Wallabies win again as Filipo Daugunu double helps sink Wales

The Wallabies have won back-to-back matches for the first time in three years after holding off Wales in Melbourne 36-28, as the side’s reset under new coach Joe Schmidt continues to show promise.

But they were never comfortable against the relentless Welsh, who pushed the home side right to the final whistle after Australia raced out to an early 17-0 lead. It was a pair of brilliant tries by Wallabies winger Filipo Daugunu that proved the difference, the first a length-of-the-field special and the second a spectacular reward for hard work.

Schmidt said Daugunu was the “difference maker” and he earned his haul, but warned the Wallabies can’t always rely on the long shots to come off. “Some of the tries were spectacular and were on the back of some really good skill but a little bit fortuitous as well.”

The former Ireland coach believes the Wallabies must improve if they are to challenge the world’s best. “I think we gave them some momentum and we just can’t afford to do that,” he said. “The good teams are better at that and we’ve got to be better at that.”

Both teams were looking to end inauspicious records in the second of their two Tests to determine the holders of the James Bevan Trophy. Wales had lost eight in a row stretching back to last year’s World Cup, where they embarrassed Eddie Jones’s side 40-6 in the group stage to eliminate the Australians. The home side hadn’t won two in a row since 2021.

Rain bucketed down in the hour before kick-off, making the early stages predictably tentative. But out of nothing the Wallabies produced a try-of-the-season contender. Fullback Tom Wright kept the ball alive under his goalposts after a loose pass inside from Noah Lolesio, and the ball found Andrew Kellaway.

His defensive chip bounced awkwardly in front of the advancing Wales fullback Cameron Winnett, but in a flash there was Kellaway again. He leapt to the bouncing ball first and, in one motion, found Fraser McReight on the inside. The flanker pumped his legs until run down by Welsh winger Rio Dyer, but handed it to No 11 Daugunu who glided over. The Wallabies had gone 100 metres in an instant, and all of a sudden there was optimism for rugby fans in Victoria.

They had done it with flair, and eight minutes later, the Wallabies were doing it in the trenches, with more than 20 phases leading to a penalty. By the middle of the half the lead was extended to 17 after Jake Gordon regathered his own up and under.

The visitors wrestled their way back into the contest, however. They had been effective in disrupting Australia’s line-out without reward, but twice before half-time they converted attacking set pieces with almost identical mauls. On both occasions the Australians didn’t go close to slowing the Welsh mass that looked like it could have rolled all the way to the MCG.

A yellow card for Lukhan Salakaia-Loto for high contact on Archie Griffin helped swing the momentum for the visitors. Yet the home side escaped the half with a 23-14 lead. They had shaded carries and metres, and enjoyed 54% of possession, but through it all the Welsh looked threatening.

Seven minutes into the second half, the visitors had their third try. A long build-up compressed the Wallabies line and forced a miscount on the Australians’ right flank, and winger Liam Williams scurried through untouched.

But there’s resilience in this new-look Wallabies side. Sustained attacking pressure ended in substitute Allan Alaalatoa crashing over, the frontrower scoring his first try for Australia after 67 appearances. Up the other end five minutes later, their defence too answered the Welsh interrogation , Rob Valetini forcing a Welsh turnover as the Wallabies were pinned on their line.

Daugunu’s second try was another stunner. As the Wallabies were clutching a narrow lead with 13 minutes to go, a kick for touch by Lolesio stayed in play. Williams leapt into the air and batted the ball back inside, but rather than his teammates he found the Australian winger, who was the only man chasing.

The try came out of nothing and pushed the lead to 12, but again the Welsh rallied. A blocked box kick by Nic White led to Dyer going over in the corner. The conversion by Sam Costelow brought them to within five. But again it was Schmidt’s side who had the answers, a late penalty goal by Ben Donaldson and control of field position securing the result.

After recording his ninth Test loss in a row, Wales coach Warren Gatland said he couldn’t question the effort of his players, and improvement would come if the team applied learnings from each game. “I’m confident this team is going to be a really good team, I can see signs out there,” he said.

The Wallabies meet Georgia at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium next Saturday before their Rugby Championship campaign begins against South Africa at Suncorp Stadium on 10 August.