• Home
  • Forum
  • Super Rugby
    • ACT Brumbies
    • Melbourne Rebels
    • NSW Waratahs
    • Queensland Reds
    • Western Force
  • Wallabies
    • All Blacks
    • Argentina
    • Barbarians
    • British & Irish Lions
    • England
    • Fiji
    • France
    • Ireland
    • Italy
    • Japan
    • Samoa
    • Scotland
    • Wales
  • Women’s Rugby
  • Rugby World Cup
    • 2023 Rugby World Cup Fantasy League
  • Sevens
  • Schoolboy
  • Podcast

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

What's Hot

The Chewsday Chew – ‘they are just not loveable anymore’

October 3, 2023

Game Review: Australia v Portugal – Pool C – Sunday 1 October

October 2, 2023

Rank Your Top 5 Players – Australia v Portugal – Pool C

October 2, 2023
Facebook Instagram YouTube X (Twitter)
Green & Gold Rugby
Facebook Instagram YouTube X (Twitter)
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Super Rugby
    1. ACT Brumbies
    2. Melbourne Rebels
    3. NSW Waratahs
    4. Queensland Reds
    5. Western Force
    6. View All

    Friday’s Rugby News – 23/6/23

    June 22, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 12/6/23

    June 11, 2023

    Friday’s Rugby News – 9/6/23

    June 9, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 5/6/23

    June 4, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 5/6/23

    June 4, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 29/5/23

    May 28, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 15/5/23

    May 14, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 8/5/23

    May 7, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 5/6/23

    June 4, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 29/5/23

    May 28, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 15/5/23

    May 14, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 8/5/23

    May 7, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 5/6/23

    June 4, 2023

    Thursdays Rugby News 1/6/23

    June 1, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 29/5/23

    May 28, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 15/5/23

    May 14, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 5/6/23

    June 4, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 29/5/23

    May 28, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 15/5/23

    May 14, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 8/5/23

    May 7, 2023

    Happy’s Thursday Rugby News –Eddie Jones Is the Answer for Australian Rugby

    August 24, 2023

    Happy’s Thursday Rugby News – The Chocolate Wheel of Injustice

    August 17, 2023

    Thursday’s Rugby News – May the Force Be With Them

    August 10, 2023

    Happy Thursday – Its Not a Conspiracy If They Are Picking On You

    August 3, 2023
  • Wallabies
    1. All Blacks
    2. Argentina
    3. Barbarians
    4. British & Irish Lions
    5. England
    6. Fiji
    7. France
    8. Ireland
    9. Italy
    10. Japan
    11. Samoa
    12. Scotland
    13. Wales
    14. View All

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #9: David v Goliath

    September 18, 2023

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #8: Let’s Get ready to rumble!

    September 11, 2023

    Game Review: France v New Zealand – Pool A – Friday 8 September

    September 9, 2023

    Friday’s Rugby News: C’est l’heure.

    September 8, 2023

    Game Pre/Review: Argentina v Chile – Pool A – Saturday 30 September

    September 30, 2023

    Game Review: Argentina v Samoa – Pool D – Friday 22 September

    September 22, 2023

    Happy’s Thursday Rugby News – Week Two What Did We Learn

    September 21, 2023

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #8: Let’s Get ready to rumble!

    September 11, 2023

    Thursday’s Rugby News 25/5/23

    May 25, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 15/11/21

    November 15, 2021

    Monday’s Rugby News – 20/09/21

    September 20, 2021

    Five observations from the Barbarian match

    November 4, 2014

    Thursdays Rugby News 1/6/23

    June 1, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 13/3/23

    March 12, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 20/09/21

    September 20, 2021

    Thursdays Rugby News

    August 19, 2021

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #10: Did we just see the Final?

    September 25, 2023

    Happy’s Thursday Rugby News – Week Two What Did We Learn

    September 21, 2023

    Live Chat: England v Japan.

    September 18, 2023

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #9: David v Goliath

    September 18, 2023

    Game Review: Fiji v Georgia – Pool C – Saturday 30th September

    October 1, 2023

    Happy’s Thursday Rugby News – Week Two What Did We Learn

    September 21, 2023

    Eddie Has to Go!

    September 18, 2023

    Live Chat & Game Review: Fiji v Australia – Pool D – Sunday 8 October

    September 18, 2023

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #10: Did we just see the Final?

