Never go back. Warren Gatland must wonder if he should have heeded that apparently universal truth. After this defeat the New Zealander has overseen the longest ever run of Wales losses: 11 and counting. The pool victory over Georgia at last year’s Rugby World Cup is a distant memory – a result that came days after they thrashed today’s opponents, Australia, by a record margin. In sobering contrast this was a record points total for the Wallabies in Cardiff, who scored eight tries to Wales’s two.
Things have unravelled spectacularly since that World Cup and Gatland, once so assured, looks increasingly out of touch, scratching around for a way out of this ever-deepening hole. True, he has lost plenty of class players to retirement, injury or overseas contracts. He is also being well remunerated. The mood pre-match was acrimonious and will only get worse.
The shame of it was this young side showed spirit to fight back from 19-0 down in the first half, particularly after the loss of Adam Beard to injury. There were six points in it at half-time, and Samu Kerevi’s red card a minute after the restart should have heartened Wales further. Instead Australia added five tries while a man down against increasingly ragged opposition. The Wallabies hooker Matt Faessler and the player of the match, Tom Wright, both scored hat-tricks. Bring on the Lions next summer.
There was notable verbal jousting even before the match. Regarding midweek criticism from former Wales players, Gatland told TNT Sports: “A couple of them I’m a bit disappointed with … you’d like to think there is an opportunity for them to back your corner.” Jamie Roberts, on pundit duty, responded. “I am sure he appreciates he’s in the position he is because of what the players gave for him on the park,” Roberts said.
Another maxim that carries weight is that there is no substitute for experience. As Kerevi and Rob Valetini marked their 50th cap, the Welsh backline by contrast had 63 between them, with the fly-half Gareth Anscombe accounting for 38. Gatland had called for his current crop to be “more accurate and disciplined”, but after a cagey opening, Wright was tearing down the Australian left and feeding Andrew Kellaway with a smart offload. Kellaway found Kerevi, who was held up by a stunning tackle by Welsh wing Tom Rogers.
The Wallabies were soon sniping down their right, and when Anscombe rushed out of the defensive line, a dummy by Wright allowed him a clear path to score. A Wales raid then broke down due to an error by James Botham, Max Jorgensen pounced and offered a cute one-handed offload to Len Ikitau, who released the second row Nick Frost. His pace was too much for an out-of-shape Wales defence and the mood under the closed roof at the Principality was darkening with every second that ticked by.
To add insult to injury, it was a Gatlandesque try that worsened the gloom. A straightforward maul after a lineout allowed Faessler to touch down, and Noah Lolesio converted. That was 19-0. It was all looking very bleak, but a clever twisting finish by Aaron Wainwright got Wales on the board. Two more Anscombe penalties before half-time made things look a little less desperate. Gatland’s young side had shown character.
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Joe Schmidt removed Angus Bell at half-time, seemingly worried about his scrummaging, with James Slipper introduced. There were further worries for the Wallabies coach when Kerevi was sent to the sin-bin for a reckless hit on the Wales openside, Jac Morgan. Replays were graphic, and a red card via bunker review duly materialised. Still, the card emerged after Faessler had scored his second and Australia’s fourth try, stretching the visitors’ lead back to 13. Ellis Bevan, the Wales scrum-half, was arguably lucky to escape a yellow card for a high challenge on Nic White, who was swiftly withdrawn.
Wales had won 18 out of 18 lineouts in defeat by Fiji, an impressive feat, although if the set piece was functioning so well and they were still beaten, there are clearly grave issues elsewhere. Faessler wrapped up his hat-trick with tries on 48 and 53 minutes before Botham was denied a bullocking score in the corner for a forward pass. Wright added Australia’s sixth try, converted by Lolesio, and a try for Wales’s centre Ben Thomas offered hope, before Ikitau and then Wright cantered over the line as home supporters streamed to the exits.
Can Gatland build something more cohesive for the Six Nations? Will he get the chance? It it five years or so since the Kiwi signed off from an “incredibly special” first spell. The farewell this time, whenever it comes, is unlikely to be so fond.
