Australia repel Wales to earn Scotland quarter-final

And when Adam Ashley-Cooper made the gamble of his 110-cap career by cutting off North in midfield deep in his own half to turnover possession, he not only alleviated the siege but set his side on a course to an 11th successive victory over Wales.

Australia scored their eleventh straight victory over Wales despite being two men down at one stage and under a relentless red onslaught.

It meant Australia, who crushed England 33-13 and Fiji 28-13, came through Pool A unbeaten but Cheika was a relieved man after the riveting encounter. You don’t want to miss those games. We backed ourselves to go to the corner.

It was not quite the hostile or critical inquisition that greeted England captain Chris Robshaw when the hosts could have sealed a draw against Wales two weeks previously and Warburton was unequivocal.

Foley slotted his fifth penalty of the day in the 73rd minute and Australia returned to their full compliment, and it proved to be too much for Wales as the Wallabies comfortably saw them game out, with Alex Cuthebert getting binned with five minutes remaining for a deliberate knock-on.

No country has ever won the World Cup three times, but Australia have now given themselves potentially an easier route to the final, with Scotland next Sunday, then Ireland or Argentina in their way.

If Wales’s attack struggled to make a breakthrough, Scotland, the Six Nations wooden spoon team, are also likely to – despite their new-found appetite for crossing the whitewash.

“We didn’t capitalise, probably through a fault of ours, and that we didn’t finish it is credit to them (Australia) and their resolute defence as well”.

Warburton stood by his decision to chase a try when three points were on offer against the Wallabies. “We talked during the week about what was effective slowing the Austalian ball down because they are a potent attacking side”, said Gatland.

Genia’s yellow card for failing to go back 10meteres and Dean Mumm’s for a tackle in the air was a disappointment, leaving thirteen men on field.

Scotland and Samoa had served up a feast of entertainment through seven tries but this was a no less exciting and tense.

Dan Biggar opened the scoring and kicked two goals for Wales, which trailed 9-6 at halftime.

Yet as Welsh attackers could not find the wit nor imagination to get on the outside of or through the beleaguered golden line, their assaults kept being repelled in a fashion which even the defeated coach Warren Gatland could only find one suitable word for.

“(Scrumhalf) Gareth (Davies) has done that and played exceptionally well. “He had a very successful time in France”.

In the second half, the game opened up more. With Moore a constant voice in the ear of referee Craig Joubert, the Wallabies had no problem winding down the clock in a disjointed final 10 minutes.

“They haven’t had a great 12 months, but when they have their backs to the wall and have been criticised, they have shown great character to come back”, Gatland said. “It’s going to be a huge match, but our objective at the start of the tournament was to come out of the pool, and we’ve done that and we need to be positive”.