Australia crush Wales to register 8-32 win

Wales 8 - 32 Australia, Millennium Stadium
Scorecard

Australia maintained their unbeaten streak against Wales since 2008 as they thrashed Wales by 8-32 in their encounter at Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

This was also Wales' 12th consecutive defeat against Australia and their heaviest loss at home since they lost the game to New Zealand by 36-10 in 2006.

Wales went into the game missing several key players - Sam Warburton, Alun Wyn Jones, Taulupe Faletau and Jonathan Davies due to different reasons while Australia handed David Pocock his first start as blindside flanker, taking the place of suspended Dean Mumm. This was also Leigh Halfpenny first game for Wales after 14 months since he sustained a knee injury and he was handed the kicking duties.

Fly half Bernard Foley and Halfpenny exchanged penalties in the first six minutes as the scores were levelled 3-3. Stephen Moore led the Wallabies charge with the first try of the game in the 10th minute following which fly-half Dan Biggar was sin-binned for tacking off the ball on wing Dane Haylett-Petty.

Even though, Australia failed to capitalise on Biggar's yellow card, they scored two more tries in a span of nine minutes with centre Reece Hodge and Tevita Kuridrani strolling across the post. A Foley conversion ensured Australia ended the first half with a lead of 17 points.

Australia applied more pressure through Foley, who crossed the line in the 54th minute to stretch the lead to 22 points.

Even though, centre Scott Williams gave some cheer to the crowd with a touchdown in the 64th minute, Wales lost Rhys Webb to ankle injury. Haylett-Petty capped off a fantastic game for the Wallabies with a try in the closing stage and Foley added the extras to ensure a 24-point victory for the visitors.

Wales captain Gethin Jenkins admitted that the errors made by his team costed them the game.

"They punished us for our errors in the first half and credit to Australia," he told BBC1.

"I thought we were quite comfortable with the intensity but we made a few silly mistakes - some down to us and some down to good attacking from them - and we struggled to get back in it.

"We showed some good spirit to get back at the end and I thought we could have got one more try. But we've lost that game in the first half."

Meanwhile, Foley stated that Australia's preparation paid them dividends.

We prepared really well. This is an almighty tour for us and we wanted to start really well.

"When our attacking didn't work out our defence did - and that's the pleasing thing."