Wales suffer record loss in heavy Australia defeat

Wales (13) 20

Tries: Wainwright, Thomas Con: Anscombe, Costleow Pens: Anscombe 2

Australia (19) 52

Tries: Wright 3, Frost, Faessler 3, Ikitau Cons: Lolesio 6

Wales sank to an all-time results low in their 143-year international rugby history with a record defeat by Australia in Cardiff.

The embarrassing loss will leave the position of head coach Warren Gatland under scrutiny as he guided his side to a record 11th consecutive international defeat.

Australia hooker Matt Faessler and full-back Tom Wright completed hat-tricks in the eight-try display.

First-half tries from full-back Wright, lock Nick Frost and Faessler saw Australia open up an early 19-0 lead.

Wales responded with 13 points in seven minutes with a try from number eight Aaron Wainwright and Gareth Anscombe's boot.

Australia centre Samu Kerevi was shown an early second half 20-minute red card for a high dangerous tackle on Jac Morgan.

Wales again failed to capitalise on the numerical advantage as Australia scored three tries when down to 14 men with a Faessler double and second for Wright.

Cardiff centre Ben Thomas crossed, but Len Ikitau and Wright touched down as the Wallabies accumulated points record against Wales in Cardiff.

Australia followed up their thrilling victory against England last weekend with further matches against Scotland and Ireland this autumn to come.

For Wales, world champions South Africa arriving in Cardiff next Saturday as the hosts look to avoid finishing a calendar year without a win for the first time since 1937.

Just under 14 months ago Wales posted a record 40-6 World Cup win in Lyon that underlined Australia's demise under Eddie Jones.

Since Gatland led Wales to the World Cup quarter-final, his side have not won a Test match for 407 days since beating Georgia in Nantes.

That sequence has included three defeats by Australia and further losses against Argentina, Scotland, England, Ireland, France, Italy, South Africa and Fiji.

Last weekend equalled the run of 10 Test losses set under Steve Hansen in 2002 and 2003 in that Fiji defeat and now Gatland's squad are out on their own with an unwanted piece of history.

Since taking over from Wayne Pivac and returning for a second stint as Wales boss before the 2023 Six Nations, Gatland has overseen six victories and 17 defeats from 23 Tests, a win ratio of 26%.

Wales have also won just one out of nine games in Cardiff in Gatland's second stint with no victory at their Principality Stadium home since August 2023.

They finished bottom of the Six Nations this year for the first time since 2003 and have slipped to their lowest position of 11th in the world rankings.

This downturn starkly contrasts with Gatland's first 12-year spell that delivered World Cup semi-final appearances, Six Nations titles, Grand Slams and briefly world number one status.

Wales: Winnett; Rogers, Llewellyn, B Thomas, Murray; Anscombe, Bevan; G Thomas, Lake (capt), Griffin, Rowlands, Beard, Botham, Morgan, Wainwright.

Replacements: Elias, N Smith, Assiratti, Tshiunza, Reffell, R Williams, Costelow, James.

Australia: Wright; Kellaway, Ikitau, Kerevi, Jorgensen; Lolesio, White; Bell, Faessler, Alaalatoa, Frost, Skelton, Uru, McReight, Valetini.

Replacements: Paenga-Amosa, Slipper, Nonggorr, Salakaia-Loto, Gleeson, McDermott, Donaldson, Suaalii.

Twenty minute red card: Kerevi 41

Referee: James Doleman (New Zealand)

Assistant referee 1: Karl Dickson (England)

Assistant referee 2: Angus Mabey (New Zealand)

TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)