Cipriani left in the shade by O'Connor's masterclass

A young fly-half with the world at his feet, looking comfortably at home at Twickenham and any other Test arena where his coach might choose to use him in the years to come? Yes, it was a good day for Australia's James O'Connor, brought in from his normal station in the back three to show his enormous potential in the pivotal position. Danny Cipriani, the would-be England No 10 who feels he has a shot at redemption now Martin Johsnon is no longer the manager, had a tough time on his first appearance at HQ for 19 months.

For all the nine Wallaby absentees, this was a mismatch between a Test strength side at the start of a two-match tour – Australia face Wales in Cardiff next Saturday – and a scratch side, albeit a Baa-baas replete with caps. The invitational club's World Cup winning coaching cohort of Graham Henry and Steve Hansen had the customary few days' preparation with their men, brought on seven replacements at half-time and sank deep into their nice new black tracksuit tops as a second half of six Aussie tries to one by the Barbarians wore on. It was a record score and winning margin in the fixture, and Australia's eighth successive win since 1984.

At least the one try, in the final play, included a nice touch for Cipriani, who is halfway through a two-season contract in Australia with Melbourne Rebels and had not played a match since June. The former Wasp, who last played at this ground for his club against Bath in April 2010, and for England as a replacement who had been dropped by Johnson versus Henry's New Zealand in November 2008, picked the ball off his toes on the half-volley to feed Richard Kahui, an All Black, and make a try at the corner for the Barbarians' guest from Wigan and England in rugby league, Sam Tomkins. "Obviously we'd like to have been going forward at a million miles an hour," said Cipriani, who kicked a penalty in each half. "You can't expect too much, I'm just pleased to have been alongside such great players."

Tomkins was making a one-afternoon-only appearance as he is signed to Wigan until the 2013 league World Cup although linked with a move to follow his older brother Joel at Saracens thereafter. Bored on the wing, he popped up occasionally at first receiver, and said: "Where I'm from in Wigan people don't know what union is. It would take some getting used to if at some point I do play it."

Yet despite the lop-sided nature of it all, Victor Matfield, the great South African lock playing his last match before retirement – his hilarious attempted conversion of Tomkins's try scudded along the 22 – concurred with Henry that the Barbarians concept was worth persevering with.

O'Connor's ability to beat a man and keep a move going was evident in deadly fashion in the second half. He is joining the Rebels soon and Cipriani reported firmly: "James will play at 12, Stirling Mortlock at 13 and Kurtley Beale at full-back."

O'Connor kicked a penalty and dropped a goal for a 6-3 lead after 20 minutes then the wings Digby Ioane and Lachie Turner skated over for the Wallabies' first two tries. As the tourists' full-back Adam Ashley-Cooper put it: "We knew we'd run them off their feet and just had to be patient in our approach." Sure enough, the Wallabies' World Cup captain James Horwill scored two tries and there were others for Rob Horne – from a tossed-away pass by Cipriani – and Turner, Ioane and Radike Samo. The only kicking mishap for O'Connor was when he twitched to begin a conversion run-up and Peter Stringer nipped forward to nick the ball from the tee. It fitted a light-hearted atmosphere at odds with the angst behind the scenes at Twickenham.

Barbarians I Toeava (New Zealand); S Tomkins (England RL), R Fruean (New Zealand), S Mortlock (Australia), B Habana (South Africa); D Cipriani (England), P Stringer (Ireland); E Guinazu (Argentina), K Mealamu (New Zealand), S Marconnet (France), S Shaw (England), V Matfield (South Africa, capt), J Kaino, A Thomson (both New Zealand), M Bergamasco (Italy). Replacements: A Strauss (South Africa) for Mealamu 40; S Perugini (Italy) for Guinazu 40; J White (Scotland) for Thomson 40; M Bortolami (Italy) for Shaw 40; N Kenatale (Fiji) for Stringer 40; R Kahui (New Zealand) for Toeava 40; S Rabeni (Fiji) for Fruean 40; Guinazu back on for Bergamasco 55-62; Guinazu back on for Marconnet 72.

Australia XV A Ashley-Cooper; L Turner, R Horne, B Barnes, D Ioane; J O'Connor, W Genia; J Slipper, T Polota-Nau, S Ma'afu, R Simmons, N Sharpe, S Higginbotham, D Dennis, D Pocock (capt). Replacements: B Tapuai for Barnes 36; B Alexander for Dennis 33-39; Alexander for Ma'afu 50; S Moore for Polota-Nau 50; J Horwill for Sharpe 50; M Hodgson for Pocock 55; N Phipps for Genia 59; R Samo for Dennis 50.

Referee R Poite (France).

Barbarians

Try: Tomkins

Pens: Cipriani 2

Australia

Tries: Iaone 2, Turner 2, Horwill 2, Horne, Samo

Cons: O'Connor 7

Pen: O'Connor

Drop goal: O'Connor