Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

Priestland penalty snatches last-gasp win for Wales over 14-man Australia

By PA
PA

Wales recorded a third successive victory over Australia as they ended their Autumn Nations Series campaign by beating the 14-man Wallabies 29-28 in dramatic fashion.

ADVERTISEMENT

Substitute Rhys Priestland’s penalty with the final kick of a frantic game thwarted Australia and sent a 68,000 Principality Stadium crowd wild.

Australia number eight Rob Valetini was sent off after just 15 minutes for a dangerous tackle on Wales lock Adam Beard.

Video Spacer

Guess the Olympic Gold medal hero | Sam Quek | England Rugby

Video Spacer

Guess the Olympic Gold medal hero | Sam Quek | England Rugby

Beard played no further part in the game as a result, but Wales were pushed to the wire and outscored 3-2 on tries by a resilient Wallabies outfit.

Hooker Ryan Elias and centre Nick Tompkins scored tries for Wales, yet it was fly-half Dan Biggar’s goalkicking that proved the difference, as he amassed 16 points through four penalties and two conversions, until Priestland struck.

Australia, desperate for a win following losses to Scotland and England, made Wales fight every inch of the way despite the numerical disadvantage, as wings Andrew Kellaway and Filipo Daugunu touched down, with scrum-half Nic White also scoring.

Wales v Australia - Autumn International - Principality Stadium

ADVERTISEMENT

James O’Connor booted two penalties and two conversions, yet his conversion attempt of Daugunu’s late score hit the post, and Wales could breathe a huge sigh of relief, despite Kurtley Beale’s 78th-minute penalty.

Wales centre Uilisi Halaholo featured for a first start of the autumn campaign, while wing Josh Adams, prop Tomas Francis and number eight Aaron Wainwright all recovered from injuries.

But the Wallabies were without 118 times-capped skipper Michael Hooper because of a foot injury, so prop James Slipper led the side.

Australia made a dream start, going ahead after just three minutes as they scored a try from their first attack.

ADVERTISEMENT

Powerful prop Taniela Tupou charged into space and put Wales on the back foot, before centre Hunter Paisami’s cleverly-placed kick allowed wing Kellaway a simple finish, and O’Connor converted.

Wales v Australia - Autumn International - Principality Stadium

Biggar opened Wales’ account through a fifth-minute penalty, yet Tupou continued to make his presence felt by having an instant dominant impact in the scrums.

The Wallabies then suffered a huge blow when Valetini was sent off.

His head-on-head high challenge floored Beard, who went off, and referee Mike Adamson had no option but to brandish a red card.

Ben Carter went on for Beard, and Australia were left to play more than a hour with 14 men, although the Wallabies led 10-6 after Biggar and O’Connor exchanged penalties.

It was the sixth time in 12 Tests this year that Wales had seen a player sent off against them.

Australia’s woes continued when Beale received a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on, giving Wales a temporary two-man advantage.

And they immediately punished Australia when scrum-half Tomos Williams broke from a lineout and sent Elias over for a try that Biggar converted.

O’Connor put Australia level through his second penalty, but Wales held the upper hand as half-time approached and Biggar completed a penalty hat-trick that made it 16-13 at the break.

Wales extended their lead eight minutes into the second half as Tompkins interrupted an Australian move when the ball bounced off him, and he gathered possession to sprint away unopposed.

Biggar kicked the conversion, yet Wales were then forced into a change when wing Louis Rees-Zammit limped off and was replaced by Johnny McNicholl.

Australia continued to push hard in the game, but Wales appeared to hold all the aces midway through the third quarter, despite seeing substitute Gareth Thomas sin-binned for a reckless challenge.

It was poor discipline by the Ospreys forward, and offered Australia a glimmer of hope at a time in the game when Wales should have been looking to press the accelerator.

And the Wallabies struck on the hour-mark when White finished off a sweeping move, and O’Connor’s conversion cut the deficit to just three points.

Biggar, though, restored a degree of order by booting a 64th-minute penalty, and Wales led 26-20 before late drama unfolded, Australia briefly led, then Priestland grabbed the glory.

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

j
john 19 minutes ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

13 Go to comments
A
Adrian 2 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

13 Go to comments
T
Trevor 5 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
B
Bull Shark 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
FEATURE
FEATURE Luke Cowan-Dickie: 'I didn’t feel right. I felt like I was going to pass out. Everything was going black in front of me' Luke Cowan-Dickie: 'I didn’t feel right. I felt like I was going to pass out. Everything was going black in front of me'
Search