Wallabies v Wales

[IanG]

Talk about pulling it out of the fire. We were lucky to get away with that ones. Definaly have alot more work to do. Then again Australia scored 4 tries to 2 tonight so they're obviously doing something right.

 

[Mal Meninga]

Apart from Gareth Thomas, who else in that Welsh side is considered a first choice? Possibly Henson when on form(although he's far from it atm). Despite stating the obvious, Australia has no chance without Larkham.

 

[Twizzle]

4 tries to 2 and their two tries came from our mistakes and length of the field runs

the score should have never been that close tho

 

[Twizzle]

Wallabies leave it late


May 26, 2007

STEPHEN Hoiles scored a try after the final siren to earn Australia a 29-23 win over Wales in Saturday night's rugby Test match at Telstra Stadium.
The inexperienced Wallabies, missing big names Lote Tuqiri, Chris Latham and Stephen Larkham, ran in four tries to two to clinch the first of two Tests against Wales for the James Bevan trophy.

Wycliff Palu, Nathan Sharpe and Matt Giteau scored Australia's first three tries before replacement forward Stephen Hoiles crashed over on full-time to clinch the match for the Wallabies after they were down 23-22.

Centre Stirling Mortlock kicked three conversions and a penalty goal for the home team.

For Wales, Gareth Thomas and Jamie Robinson scored tries while James Hook booted two conversions, two penalty goals and a drop goal.

Australia and Wales meet again next Saturday at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.

Wales had lead 17-12 at halftime after a horror first half from Australian debutants Julian Huxley and Sam Norton Knight.

Despite a weight of possession, poor passing from fullback Huxley and five-eighth Norton-Knight led to Wales' first two tries.

Huxley threw two wildly wayward passes at the back before he had one intercepted for Wales' second try.

Before that, a Norton-Knight pass had put Mortlock under pressure and indirectly resulted in the Dragons' first.

The Wallabies were off to the worst possible start when the visitors crossed in just the second minute.

With Australia mounting their first attacking raid 20metres out, a Norton-Knight pass was spilled by Mortlock and toed through by Wales.

Giteau won the ensuing 80m foot-race but couldn't control the ball with Wales skipper Thomas on the spot to grab James Hook's pass and crash over, the conversion making it 7-0.

Huxley could only find Welsh outside centre Robinson with his errant pass in the 16th minute, the No.13 running 65m to post the visitors' second try against the run of play and a 14-0 lead.

Hook extended the lead to 17-0 with a 20th minute penalty goal.

Australia clawed its way back with a try to Palu, after a clever pass from prop Matt Dunning, in the 24th and made it 17-12 when Nathan Sharpe barged over in the 31st.

AAP

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,21800572-23217,00.html

 

[SpaceMonkey]

4 tries to 2 and their two tries came from our mistakes and length of the field runs

the score should have never been that close tho

Australia still had no real right to win it, all Wales had to do for the last 2 minutes of the game was hold onto the freakin ball but the idiots kept kicking it back to the Wallabies. Face it, anything other than a complete demolition of that Welsh side should be considered an embarassment.

 

[Iafeta]

ROFL at the Wobballies.

The Welsh replacement halfback cost them. He gifted them possession in the last minute with a dodgy grubber kick when there was no need to. Just grind it up. Wait for the hooter, smash it out.

 

[Iafeta]

Oh, and Matt Giteau is not a halfback. The bloke does not naturally clear the ball well from the ruck at all. At times he was flinging it out more in desperation than anything else. Next thing they'll be pushing for Rod Blake to be left wing.

 

[Mal Meninga]

Makes good runs though. I can see why he's there....

 

[Sanchez]

bloddy lucky

 

[skeepe]

For any of the journalists, or the idiots on this forum, calling for Giteau to be Australia's first choice scrum-half, just watch this game. Australia were far far far far far far far better when Gregan came on.

One of the reasons certain people were calling for Giteau was because Gregan took a step or two before passing. Well Giteau took 4 or 5! Dead set Giteau is a brilliant player, but he's no scrum-half. Gregan MUST be the Australian number 9, or we may as well not bother turning up.

 

[lockyno1]

the reason why it was so close is we had a turnip playing 15, who had a awful game and SNK who has probally played 5 games at no10 in his life! We played well in patches but overall a win is a win. And skeepe we were much better at 9 when Giteau was there- look at his try for evidence!

 

[Timbo]

Giteau was horrible at 9. Ashley-Cooper was horrible at 12.

Easy solution if you ask me...

 

[kia ora storm]

The Wallabies were a rabble...Giteau was average at best.

The AB's will be laughing on the inside...

 

[lockyno1]

Giteau was horrible at 9. Ashley-Cooper was horrible at 12.

Easy solution if you ask me...

Giteau was ok, scored a great try that Gregan wouldn't have scored as he is too f**king slow from dummy half! SNK was trash, AAC was very ordinary. Not sure why Staniforth was not at 12 to be honest!