    September 25, 2023

    France v Namibia – Pool A – Thursday 21 September

    September 22, 2023

    Happy’s Thursday Rugby News – Week Two What Did We Learn

    September 21, 2023

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #9: David v Goliath

    September 18, 2023

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #10: Did we just see the Final?

    September 25, 2023

    South Africa v Ireland: Live Chat

    September 24, 2023

    Happy’s Thursday Rugby News – Week Two What Did We Learn

    September 21, 2023

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #9: David v Goliath

    September 18, 2023

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #10: Did we just see the Final?

    September 25, 2023

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #9: David v Goliath

    September 18, 2023

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #8: Let’s Get ready to rumble!

    September 11, 2023

    The Chewsday Chew

    April 10, 2023

    Game Pre/Review: Japan v Samoa – Pool D – Thursday 28 September

    September 28, 2023

    Live Chat: England v Japan.

    September 18, 2023

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #9: David v Goliath

    September 18, 2023

    Game Review: Japan v Chile – Pool D – Sunday 10 September

    September 10, 2023

    Game Pre/Review: Japan v Samoa – Pool D – Thursday 28 September

    September 28, 2023

    Game Review: Argentina v Samoa – Pool D – Friday 22 September

    September 22, 2023

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #9: David v Goliath

    September 18, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 18th July 2022

    July 17, 2022

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #10: Did we just see the Final?

    September 25, 2023

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #9: David v Goliath

    September 18, 2023

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #8: Let’s Get ready to rumble!

    September 11, 2023

    Live Chat: South Africa v Scotland

    September 11, 2023

    Hamish and Eddie: it’s time for both of you to go and write your books, now!

    September 25, 2023

    Wales v Australia: Just Beat It!

    September 25, 2023

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #10: Did we just see the Final?

    September 25, 2023

    Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #9: David v Goliath

    September 18, 2023

    The Chewsday Chew – ‘they are just not loveable anymore’

    October 3, 2023

    Friday’s Rugby News: Vote #1

    September 29, 2023

    Happy’s Thursday Rugby News – We Reap What We Sow

    September 28, 2023

    Hamish and Eddie: it’s time for both of you to go and write your books, now!

    September 25, 2023
  • Women’s Rugby

    Compare and contrast of AU and NZ women’s rugby

    September 7, 2023

    Friday’s Rugby News: The Gaul of it.

    August 25, 2023

    Kirby Sefo on Women’s Rugby

    August 24, 2023

    Yowie on the Loose: World Cup squads, coach-helpers and some catch-up for women’s rugby

    August 23, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 24/7/23

    July 23, 2023
  • Rugby World Cup
    1. 2023 Rugby World Cup Fantasy League
    2. View All

    The Chewsday Chew – ‘they are just not loveable anymore’

    October 3, 2023

    Game Review: Australia v Portugal – Pool C – Sunday 1 October

    October 2, 2023

    Rank Your Top 5 Players – Australia v Portugal – Pool C

    October 2, 2023

    Australia v Portugal: Live Chat

    October 2, 2023

    Game Review: Australia v Portugal – Pool C – Sunday 1 October

    October 2, 2023

    Rank Your Top 5 Players – Australia v Portugal – Pool C

    October 2, 2023

    Australia v Portugal: Live Chat

    October 2, 2023

    Game Review: Scotland v Romania – Pool B – Saturday 30 September

    October 1, 2023
  • Sevens

    Australia’s Iona College brave but beaten in Rugby Heritage Cup Final

    September 7, 2023

    Brisbane’s Iona College through to the world semi-finals of Rugby Heritage Cup

    September 6, 2023

    Happy Thursdays Rugby News 27/7/23

    July 27, 2023

    Thursday’s Rugby News 20/3/23

    April 20, 2023

    Monday’s Rugby News – 10/4/23

    April 9, 2023
  • Schoolboy Rugby

    Nudgee College win 44th QLD GPS Rugby Premiership

    September 14, 2023

    Thursday’s Rugby News 24/3/22

    March 23, 2022

    Rugbycology report -Super Rugby AU Round 6

    August 10, 2020

    It all starts with ambition: A schools rugby analysis piece

    August 4, 2019

    Australian Schools Championships – the tradition continues

    July 4, 2019
  • Podcast

    Happy’s Thursday Rugby News – We Reap What We Sow

    September 28, 2023

    The Dropped Kick-Off 98 – Caretakers Of A Jersey w Nutta

    September 27, 2023

    The Dropped Kick-Off 97 – Put it in H

    September 20, 2023

    The Dropped Kick-Off 96 – ‘First Gear’ Wallabies (RWC2023 Fiji Preview) with Hoss

    September 15, 2023

    The Dropped Kick-Off 95 – World Cup Bites (RWC2023 Week One) with Hoss

    September 13, 2023
Green & Gold Rugby
Home»Rugby»UPDATED – Wallabies v. Wales: Wallabies Win Ugly
Rugby

UPDATED – Wallabies v. Wales: Wallabies Win Ugly

Robert MatthewsBy Robert MatthewsDecember 2, 201249 Comments0 Views
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp VKontakte Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

The Wallabies have defeated Wales 14-12 in Cardiff, sending John Farnham skipper Nathan Sharpe out a winner.

