Wallabies get it together to win 31-0 - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Wallabies get it together to win 31-0

By Jim Morton 02/06/2007 10:23:56 PM Comments (0)

Australia secured a series clean sweep over Wales with a record-setting 31-0 victory in the second Test at Suncorp Stadium.

A revitalised George Gregan and the rookie back three of Julian Huxley, Digby Ioane and Drew Mitchell ensured halftime jeers for the Wallabies were replaced with cheers from the Brisbane crowd.

Hurt by the boos of the 41,622 fans after a diabolical first half, the Wallabies responded with three second-half tries to seal the inaugural James Bevan Trophy.

Leading 6-0 at the break, Australia scored 25 unanswered points to keep the Welsh scoreless for the first time in the 99-year history of Tests between the two nations.

Debutant winger Ioane challenged blockbusting No.8 Wycliff Palu for his well-deserved man-of-the-match award by scoring an exhilarating opening try and being a menace throughout.

Ioane also shut down Wales' best chance of the night when he produced a brilliant one-on-one cover tackle on rival winger Alled Brew.

The 21-year-old flyer was to be a major target for the Welsh, particularly alongside fellow greenhorns Huxley and Mitchell.

Both Huxley and Mitchell also cashed in on the second-half dominance by crossing for tries and each showed promising signs.

When Mitchell crossed after good handling by Gregan and Nathan Sharpe in the 59th minute, the game was as good as over at 24-0.

Ioane's debut was a rare highlight of the Test, breaking the game open minutes after the break by racing away after Palu made the initial bust for Sharpe to break away and hand off to Huxley.

"It's the best feeling of my life, to play for Australia here, and I'll always remember this game," he said.

But many in the crowd will want to forget it after a woeful first half dominated by the whistle of New Zealand referee Paul Honiss and elementary errors and indiscipline.

The tormented Brisbane fans vented their spleens at Honiss and both teams by booing them off the field at halftime.

There were an amazing 40 stoppages for the half and the referee called out both captains late in the half and made a plea for "positive play".

Exasperated former Test winger Damian Smith, calling the game for ABC Radio, bemoaned: "Fair dinkum, that's disgraceful rugby. We can't get four phases without someone knocking it on."

Coach John Connolly reacted at halftime, benching hooker Stephen Moore, who produced four crooked lineout throws, and also replacing centre Adam Ashley-Cooper with Gregan.

Gregan's presence, allowing an off-key Matt Giteau to move back to his customary No.12 role, gave the Wallabies the direction and composure they were lacking.

Gregan's impact may have ended the Giteau halfback experiment.

It was a forgettable match for the Welsh, with salt rubbed into their wounds by a sickening injury to winger Chris Czejak.

Czejak was carted off midway through the first half with a broken right leg after his boot stuck in the surface while he was spun in a low tackle by Moore.

The Welsh lost another back before the break when centre Jamie Robinson succumbed to a thigh injury to force a backline reshuffle.

Sharpe had a hand in the first both tries and earned an early shower for his efforts, the first time since 2005 he has failed to play out the full 80 minutes of an Australian Test.

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