Wales, semi finalists in the inaugural tournament on home soil last year, found not only the speed and running lines of an Australian squad brimming with Super 14 talent too good, but were also undone by the power of the opposition pack in the scrum and open play.
A crowd of nearly 4,000 had turned up to watch the Pool D decider, one Wales went into knowing that victory was a must if a semi final place was to become a reality. However, Wales had few chances to score against a defence that had not conceded a try in two matches.
Richard Kingi had scored a Junior World Championship record 26 points – including a record-equalling four tries – in Australia’s opening victory over Canada and it was the scrum half who opened the scoring with a sixth minute penalty.
Wales fly half Matthew Jarvis missed with a difficult long range penalty that would have levelled the scores and instead it was Australia who doubled their advantage when Wales handled in the ruck after a great break from Kingi, the scrum half kicking his second penalty.
Two more penalties from the boot of Australian Sevens player Kingi put his side 12-0 up after 25 minutes with Wales struggling to get out of their own half and very little ball to work with. Jarvis had a chance to get Wales on the scoreboard, but missed with another long range penalty.
Australia had by now lost full back Kurtley Beale – who like Kingi had crossed four times against Canada – to injury, but it did not diminish their attacking threat with his replacement Clinton Sills – who joined the squad this week after Rob Horne returned home injured – a more than able replacement.
Wales finally managed to spend some time in Australia’s half as the interval approached and worked themselves into the 22 with some pick and goes, but the pass to their unmarked wing was forward and their opponent’s line remained intact with the half time score 12-0.
This missed opportunity proved costly when prop Albert Anae touched down within two minutes of the restart . That stretched Australia’s advantage to 17 points despite Kingi missing the conversion. Ten minutes later another chance for Wales to get on the scoreboard went astray with Jarvis missing a third penalty attempt.
Kingi had a hand in Australia’s second try, the scrum half sniping away and passing inside to the supporting wing Rodney Davies, who chipped over the defence and then gathered to score under the posts and make the conversion a simple kick for Kingi.
Davies claimed his second and Australia’s third try with 10 minutes remaining, the fourth seeds attacking off a scrum in their own 22 with fly half Matt To’omua making the break before the ball went wide for the wing to touch down in the corner to stretch the lead to 31-0.
Their place in the semi finals long since assured, a rare Australian knock on led to a try for Wales – the first conceded by Australia in the IRB TOSHIBA Junior World Championship – with the ball kicked ahead and then hacked on again by for replacement Rhys Downes to ground the ball just before it went dead.
There was still time, though, for Australia to have the final say. A great incisive run by Sills set up the opportunity, the ball being worked out wide to the right and following three pick and goes it was left to second row Rob Simmons to touch down.
Australia will now head to Tokyo on Sunday for the semi finals, already guaranteed to better their fifth place finish in 2008, while Wales will remain in Fukuoka to await the other second placed teams with Six Nations runners up Ireland their next opponents at the Level 5 Stadium on Wednesday.
Wales head coach Phil Davies said: “Congratulations to the Australians. They played well but I’m very proud of our team. We did a lot of things correctly but Australia capitalised on our mistakes which is the mark of a good side. It has been a good pool stage, we have won two out of three which keeps us in the top eight for Argentina next year. We look forward to the knockout stages, and want to finish as high as we can.”
