Australia v Wales LIVE rugby: Latest result and reaction as Wallabies claim 2-0 series win
Wales could not hit back Melbourne, falling to the Wallabies for a second successive week
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Wales’s search for a first win of 2024 continues after Warren Gatland’s tourists slipped to a 36-28 defeat against Australia in Melbourne.
Wales bounced back on countless occasions, but made too many key mistakes, as Filipo Daugunu scored two tries as the visitors’ suffered a ninth successive Test defeat, their worst run since 2013.
Daugunu scored the first try, before Jake Gordon extended their lead to 17-0. Wales fought back with two tries from Dewi Lake, and Liam Williams’ try took Wales to within one score of Australia, but they did not have enough to keep coming back into the clash.
A losing run stretching back to last year’s World Cup was extended last week in Sydney as the Wallabies began life under Joe Schmidt with victory in an encounter that would have encouraged two young sides.
Each has suffered a significant back row injury blow ahead of the second Test of this two-match series, with Schmidt forced to employ a new skipper in the absence of Liam Wright and Aaron Wainwright forced out with a shoulder problem for Wales.
Defeat last week plunged Gatland’s men to a new low of 11th in the world as pressure begins to build on the New Zealander, who has asked for patience as he rebuilds a side shorn of a number of senior leaders over the last 12 months. Can they finally find an elusive victory at AAMI Park?
Relive all of the action from Australia vs Wales below:
Australia 23-21 Wales
50 minutes: Tom Wright kicks high, but the gather is good from Wales and they have a chance now to drive and secure momentum of their own.
There are just a few words being exchanged between a couple of the players, and the Georgian ref just takes a moment to calm it down.
Try! Australia 23-21 Wales
48 minutes: Try! There were 12 phases before the option opened up for Williams.
The Welsh carries had just started to gain ground and the decoy runners opened up the space for Williams to score against the Wallabies in his first try against Australia.
Thomas converts
Australia 23-14 Wales
46 minutes: Wales drive for the line again, they gain good ground, but this time the ball goes backwards and out of the driving maul which has been a key weapon for the visitors.
Australia 23-14 Wales
43 minutes: Wales have a penalty and they kick for touch, just outside the Australia 22, but it’s turned over immediately and all of that pressure has been released.
Australia 23-14 Wales
42 minutes: Australia will continue to be a player down for first couple of minutes of the second half.
Will that give Wales a chance to capitalise?
Australia 23-14 Wales
41 minutes: Wales kick the second half underway
HT: Australia 23-14 Wales
Here are some photos from the first half:
HT: Australia 23-14 Wales
40 minutes: Australia drive forward and are just metres out moments from half time, but Wales have the penalty.
The Wallabies joined the ruck incorrectly, and Wales can get a bit of a breather and a chance to regroup at the break.
Australia 23-14 Wales
39 minutes: As they wait to take the penalty, Salakaia-Loto’s yellow card will remain a yellow.
Lolesio has continued to kick well, it’s straight through the middle of the posts.
Australia 20-14 Wales
38 minutes: Penalty! But again Australia have a penalty almost immediately afterwards, right off the restart. The exact same thing happened after their first try.
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