Wales became the first side to advance to the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals with a one-sided 40-6 demolition of Australia on Sunday that left the two-time past winners facing embarrassingly early elimination.
The victory at the OL Stadium guarantees a top-two finish in Pool C for Wales while Australia’s destiny is now out of their control, having already lost to Fiji last Sunday.
An early try from Gareth Davies laid the platform for Welsh success with Nick Tompkins and captain Jac Morgan also going over while replacement flyhalf Gareth Anscombe efficiently kicked six penalties, a drop goal and a conversion after taking over from the injured Dan Biggar.
Australia, who were World Cup winners in 1991 and 1999 and have never previously failed to get past the pool stage, did not add any score after Ben Donaldson put over two penalties in the opening 14 minutes and fall to their biggest ever World Cup defeat.
