WALES started their autumn series with a 25-16 defeat after being outplayed by Australia at the Millennium Stadium this afternoon.

The Wallabies outscored their hosts three tries to one to back up last weekend’s superb win against the All Blacks.

Wales will have been delighted by how their scrum destroyed the Australians’ set piece but on the whole it was a miserable afternoon, compounded by a crowd of just 53,127.

Wales struck first with an early penalty by Stephen Jones but the Wallabies then laid siege to the hosts line.

After a couple of close efforts they eventually got their reward when openside flanker David Pocock barged over from close range on six minutes, James O’Connor adding the extras.

The Aussie backs were looking slick but the visitors were being battered in the scrum, though Jones missed a routine penalty that had been won by the powerful Welsh front row.

However, the Scarlets man made no mistake on 32 minutes to make it 7-6 but missed another gilt-edged chance that would have put Wales in front on the stroke of half-time.

But the Australians had daylight just seven minutes into the second half when a lucky rebound from an attempted grubber kick fell into the hands of Kurtley Beale, who sent O’Connor flying down the right wing.

He drew the last man and put full-back Beale over before adding the conversion to make it 14-6.

Wales were prepared to roll over and it was through their dominant scrum that they got back within a score thanks to a third Jones penalty, However, the killer blow came with a quarter left when Quade Cooper ripped the ball away from lock Bradley Davies inside the Australian half and the ball was worked to Drew Mitchell on the left wing.

Tacklers bounced off the wideman before the ball was switched to the right where tighthead prop Ben Alexander - who had a miserable afternoon in the set piece - had a simple run-in.

The Wallabies stretched it to 22-9 through O’Connor when Tom Shanklin tackled Pocock early inside the 22, an offence that also saw the centre sent to the sin bin and it was starting to get out of hand.

To Wales’ credit they came firing back, aided by the swift service of replacement scrum-half Richie Rees.

Impressive lock Alun Wyn Jones was just short of the line but it earned the hosts prime attacking position five metres out.

A penalty try looked on the cards after the Aussies repeatedly offended but in the end it wasn’t needed - Rees scuttled over and Jones added the extras with nine minutes left.

There were brief hopes of a comeback to rival the Six Nations thriller with Scotland but O’Connor settled Australian nerves with a penalty in front of the Wales sticks.

The crowd voiced their displeasure at the officials but it was a correct call - the fly-half was in front of Martyn Williams when the flanker hacked clear.

Game over but the Wallabies weren’t done, tapping quick penalties after the 80 minutes.

Thankfully Wales limited the damage but, as the 25-16 scoreline shows, were second best against a southern hemisphere side yet again.

Wales scorers: try - R Rees; conversion - S Jones; penalties - S Jones (3) Australia scorers: tries - D Pocock, K Beale, B Alexander; conversions - J O’Connor (2); penalties - J O’Connor (2)