Pivac's Wales future in severe doubt after stunning Australia comeback
Wayne Pivac’s future as Wales head coach was left hanging by a thread after Australia staged a stunning fightback to win an Autumn Nations Series thriller 39-34 in Cardiff.
Seven days after a humiliating home defeat against Georgia, Wales were cruising to victory with a 34-13 lead after 58 minutes.
But the injury-hit Wallabies somehow turned things around, scoring 26 unanswered points during the final 22 minutes as Wales captain Justin Tipuric and substitute hooker Ryan Elias were yellow-carded seven minutes apart.
Flanker Jac Morgan scored two tries for Wales, while there were also touchdowns for number eight Taulupe Faletau and wing Rio Dyer, with fly-half Gareth Anscombe adding four conversions and two penalties.
But Australia, who were without the likes of key players Michael Hooper, Nic White and Taniela Tupou, delivered tries for hooker Folua Fainga’a and wing Mark Nawaqanitawase, before the winger added a second touchdown, while they also gained a penalty try before Lachlan Lonergan’s 79th-minute try sealed the comeback.
Fly-half Ben Donaldson kicked a conversion and two penalties, while Noah Lolesio booted two late conversions to leave Wales crestfallen.
Whether Pivac remains in charge heading into this season’s Six Nations Championship now looks unlikely, with Wales’ woes continuing just 10 months before the World Cup in France.
Pivac handed a Test debut to Ospreys centre Joe Hawkins, while world record cap holder Alun Wyn Jones made his first Wales start since March.
But a late injury blow saw full-back Leigh Halfpenny ruled out after he suffered a back spasm during the warm-up, so wing Josh Adams was promoted off the bench and handed the number 15 shirt.
Wales made a poor start, with lock Adam Beard dropping the kick-off, Australia dominating an ensuing scrum and Donaldson booting his team ahead through a third-minute penalty.
But the home side hit back impressively, as scrum-half Tomos Williams linked well with Jones, whose one-handed pass found Morgan, and he powered over for his third try in two Tests.
Anscombe converted, before Williams went off for a head injury assessment and was replaced by Kieran Hardy.
Donaldson and Anscombe exchanged penalties as Wales led 10-6 after the opening quarter, and there was an impressive momentum about Pivac’s team.
Australia then fell further behind following a slick handling move that ended in Faletau crossing wide out after he collected wing Dyer’s scoring pass.
Anscombe converted and added another penalty, putting Australia firmly behind the eight-ball as they trailed by 14 points midway through the second quarter.
Australia needed a response before the interval, and it arrived through a 33rd-minute try for Fainga’a after the Wallabies executed an impressive lineout drive.
Donaldson converted, but Australia had scrum-half Jake Gordon yellow-carded for deliberate offside following a sharp Dyer break.
Wales could not make them pay, though, with Hardy being held up over the line, and Australia trailed 20-13 at half-time.
Australia then briefly went down to 13 men when replacement prop Tom Robertson, who was on for Wallabies skipper James Slipper, received a yellow card following a scrummaging infringement.
And Wales made it count, driving a lineout at relentless pace, with Morgan claiming his second try and Anscombe’s conversion restoring a 14-point advantage.
Australia could not handle a rampant Welsh pack, and Dyer scored Wales’ fourth try, with Anscombe converting before he went off after suffering a nasty-looking shoulder injury.
But the game was turned on its head during a scarcely believable final quarter, with Nawaqanitawase’s second try prompting a Welsh collapse as Tipuric was sin-binned for a trip and Elias followed after he collapsed a maul that led to the penalty try.
And there was still time for Lonergan to win a game that was probably Pivac’s 34th and final Test in charge of Wales.
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments