Wales 34-39 Australia: Pressure mounts on Wayne Pivac as home side suffer humiliating collapse against the Wallabies despite tries from Jac Morgan, Taulupe Faletau and Rio Dyer

  • Wales were looking to bounce back from last week's humiliating loss to Georgia
  • Wayne Pivac's side started brightly and took a big lead thanks to four tries
  • Jac Morgan got two of them, with Taulupe Faletau and Rio Dyer also scoring
  • However, a stunning collapse allowed Australia to secure a last-gasp comeback
  • After leading 34-13 with 23 minutes to go, Wales were somehow beaten 34-39 

It is tricky to see where else Wayne Pivac can turn after this. It is easy to see where the WRU will look if – when? – the coach is ushered towards the exit door. 

Warren Gatland was at the Principality Stadium on Saturday. The former Wales coach was on TV duty. Before long, he could be back in a more familiar role. 

With 10 months until the World Cup, and Wales in a rut, Pivac now faces a crunch review into this woeful autumn. His job hangs by a thread. There is one obvious candidate to take over. 


Reports on Saturday night suggested talks had already taken place, with Gatland being lined up to possibly take Wales through to next year’s tournament. It would be a remarkable return for Gatland but a possibility that grows ever more likely with results like this. 

Wales suffered a humiliating collapse in their 34-39 defeat against Australia on Saturday

Wales suffered a humiliating collapse in their 34-39 defeat against Australia on Saturday

Cruel jokes and dark skies had hung over Pivac all afternoon. A malfunction to the roof of the Principality, in the hours before this pivotal clash with Australia, meant a three-metre slit remained open as the heavens emptied over Cardiff on Saturday. Welsh rugby, creaking foundations, leaks and leeks, nothing quite working properly: choose your preferred punchline. Gallows humour to mark the end of a miserable campaign – and Pivac’s tenure? It is hard to see a way back after this frankly incredible end to a gloomy few weeks. 

How did Wales lose this? How do you square the first 57 minutes with what came next? With 23 minutes left, they led 34-13. With a couple of minutes to go, Australia’s replacement hooker Lachlan Lonergan crossed in the corner to win the game. 

It was an astonishing fightback by a side crippled by injuries and absentees. One that, for long periods, played like it, too. 

The pressure is on Wayne Pivac after two damaging defeats in the space of one week

The pressure is on Wayne Pivac after two damaging defeats in the space of one week

But at the end, after 26 unanswered points, Dave Rennie’s side ended a punishing tour with a remarkable victory. The Wallabies coach had been under pressure before this, too. Now the spotlight shines solely on Pivac. 

For an hour, this was Wales’ best display of the autumn. They played with ambition and vibrancy. No matter. Ten months out from the World Cup, they are in crisis. Over recent weeks, a solitary victory over Argentina has been sandwiched by defeats against Georgia, New Zealand and a makeshift Australia. 

Wales’ return for 2022? Three wins, nine defeats. Pivac’s total record: 13 wins, one draw, 20 defeats. Few have been as crushing.  

No snap decisions. That is understood to have been the WRU’s position before this. That might have to change. Pivac is due to go on a World Cup reccy today. The sight of Gatland, and his coy response when asked about a possible return, won’t help. 

But that is out of the coach’s hands. All he can do is control performances and after last week’s humiliation against Georgia, this looked like being the performance – and result – that Wales sorely needed. 

Jac Morgan was a constant threat during the game and scored Wales' first try of the encounter

Jac Morgan was a constant threat during the game and scored Wales' first try of the encounter 

It was one of Wales' best performances of the autumn period when they stormed in front

It was one of Wales' best performances of the autumn period when they stormed in front

They profited from a couple of yellow cards. How Australia capitalised when Justin Tipuric and Ryan Elias went in the bin late on. 

By then, the Australia fightback had already begun, with the exceptional Mark Nawaqanitawase crossing shortly before the hour mark. He finished excellently again, after Tipuric saw yellow for a trip on Pete Samu, before Elias joined his captain for pulling down a maul. That penalty try meant, with seven minutes left, Wales were two points up but two men down. Another Australia score seemed only a matter of time. It was and yet, incredibly, that was not the final twist. With two seconds remaining, Wales won a penalty and launched one final push. But, as they have all autumn, the chance went begging and shellshock swept around this place.

‘There is a little bit of luck in this game,’ Pivac said. ‘And it feels at the moment, in tight situations, it hasn't (gone our way). 

‘We have to keep working hard and keep believing, because we feel there was a marked improvement in our performance there. It’s one of those ones which is very tough to take.’ 

The omens hadn’t look good. Not with a hole in the roof. Not with Leigh Halfpenny suffering a back spasm in the warm-up, forcing yet another last-minute reshuffle for Pivac. Certainly not at kick-off, when Adam Beard dropped the ball and then, from the opening scrum, Australia secured the first penalty – and the first points. But then Wales began to play. 

But Australia produced a stunning comeback to inflict the hosts' second defeat in a week

But Australia produced a stunning comeback to inflict the hosts' second defeat in a week

Australia trailed 34-13 with just 23 minutes of Saturday's game at the Principality Stadium left

Australia trailed 34-13 with just 23 minutes of Saturday's game at the Principality Stadium left

Wales were left shell-shocked at the full-time whistle after blowing what seemed a strong lead

Wales were left shell-shocked at the full-time whistle after blowing what seemed a strong lead

Pivac had turned to experience and he was repaid with a fine first hour. Alun Wyn Jones and Taulupe Faletau were both superb. On his 100th international appearance, the No 8 scored the second of Wales’ four tries. On his return to the side, Jones created the first of two tries for the outstanding Jac Morgan, nonchalantly flicking a pass out the back of his hand. 

Rio Dyer was also on the scoresheet against a ragtag Wallaby side missing around 25 players, while there were some lovely touches from Gareth Anscombe and 20-year-old Joe Hawkins, who made a impressive debut. 

But Wales really should have been further ahead. Instead the visitors were within a score at half-time after hooker Folau Fainga’a finished a driving maul and Wales squandered a massive opening shortly before the break. With the hosts leading 20-13, scrum-half Jake Gordon saw yellow for a deliberate knock-on. More penalties near the try line followed. But, crucially, no more points. 

They needed to bounce back after last week's upset defeat against Georgia, only to lose again

They needed to bounce back after last week's upset defeat against Georgia, only to lose again

Australia were punished when replacement prop Tom Robertson joined Gordon in the bin not long after the restart. Cue another Morgan score. By now rain was spitting through the roof and the floodgates threatened to open, too, when Dyer scored Wales’ fourth with half an hour left. But then the tide turned. Anscombe went off with a nasty looking injury, Tipuric was shown yellow and Nawaqanitawase began to sparkle.

‘I’m the eternal optimist,’ Rennie said. ‘What was key was we had all the momentum in the last 20.’ He added: ‘I genuinely felt, with 20 to go and we’re down by 21, there was plenty of time. We just needed to get it to the right end of the field and apply some pressure.’

They did. His side will look a lot different when these two meet in Pool C at next year’s World Cup. Now it’s up to the WRU to decide if they need change, too.