Rugby World Cup: Australia progress to quarter-finals after 13-7 win over Wales

Australia 13-7 Wales, Northland Events Centre, Whangarei

Australia successfully managed to hold off Wales with a 13-7 win in Whangarei as they progressed to the quarter-finals in the ongoing Rugby World Cup.

The result has taken Australia to second place in Pool A with 8 points as they join New Zealand to the next round while Wales with five points are now hoping to finish as one of the two best third-place teams in the group stage to reach the knock out.

It took Wallaroos just five minutes to get off the mark as Iliseva Batibasaga gathered the ball at the back of a ruck as she sprinted past the posts unopposed and Lori Cramer kicked the conversion to make it 7-0.

The scores were levelled in the 23rd minute as Sioned Harries dived over the line from close range following a driving line out set up 5m close to the line. Elinor Snowsill kicked the conversion to make it 7-7.

Australia came down heavy on the attack to look for some advantage but stern defence from Wales kept them away from scoring as the scores continued to remain levelled until Cramer landed a three-pointer at the stroke of half time to provide them a slender 10-7 lead at the end of the opening half.

Wales were handed a lifeline as Australian replacement Kaitlan Leaney was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle with 10 minutes left in the game but they could not quite capitalise on the numerical advantage. Instead, Cramer landed a penalty goal in the 78th minute that sealed a 13-7 win for Australia and a berth in the quarter-finals.

Team line up:

Australia: Lori Cramer; Bienne Terita, Georgina Friedrichs, Sharni Williams, Ivania Wong; Arabella McKenzie, Iliseva Batibasaga; Liz Patu, Adiana Talakai, Bridie O'Gorman, Michaela Leonard, Grace Kemp, Emily Chancellor, Shannon Parry (capt), Grace Hamilton

Reserves: Tania Naden, Emily Robinson, Eva Karpani, Kaitlan Leaney, Piper Duck, Layne Morgan, Trilleen Pomare, Pauline Piliae-Rasabale.

Wales: Niamh Terry; Jasmine Joyce, Carys Williams-Morris, Hannah Jones (capt), Lisa Neumann; Elinor Snowsill, Ffion Lewis; Cara Hope, Kelsey Jones, Cerys Hale, Natalia John, Gwen Crabb, Bethan Lewis, Alex Callender, Sioned Harries

Reserves: Carys Phillips, Caryl Thomas, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Georgia Evans, Siwan Lillicrap, Keira Bevan, Robyn Wilkins, Kerin Lake.