Both sides had significant motivation to win. Wales, faced with the prospect of dropping out of the world top 8, needed a victory to ensure a favourable RWC 2015 draw. The Wallabies not only had major question marks around their form, but the motivation to get up in Sharpie’s final match.

It could and should have been an epic match, but the form of both sides heading into the clash suggested it would be a fight to the bottom — and so it was. Fought by two impatient, error-prone and kick-happy sides and punctuated often by referee Wayne Barnes’s whistle, it was hardly the best advertisement for rugby.

While the Wallabies got the win, every positive feeling is hollow.

First Half

The match opened to both sides chancing their arm with ball in hand, but being well defended against. Granted, this period of play only lasted until the fourth minute, but signs were good. Australia, having kicked off, largely kept play in the Welsh half with some good pressure.

Wayne Barnes soon gave hints as to the performance he’d display for the rest of the match. A pedant’s penalty was awarded to Australia 25 metres out and on a slight angle. (Berrick) Barnes’s dodgy groin meant that Kurtley Beale would be handling Wallaby shots at goal, and his first effort was one to forget — the relatively easy shot skewed left. 0-0.

From the restart, the sides traded aimless kicks in a game of aerial ping pong — each largely kicking to their opposite men. When Australia finally kept some ball in hand, we did little with it.

We weren’t, however, helped in our efforts by referee Barnes. Somewhat ironically (especially given the venue), Barnes erroneously called a pass forward when it, by all accounts, was back — ‘at least a metre back’ according to a biased Welsh mate of mine. In so doing, a promising Wallaby break started by Adam Ashley-Cooper was snuffed out.

This break the anomaly, the Wallabies backs and especially Beale were playing well behind the advantage line in attack in a pattern that was to continue for the bulk of the match. Though largely bereft of creativity in their efforts, anything novel that was attempted failed to trouble the Welsh defence . It was telegraphed early and easily read in advance by the solid wall of red.

In the twelfth minute and off an attacking lineout, the Wallabies mauled toward the line to good effect. As the maul broke down, Phipps spun the ball to… Mitchell. One out from the maul, it was handed to a winger lacking both support and ankle ligaments, and possession was promptly turned over. It’s these brain farts that are killing the Wallabies… and their supporters.

Soon after, it seemed the Welsh crowd had got their beers and found their seats. Suddenly, Millenium Stadium was loud, and the Welsh lifted.

That said, the rest of the half see-sawed with no real dominance by either side. Beale and Halfpenny traded penalties (three of them 50 metres-plus), and Australia went to the break up 9-6 (Halfpenny missing a simple shot at 40 minutes).

The Welsh lineout was rubbish, their scrum not so much. The Wallabies were able to, by and large, secure clean ball from the set piece. Even our restarts were passable — certainly better than those of many games past.

In the 22nd minute (for the first of many times in the match), Wales showed the Wallabies how to execute a chip kick — chasers were ready (and fast) and the ball lobbed just over the line; it was contestable.

The Wallabies, conversely, had not learned their lesson (is anyone surprised?). Frequently, long kicks went straight to either the Welsh back three and any attempted chip was comfortably covered by the men in red. (A shouted, exasperated Berrick Barnes f-bomb heard over the ref’s mic following another miscued kick was poignant.)

Our defence was rubbish in the outside channels. Wales kept finding space. Ben Tapuai had his worst game in gold, often picking the wrong man (and double-marking) and making the job that much harder for his outside men. Compounding this, the Honey Badger similarly found himself in the wrong spot a number of times. Barnes cleaned up well out the back on quite a few occasions.

Welsh impatience, some good forward play (most notably by Robinson and Pocock) and Wayne Barnes’s fastidious refereeing snuffed out many Welsh raids into the Australian 22.

