It had looked as if Wales would end their annus horribilis with a win but this defeat will be the hardest to take of the nine they have crashed to this year. With 25 minutes to play, they were 34-13 ahead, after nearly an hour of confident, even consummate, rugby. Even with 15 to go, they were 34-18 up but in an insane last quarter of an hour they unravelled, conceding three tries, two of them to Australia’s exciting new winger Mark Nawaqanitawase, and losing two men to the sin-bin.
Justin Tipuric, captain no less, tripped Pete Samu and was first to go, followed by Ryan Elias with five minutes remaining for taking down a lineout, conceding a penalty try in the process. In the 78th minute, Nawaqanitawase tore away again and Lachlan Lonergan collected a loose ball out on the right to claim the winning try.
