WALES 18 AUSTRALIA 21

WALES went out with a whimper rather than a bang as their World Cup, which promised so much, ended on a disappointing note in Auckland yesterday.

They gave possibly their least effective performance at the very end as they failed to nail down third place in the competition, a position they probably deserved after setting the tournament alight in the early stages and in their memorable quarter-final success against Ireland.

But it was soon apparent that they were running pretty much on empty, it was clear they missed keys players Sam Warburton, Adam Jones and Rhys Priestland and above all they were again wayward on the place kicking front.

After tossing away a total of 17 points against France in the semi-final, which they lost by a point, they threw away another eight against Australia from two missed penalties, one a sitter from James Hook, plus a conversion, and they lost by three, so they are fairly damning statistics.

The pace about the field and general organisation of Warburton could not be adequately replaced and neither could the scrummaging prowess of Jones, while for the second game in a row Hook and Stephen Jones were off key, Hook having another poor match and again hauled off early in the second half.

It vindicated yet again coach Warren Gatland’s decision right from the start of the tournament to go for Rhys Priestland at 10.

Apart from the obvious kicking weakness and the absence of key men, the Australians, as their top flanker David Pocock admitted after the match, clearly did their homework on Wales and recognised the threat of Jamie Roberts in particular, ensuring he made little ground, though he didn’t receive quite the service Priestland gives him.

Not only that, but Mike Phillips was a little off key as well, but perhaps that could be excused after his exceptional performances two weeks in a row in the quarter and semi-finals against Ireland and France.

But yet again lock Luke Charteris was quite outstanding until tiredness got the better of him in the second half, again exceptional for the volume of work he got through and twice he brought off try saving tackles as well.

Gatland threw on all his replacements in an effort to get back into the game, and their effectiveness showed when they put the ball through 30 phases again at the end and were rewarded with a cracking try by Leigh Halfpenny. It was too little too late again, but it did show Wales’ huge commitment and never-say-die attitude.

But Australia held the upper hand for much of the game and if Wales were affected by the absence of three key players the Wallabies lost two of theirs in the opening 20 minutes.

First full back Kurtley Beale, who probably should never have started, had to depart when his hamstring let him down again and then key man Quade Cooper had to be helped off when he tried one hitchkick too many and damaged knee ligaments.

Yet still they looked the sharper side as scrum half Will Genia and centre Berrick Barnes showed real flashes of skill.

Barnes got the opening try after only 12 minutes when he almost bisected Roberts and Jonathan Davies and sped across for James O’Connor to convert and he dropped a crucial goal in the second half to earn the man-of-the match award.

But a Hook penalty in the first half was followed by Shane Williams’ 58th try for Wales in the 49th minute in his final World Cup appearance, with maybe one more Wales game left, though Hook’s pass looked more than a bit forward.

Wales held the lead for just five minutes before Australia nailed it with two quickfire O’Connor penalties and that Barnes dropped goal before driving their advantage home when a series of attacks ended with No8 Ben McCalman crossing.

Wales defiantly came back one more time and in a multi-phase attack Halfpenny eventually sped across for a try which Jones converted.

The gap was just three points but there was no time for a restart and Wales bowed out ingloriously though with a whole host of new fans Down Under for the way they had set the World Cup alight.

WALES: L Halfpenny, G North (S Jones 33-36), J Davies (Scott Williams 69), J Roberts, S Williams, J Hook (S Jones 50), M Phillips (L Williams 63), G Jenkins (captain), H Bennett (L Burns 69), P James (R Bevington 63), L Charteris (A Wyn Jones 53), B Davies, D Lydiate (A Powell 63), R Jones, T Faletau.

Scorers – tries: S Williams, L Halfpenny; conversion: S Jones; penalties: J Hook, S Jones.

Australia: K Beale (R Horne 9), J O’Connor, A Ashley-Cooper, B Barnes, D Ione, Q Cooper (A Faingaa 21), W Genia, J Slipper, T Polota-Nau (S Faingaa 51), S Ma’afu (B Alexander 59), J Horwill (captain), N Sharpe (R Simmons 45), S Higginbotham (R Samo 30-33), B McCalman, D Pocock.

Scorers – tries: B Barnes, B McCalman; conversion: J O’Connor; penalties: O’Connor (2); dropped goal: Barnes.

Attendance: 53,013.