Wales & Australia ended their 2022 campaigns by playing one of the games of the year in Cardiff, as the Wallabies came back from a huge 21-point deficit to win 39-34, scoring the winning try with just 100 seconds on the clock.
The first-half started off brilliantly for Wales, after Jac Mprgan crashed over to finish off a move sparked by a speedy line break from veteran lock Alun Wyn Jones. Wales kept their good on the pedal and were soon over again, after Taulupe Feletau crased over out wide. The two sides exchanged two penalties over the course of the first-half, and Folau Faingaa’s TRY from the maul gave Australia some parity at the break, trailing the hosts by 20 points to 13.
The second half started in an even more rapid-fire style for the hosts, who crossed once more within moments when Morgan grounded at the back of a rolling maul. They shipped it wide for another try, which was finished in the left-hand corner by Rio Dyer. Australia had seen two men sent to the sin-bin by this point, and the Wallabies looked dead and buried with the score at 34-13 in Wales’s favor.
The Wallabies, however, came back, and came back firing alright. Winger Mark Nawaqanitawase had been relatively quiet for much of the game, but he burst into life in the second-half, crossing in the corner to give the Wallabies their first points of the second period. He soon scored their second five-pointer, darting from the back of a line-out to race clear and dot down again as the momentum began to shift. A trip from Wales captain Justin Tipuric reduced the home side to 14 men, and with the last 10 minutes approaching, the game only looked to be going one way.
Match Preview
In the first half, Wales began to spread their offense with Morgan’s try in the 9th minute. Wales had 20 points at half time. Although Donaldson scored a penalty goal in 3rd minutes. With that Wallabies started to get points. But they only scored 13 points in the 1st half. Wales had 20:13 lead in the 1st half.
In the Second half, although Wales showed an aggressive style of play. The Wallabies also showed a skillful style of play and the 2 tries that got the Mark Nawaqanitawase were outstanding. In this way Wallabies went to victory by collecting 39 points with 5 tries.
Winning Wallabies end brutal tour in perfect way
Christmas came 29 days early for Australia, as the Wallabies mounted the most heroic of heroic comebacks to turn that game around in the dying moments. Their fifth and final Test of an autumn campaign that has at times looked hapless ended in brilliant fashion, with several of their fringe players coming to the fore. Nawaqanitawase in particular announced himself to the world today, and with the World Cup on the horizon, results like these can certainly buoy Australian rugby going into 2023.
What’s next for Wales?
Wayne Pivac’s Wales have now completed their autumn international schedule for 2022, having picked up a win over Argentina, and defeats vs New Zealand, Georgia and Australia. They are next in action at the 2023 Six Nations, where they start against Ireland in Cardiff on Saturday, February 4.
