a first win of 2024.
Gatland has faced calls to quit from a number of his former players as scrutiny grows on his coaching of a young side that looked short of confidence and calm against Fiji. While the New Zealander would appear to retain the backing of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), the prospect of a winless year is a real one with only South Africa to come after this fixture
The Wallabies secured a 2-0 series victory when these two met on Australian soil in July and are bouncing in to Cardiff on the back of a helter-skelter win against England in their Autumn Nations Series opener. Joe Schmidt is a familiar foe of Gatland’s from his time with Ireland and has freshened up his side as he looks to prolong the pain for his old rival.
Follow all of the latest from the Principality Stadium in our live blog below:
TRY! Wales 13-26 Australia (Faessler)
47 mins: Australia go back to the playback and score the same try from the lineout as they did in the first half, as Matt Faessler joins the maul and bundles over to halt Wales’ momentum.
Noah Lolesio stretches their lead to 13 points - but Samu Kerevi is off! It’s a red card for Australia after the TMO bunker review.
Wales 13-19 Australia
47 mins; Wales have not been able to get anything going against the 14-men of Australia. Now there’s another TMO review as Ellis Bevan flies into the ruck off the ball, with contact around the chin. Bevan had his arms low, and seems to get away with it with only a penalty awarded.
Australia have the ball back in the corner.
Wales 13-19 Australia
45 mins: There’s another lovely take from the impressive Tom Rogers, but Wales concede another penalty in the breakdown as they looked to advance from halfway. The gold shirts advance to the corner.
Wales 13-19 Australia
42 mins: Australia are down for 14 for now and it would not be a surprise if that remained the case for until the 80. Wales look to build some momentum but concede the penalty for not releasing, inside the 22’.
YELLOW CARD! Wales 13-19 Australia
42 mins: Samu Kerevi could be in trouble here. He crunches into Jac Morgan . There’s shoulder on shoulder, but is there head on head there too? The verdict is yellow, but the bunker review is underway.
Wales 13-19 Australia
41 mins: We’re back underway in Cardiff. Can the Wales fightback continue? Australia have made a half-time change with James Slipper replacing Angus Bell in the front row.
HALF TIME! Wales 13-19 Australia
Australia made 89 carries to Wales’ 52 in the first half, with the hosts making 115 tackles to the Wallabies’ 69. Most of them would have been in the first 20 minutes, as the visitors racked up three tries, but they deserve some praise after responding well to stay in the game.
“Wales deserve credit for the second 20 minutes,” says Dan Biggar on TNT Sports. “You go 19 points down after losing 10 matches. They deserve credit for fighting their way back into the game.”
“In the first 20 Australia dominated physically,” says Sam Warburton. “The second 20 minutes, in making some carries, Wales were so much better.”
HALF TIME! Wales 13-19 Australia
Australia threatened before half-time, with the phases building again. But it’s not going as smoothly for the Wallabies now. Nic White concedes the penalty and Wales get in only six points down, which they would have snapped your hand off after falling 19-0 down.
Wales 13-19 Australia
35 mins: Wales are a different team, driven on by Tom Rogers on the wing. A sharp kick through the middle towards Murray is mopped up by Jorgensen for Australia, with Wright then booting clear.
PENALTY! Wales 13-19 Australia
31 mins: And another. Wales had the penalty advantage when Frost is caught offside, with the Wallabies losing some of their discipline towards the end of the half. Anscombe scores from inside halfway to get Wales within six.
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