Australia has been left in shock after their rugby team suffered their worst-ever defeat in a World Cup match and looks set to leave the tournament at the pool stage for the first time.
The Wallabies, twice world champions, lost 40-6 to Wales in what was also Australia’s worst-ever loss to Wales.
The team, who have already lost to Fiji, have one group match left – against Portugal. They will need to win that match and hope other scores go their way to stand any chance of advancing to the knockouts.
“Rock Bottom: Wallabies worst nightmare comes true,” was the verdict of newspapers The Australian and The Daily Telegraph.
The latest loss ramps up the pressure on Australia head coach Eddie Jones, with seven defeats in eight games since he took charge in January.
Jones told Stan Sport that everyone was “gutted” at the result.
“Whether we’ve hit rock bottom I don’t know, but I’ve got to take responsibility for it,” he said.
Some media reports have claimed the veteran coach has been interviewed by the Japan Rugby Union about coaching their team after the tournament, despite having a contract with the Australian team until 2027.
Jones has also been heavily criticised for bringing an inexperienced squad to the World Cup.
“The Eddie Jones experiment can officially be declared a disaster after the Wallabies all but crashed out of the World Cup in record-breaking fashion,” rugby reporter Tom Decent wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald.
Several Wallabies stars expressed their dismay at the result.
“Shattered for @Wallabies but congrats to my valley friends,” wrote former Australia fly-half Matt Giteau on social media outlet X, formerly Twitter.
Former New Zealand international and Stan Sport pundit Sonny Bill Williams said he felt for the players and travelling Australian supporters who left the stadium early in their droves.
“That second half, they looked like a team that just lost belief,” said Williams, a double World Cup winner with the All Blacks.
“Forty-six was really embarrassing and I feel for these kids. They’re going to carry this on for the rest of their careers and feel this until they get to come back here again and rectify it.”
