The Rugby World Cup: Australia is practically eliminated after being humiliated by Wales.

Séisme en Ovalie. L’Australie balayée 40-6 par le pays de Galles, premier qualifié pour les phases finales du Mondial-2023, dimanche à Lyon, ne verra pas, sauf miracle, les quarts de finale de la Coupe du monde pour la première fois de son histoire.

Pour les Gallois, guère plus fringants que leurs adversaires avant le début de la compétition, c’est une bouffée d’oxygène inattendue qui pourrait se prolonger jusqu’aux demi-finales. En quarts, ils croiseront probablement le fer avec l’Angleterre qu’ils ont battue une fois sur deux en match de préparation ou l’Argentine, peu convaincante depuis le début du tournoi.

The Australian ordeal is not over.

But all eyes are on the Wallabies tonight, giants of world rugby, double world champions in 1991 and 1999, whose ordeal is not yet over as they still have one pool match to play, next Sunday in Saint-Étienne against Portugal before they can return home.

A week that will feel like a year to them, who have gone through this French World Cup like shadows, incredulous spectators of the constant battle between journalists from their country and their coach Eddie Jones, who returned to their side in January but probably won’t survive their shipwreck marked by a seventh defeat in eight matches since he took over the team. A week during which they will have plenty of time to engage in intricate calculations to dream of an improbable qualification, still mathematically possible.

Mauvais choix

They will also dwell on this 26th minute of the first half that marked the end of their slim hopes, and this collective decision, incomprehensible, to attempt a penalty touch instead of taking the three points that were offered to them. At this point in the game, caught off guard as early as the 3rd minute by Wales and a try from scrum-half Gareth Davies, trailing 10-6 but overall dominating the discussions, the Australians had the opportunity to come back within one point of their opponents.

Instead, they lost their touch, found themselves in their own half after a Welsh clearance, and were penalized in return. Gareth Anscombe, who replaced the injured Dan Biggar in the 13th minute, punished them: 13-6 instead of 10-9. From there, Australia drowned, failing to score any more points. The second half was a long descent into hell for Eddie Jones’ men, entangled in yet another controversy with the Australian press that morning for conducting a job interview with the Japanese federation, despite being committed to the Australian organization until 2027.

Le pays de Galles revient de l’enfer

De l’enfer, le pays de Galles, lui, en revient. Avant ce Mondial, les Gallois ont perdu à 15 reprises depuis 2022, dont une humiliation contre la Géorgie et une infamante avant dernière place dans le Tournoi 2023. – Recettes galloises – Une crise sportive concomitante à une crise financière au sein de leur fédération que Warren Gatland, leur sélectionneur, revenu au secours du XV du Poireau en 2023, après en avoir été le maître d’œuvre entre 2007 et 2019, est parvenu à juguler.

The New Zealander applied the same winning strategies as the Welsh – four Six Nations titles, including three Grand Slams – in the previous decade. A solid defense, a dominant pack capable of making ground with mauls, close-range attacks without taking risks, and a kicker, Anscombe, man of the match, who buried the Australians with his 23 points scored. 40-6, marking the biggest victory in Welsh history against Australia. After their loss to Fiji, this is another historic defeat for the Wallabies. Enough said.