Wales took on the Wallabies at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales tonight. The Wallabies won handsomely, 33 / 12.

Match summary taken from rugbyweek.com

Australia finished their failed grand slam tour, and 2009, on a winning note with a convincing 33-12 victory over Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

The Wallabies had seen dreams of a grand slam dashed by a 20-20 draw with Ireland and hopes of an unbeaten tour disappear with last week’s shock 9-8 loss to Scotland at Murrayfield.

But here they were slick as they had been error-prone in Edinburgh, running in four tries – from Digby Ioane, James Horwill, David Pocock and Tatafu Polota-Nau – to Wales’s none.

And they kept the home side scoreless after half-time as they atoned for a 21-18 loss in last year’s corresponding fixture.

Meanwhile, man-of-the-match Matt Giteau, who had a wretched day with the boot against Scotland, kicked 13 points and orchestrated play superbly.

“We wanted to make amends for the way we played last week,” Australia captain Rocky Elsom told the BBC.

The flanker added: “We’ve learnt a few lessons on this tour and the key is to carry them forward so that we develop into a better side than we are now.” This was only Australia’s third win in 11 Tests and just the result their under-pressure Kiwi coach Robbie Deans needed.

Deans’s compatriot, Warren Gatland, the Wales coach, said this was his most disappointing result in nearly two years in charge.

“It’s the most disappointing performance since I’ve been in charge of Wales,” he told reporters. “We played against a team that was a little more desperate than we were.

“Australia completely dominated the air, defensively it was one of the best displays I’ve seen from an Australian side.

“Their scrum was very strong and (Australia were too) in contact.” Australia, with the stadium’s retractable roof closed and so aiding running rugby, scored three first half tries to lead 23-12 at the break And Wales needed three penalties from fly-half Stephen Jones to stay in touch in an opening 40 minutes where they lost both their wings, Shane Williams (hamstring) and Leigh Halfpenny (dead leg), as well as hooker Matthew Rees (groin) to injury.

The match at Murrayfield ended with Giteau missing a conversion that would have won Australia the game; this one started with his kick-off failing to go the required 10 metres.

But from the ensuing scrum on half-way, Wales prop Paul James was penalised for collapsing and Giteau’s ensuing kick gave the Wallabies the lead.

Three minutes later, Wales suffered the massive blow of losing try-scoring flyer Shane Williams.

Australia piled on the agony by going 8-0 up in as many minutes with a well-worked try.

Quade Cooper, standing at first receiver, floated a long pass to Giteau and whose expert grubber kick into the left corner sat up perfectly for Ioane.

Wales were losing out in the breakdown with young Wallaby openside flanker Pocock, in for veteran George Smith on rotation, outstanding.

No sooner had Halfpenny scored Wales’s opening points then Australia had their second try.

Prop forward Benn Robinson made a break worthy of a back and found left wing Drew Mitchell outside him.

Mitchell made no mistake with the ensuing pass to Horwill, showing impressive pace for a lock, and he went in at the corner.

Stephen Jones’s first penalty cut the Wallabies’ lead but Australia responded with their third try inside the opening 24 minutes.

Scrum-half Will Genia expertly fieldied a high ball under pressure from Wales centre Jamie Roberts and then saw his kick ungainly miskicked into touch by home full-back James Hook.

From the ensuing lineout, Australia retained possession and Pocock scored by the side of the posts.

Pocock had to go off at the break with a dislocated thumb but Australia did not lose much by bringing Smith into the fray.

Wales squandered six points after both Hook and Stephen Jones were off target with penalties early in the second half.

And the result was put beyond doubt when replacement hooker Polota-Nau, following Giteau’s break, crossed Wales’s line just after the hour-mark.

Points:

Wales: 2 Penalties Lee Halfpenny, 2 Penalties Stephen Jones

Wallabies: 3 Penalties & 2 Conversions Matt Giteau, 1 Try Digby Ioane, 1 Try James Horwill, 1 Try David Pocock, 1 Try Tatafu Polota-Nau

Teams:

Wales: 15 James Hook, 14 Leigh Halfpenny, 13 Jamie Roberts, 12 Jonathan Davies, 11 Shane Williams, 10 Stephen Jones, 9 Dwayne Peel, 8 Andy Powell, 7 Martyn Williams, 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Luke Charteris, 4 Alun-Wyn Jones, 3 Paul James, 3 Matthew Rees, 1 Gethin Jenkins (captain).
Replacements: 16 Huw Bennett, 17 Duncan Jones, 18 Jonathan Thomas, 19 Sam Warburton, 20 Martin Roberts, 21 Andrew Bishop, 22 Tom James

Australia: 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Peter Hynes, 13 Digby Ioane, 12 Quade Cooper, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Will Genia, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom (captain), 5 Dean Mumm, 4 James Horwill, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Matt Dunning, 18 Mark Chisholm, 19 George Smith, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 James O’Connor, 21 Kurtley Beale.

Date: Saturday, November 28
Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Kick-off: 19.15 SA Time (17.15 GMT; 06.15 AEDT, November 29)
Expected weather conditions: Sixty percent chance of showers.  9°C . Wind southwest at 26 kmph
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Peter Allan (Scotland)
TMO: Geoff Warren (England)