Match Review: Australia vs Wales

Wales coach Warren Gatland calls the Australia’s defence of their goal-line, when reduced to 13 players, “heroic” while Wallaby coach Michael Cheika speaks of his pride at his players’ “resilience and intent to do what they did” under the most severe pressure.

There have many displays of creative skill and flair and a host of wonderful tries in Australia’s Test history, but the courage displayed by the Wallabies in defence when under the most intense pressure of their rugby lives, was the stuff of legend. Holding out with 13 men against the onslaught of a Wales team throwing everything they had at crossing the goal-line was extraordinary.

A few things we learned from the Wallaby performance:

*     There is nothing remotely soft about this group of players. To knock them out of the play-offs, their opponents will have to beat them for skill because they will not come second in terms of courage or resilience.

*     The leadership of them team is admirable. When Stephen Moore was subbed and David Pocock replaced through injury, and with Michael Hooper suspended, Adam Ashley-Cooper took over as captain with aplomb.

*     Confirmed: Bringing back Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell from Test exile in France was a masterstroke. Their experience and skill has been a real asset.

*     Confirmed: These Wallabies can scrum.

*     In Sean MacMahon the Wallabies have a fourth brilliant loose forward as back-up to Pocock, Hooper, and Scott Fardy.

*     Any doubts about Bernard Foley being the first-choice flyhalf have been settled. He’s been tested under top-level pressure of time and space and big-match temperament and has performed superbly as flyhalf and as goal-kicker.

*     Their defence of the lineout driving maul is more effective than most teams, even with a forward off the field.

*     Israel Folau appears too tentative at times under the high ball.

*     Stephen Moore conceding an extra 10 metres at a penalty and making Dan Biggar’s long-range goal-kick appreciably easier, was unworthy of so experienced a player.

By beating Wales, the Wallabies have the least formidable quarter-final opponents, Scotland, instead of the Springboks whom Wales now face. The 13 Wallabies defensive heroism may prove to have been a decisive period in the World Cup.