Australia bounce back in Brisbane
*
 |
| Digby Ioane of the Wallabies is tackled during the international test match
between the Australian Wallabies and Wales at Suncorp Stadium on June 9, 2012 in
Brisbane, Australia.
(
June 8, 2012 - Source: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images
AsiaPac)
**
Australia bounced back from their shock loss to Scotland with a morale-boosting 27-19 win over Wales at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday.
What a difference four days makes, as the hosts dug deep to prove their doubters wrong and take a 1-0 lead in the series against this year's Six Nations Grand Slam champions.*  Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images AsiaPac ** Wales, who at one stage trailed by fourteen points (20-6), managed to claw their way back into the match and cut the deficit to one (20-19) in an absorbing encounter. * But a try by centre Pat McCabe in the 67th minute proved to be the killer blow as the Welsh slumped to their fifth straight defeat to Australia. The Wallabies' win takes the heat off under-pressure coach Robbie Deans, whose side rebounded impressively from Tuesday's Scottish disaster with an enterprising ball-in-hand game plan at their Brisbane fortress. Wales - desperate to end a 43-year drought Down Under - were forced to play catch-up rugby throughout, and it all started when Berrick Barnes opened the scoring with a straightforward penalty kick in the ninth minute. *  Sam Warburton of Wales is tackled Cameron Spencer/Getty Images AsiaPac ** Man of the match: Alex Cuthbert was Wales' standout player,, while David Pocock, Scott Higginbotham, Berrick Barnes and Adam Ashley-Cooper all made significant contributions for Australia. But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who gets our vote - Will Genia take a bow. Apart from his try, Genia looked every bit the general in the number nine position. * Moment of the match: Genia's try... pure magic. * Villain of the match: No malice to report! http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,9989_7802790,00.html *** |
***
