Ruthless Welsh deliver disastrous day for Australian rugby

afr.com:

Australia’s record 40 to 6 loss to Wales at Lyon is a disaster for Australian Rugby.

It leaves an already vulnerable sport, in the world’s most competitive sporting landscape, fully exposed to being further marginalised by the major sporting codes in this country. With Australia to host the World Cup in four years, the timing could hardly be worse.

Gareth Davies of Wales breaks past Andrew Kellaway of Australia to score in the opening minutes of the pool match in Lyon.  Getty

For Australian Rugby to succeed, the Wallabies have to succeed.

In Lyon, the Wallabies failed miserably to a superbly coached Wales that took every opportunity to put pressure on a team already lacking in confidence. Pressure generates stress and stress generates poor decisions and poor execution.

The Wallabies simply did not fire a shot and will now suffer the embarrassment of being the first Australian team to exit the Rugby World Cup in the pool stages – a massive fall from grace from a team that has a proud and successful history in Rugby World Cups.

Eddie Jones has taken full responsibility and could very well resign following the Wallabies’ last game against Portugal next Sunday in Saint-Etienne. His coaching team should follow.

Wales dominated every facet of the game. The Wallabies scrum started strongly but then got the wobbles and Australia paid the price. A normally reliable Dave Porecki was off-target with his lineout throws and Wales pounced.

Jac Morgan scores for Wales just before full-time. AP

At the breakdown, Wales won five vital turnovers against one for the Wallabies, driving the penalty count 12 to 8 in favour of Wales. The result was six penalty conversions from reserve flyhalf Gareth Anscombe that built immense scoreboard