Wallabies open tour with win over Wales

 

There is not much in world rugby that beats a Millennium Stadium filled with Welsh supporters singing Land of Our Fathers and this is what the Wallabies faced when they took on Wales  to open their northern hemisphere tour.

Welsh discipline was once again lacking and led to a 24-18 win for the Wallabies in Cardiff.

The hosts led 6-3 after 48 minutes but were reduced to 14 men when fullback Leigh Halfpenny was sent to the sin bin for an early tackle on James O’Connor, who had looked certain to score. Will Genia took a quick tap from the ensuing penalty and scored.

The Wallabies took full advantage of the missing man and scored  two more tries while Halfpenny was off the field.

O’Connor, starting his first Test at flyhalf, put Lachie Turner away for a try, then five minutes later, Wales gave away possession in midfield, Turner booted the ball down field, and Radike Samos served up the try-scoring pass to Berrick Barnes.

Wales did come back with a try from Rhys Priestland and then added another from Shane Williams in the dying seconds of the game as the Welsh went crazy as it was Williams’ 87th and final Test. Sadly for him it ended with defeat.

The first half looked as if neither team wanted to be there and  the closest anyone came to scoring a try was when Adam Ashley-Cooper sliced through the Welsh defence and found David Pocock who got the ball out to Barnes, who kicked into the corner for Turner who dived over with Williams hanging on,  but the TMO correctly ruled that he had put a foot into touch before grounding the ball so no try.  — Staff reporter, SportsCentral

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