Wales vs Australia LIVE rugby: Latest updates as hosts trail 14-man Wallabies while record defeat looms
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:
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.
PENALTY! Wales 10-19 Australia
Suddenly Wales have trimmed the score. Angus Bell is penalised for a tackle and Anscombe nails the penalty to bring Wales back within nine points.
TRY! Wales 7-19 Australia (Wainwright)
24 mins: How Wales needed this! From the scrum, Wales draw the penalty and their attack clicks into life. Anscombe finds Murray on the wing and Wales pile the big bodies forward before Aaron Wainwright squeezes through a gap in front of the posts.
Anscombe adds the conversion and Wales will hope that sparks them into life.
TRY! Wales 0-19 Australia (Faessler)
22 mins: Oh dear. This is getting bad for the hosts. Australia go for the maul and the hooker Matt Faessler comes from taking the lineout to powering over the line.
“This could get ugly for Wales, uglier than it already is,” warns Jamie Roberts.
Noah Lolesio adds the two points. Three tries for Australia inside 10 minutes. They’ve been clinical.
Wales 0-12 Australia
20 mins: More trouble brewing for Wales as the Wallabies win a penalty and Lolesio chips the ball into the corner.
Wright is threatening again, with Australia moving the ball so quickly in attack. Bevan is offside so Australia will have the chance to go again.
TRY! Wales 0-12 Australia (Frost)
16 mins: And another! The giant Nick Frost stretches his legs on the breakaway for an easy score. Wales fell apart after the turnover.
There’s a clever offload from Max Jorgensen to set the move on its way. Once Frost saw the gap, there was no slowing him down.
The towering lock thundered from halfway and this time Lolesio adds the two points.
TRY! Wales 0-5 Australia (Wright 14’)
14 mins: There it is! The Wallabies had been building nicely and that’s a lovely score from Tom Wright, as the Wallabies veered to the right wing. The full-back fakes a pass to his outside with Australia building the numerical advantage. Wright slips away from Aaron Wainwright and scores from the corner.
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