It occurred around the 26th minute mark. David Porecki, the latest Australian to have the captaincy thrust upon him by Eddie Jones, had the ball in his hand eight metres from the Welsh try line. A Test level hooker, he was about to perform his primary function and throw to the line-out. Surely he’d practiced this a thousand times this past week in preparation for one of the most important matches in Wallabies history. Surely he was in complete synchronicity with his jumpers. Surely Australian rugby wasn’t so shambolic.
Instead the ball sailed harmlessly over the top. It landed in the bread basket of Jac Morgan, Wales’ captain who sported wads of tissue up two bloodied nostrils and wore a crazed look all night like a character from a Tarantino film. Morgan kicked down field and won a 50-22. Australia coughed up a penalty. Gareth Anscombe teed up and slotted three points for a 13-6 lead.
