Wales experienced a ninth consecutive international defeat as Australia secured the series 2-0 in an exhilarating eight-try match in Melbourne.
Filipo Daugunu’s two tries, along with contributions from Jake Gordon, Allan Alaalatoa, and Noah Lolesio’s 13 points, marked a successful start for Joe Schmidt’s era. Despite Wales’ efforts, with two tries from captain Dewi Lake and scores from wings Liam Williams and Rio Dyer, they were unable to recover from a 17-0 deficit in the first 25 minutes.
While Lake’s performances have been a highlight, Wales’ indiscipline and missed opportunities proved costly.
The defeat adds pressure on coach Warren Gatland, whose side hasn’t won a Test match since the 2023 World Cup pool victory against Georgia.
This loss marks the longest winless streak during Gatland’s tenure and places them just one defeat away from equalling their worst losing sequence.
Wales’ global ranking has dropped to an all-time low of 11th, and their record against Australia in Australia has extended to 13 consecutive losses. With a challenging autumn schedule and an upcoming Six Nations campaign, the pressure on Gatland and his team to turn their fortunes around is mounting.
Final score: Australia 36 – 28 Wales.