Second Half

I’d written over a page of notes for the first half but I wrote less than half a page for the second. It was dour, uneventful and played out much the same as the first. Both sides committed the same errors, exhibited the same impatience and the same poor execution. The Wallabies continued to forget what support play looked like.

Stephen Moore started the half in place of TPN, with Digby Ioane and Michael Hooper soon joining him. Their contributions were noticeable and effective. Moore was good, as always, around the park, Ioane gave hints of form we’ve not seen him carry in a gold jersey in a while, and Hooper, tag-teaming with Pocock, was typically energetic.

The game rolled on, Wales kicking six points in six minutes midway through the half taking them to a 12-9 lead. So the score remained into the final minutes.

In the 79th minute, the Wallabies built a prime attacking opportunity from their own half. Some atypical patience set a good platform, upon which Berrick Barnes engineered a beautiful break, only to be tackled on the Welsh 22 without any effective support nearby. The ball was turned over and belted downfield.

All seemed lost. I was angrily scribbling, briefly snatching glances at the screen. On one of these, I saw Barnes float a great cut-out ball wide. From their own 10 metre line, Harris linked well with Dennis, sprinting down the right touchline.

Beale loomed up on Dennis’s inside shoulder, Dennis timing the pass perfectly having drawn Halfpenny in. The pass was very flat, but it was flat — that Dennis’s forward motion was halted by Halfpenny’s tackle made it appear to float forward. Beale did the rest from 30 metre out, dotting the ball down out wide to break Welsh hearts.

Sharpie, going out in style, lined up the touchline conversion. The strike was sweet, and actually in line, but it fell just short. I think we can forgive him. Bravo Bullet on a stellar career.

As for the Wallabies, well, it’s still an awfully long way to the top….

australia Latest News slide Wales
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
Previous ArticleWallabies v. Wales : Team Announcement
Next Article Have a rank: Wallabies v. Wales Cardiff 2012
Robert Matthews
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)

Old rugby fan but infant journalist. Doing analysis and other video-related work for all sorts, from individual players and low-level club teams, to major school teams, significant club competitions, and elite teams and comps, including the NRC, the Queensland Reds and the Wallabies. On Twitter @DoubleTakeQLD or find me at www.doubletakeproductions.com.au

Related Posts

The Chewsday Chew – ‘they are just not loveable anymore’

October 3, 2023

Australia v Portugal: Live Chat

October 2, 2023

Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #11: Getting down to the business end of things!

October 2, 2023

Game Review: Fiji v Georgia – Pool C – Saturday 30th September

October 1, 2023
GAGR Podcast
Our Picks

Friday’s Rugby News: Vote #1

September 29, 2023

Happy’s Thursday Rugby News – We Reap What We Sow

September 28, 2023

Game Review: Australia v Portugal – Pool C – Sunday 1 October

October 2, 2023

In from the Side – a different Hump Day

September 27, 2023
Follow Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
Don't Miss
Australia

The Chewsday Chew – ‘they are just not loveable anymore’

By NuttaOctober 3, 2023155

Gudday Cobbers, I confess I am really struggling to write anything this week. I’m just…

Game Review: Australia v Portugal – Pool C – Sunday 1 October

October 2, 2023

Rank Your Top 5 Players – Australia v Portugal – Pool C

October 2, 2023

Australia v Portugal: Live Chat

October 2, 2023

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest news from Green & Gold Rugby.

About Us
About Us

greenandgoldrugby.com is your one stop shop for all things Rugby Union - news, podcasts, opinions, fixtures, events & everything in between.

greenandgoldrugby.com - created by fans of rugby, for fans of rugby.

About
Submit a Story
Authors
Contact
Privacy

Our Picks

Friday’s Rugby News: Vote #1

September 29, 2023

Happy’s Thursday Rugby News – We Reap What We Sow

September 28, 2023

Game Review: Australia v Portugal – Pool C – Sunday 1 October

October 2, 2023
New Comments
  • KwAussie Rugby Lover on The Chewsday Chew – ‘they are just not loveable anymore’
  • Yowie on The Chewsday Chew – ‘they are just not loveable anymore’
  • Rod Finnegan on The Chewsday Chew – ‘they are just not loveable anymore’
  • Keith Butler on The Chewsday Chew – ‘they are just not loveable anymore’
  • Patrick on The Chewsday Chew – ‘they are just not loveable anymore’
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Super Rugby
  • Wallabies
  • Podcast
  • Privacy Policy (2023)
© 2023 Ponderosa Publishing Pty Ltd | ABN 76 668 430 386.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.