A TOUCH of dj vu, possibly?

Well, not exactly. Wales might have lost this Test match in Sydney, as they have lost many others before, but after the calamity of a dreadful season back home, the tourists proved that in the face of adversity there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

That they lost said more about the strength of the Wallabies than it did anything else. But when the dust settles and the critics have shot the usual round of bullets, Welsh rugby should honestly look ahead with realistic optimism.

Admittedly, it has come to something when the nation is being asked to celebrate a 20-point defeat. But the same public had predicted a much heavier reverse than this. That being the case, maybe, just maybe, it is time to recognise that significant strides are being taken.

It has been a long time coming - since November of last year, Welsh rugby has struggled to even survive on the international stage.

A Six Nations Championship wooden spoon was proof of that, and a defeat three weeks ago against the Barbarians suggested that the summer tour could spell the end of Steve Hansen and his coaching team.

The knives were out, as usual, and Hansen seemingly had no answer, despite his plea for patience. Today, despite yet another defeat, the coach has justified reason to smile.

Slick at the set piece, especially the lineout where Robin McBryde's delivery was exemplary and eager to move the ball wide whenever possible, Wales looked anything but a side of down and outs. In the end, power and confidence held sway and the world champions built for Saturday's potentially explosive encounter against England in Melbourne by winning by five tries to one.

The opening went from the sublime to the ridiculous, with Wales dominating for seven and a half minutes without scoring, and then Australia, somewhat shell-shocked, running in three tries in 24 minutes.

It was almost surreal. First Mark Taylor ignored a two-man overlap on the left, and then Jonathan Thomas was held up just short as the forwards battered the Wallaby eight inside the host nation's 22. Could it be the real turning-point?

Well, on another day it might have been. Unfortunately, once again Wales reverted to type and showed why Hansen spends each morning searching for grey hairs.

From his own line, Wendell Sailor, that burly former rugby- league sort who has made a somewhat impressive transition to union, was presented with a bobbling ball behind his own line.

Sailor, sensing an opportunity around the short side, brushed off Jamie Robinson, Gareth Llewellyn and Rhys Williams and evaded the desperate chase of Martyn Williams to touch down in the corner.

It got worse when full-back Chris Latham carved open the Welsh midfield on halfway. Sailor joined him on the inside and with his options closed down by Williams, Latham measured a kick around the back of the covering Welsh defence, and Sailor won the race for the line to score his second.

Stephen Jones and Elton Flatley exchanged penalties to leave the score at 13-3, and George Gregan set up Latham for a try on the left that put the world champions 18-3 to the good at half-time.

But if the first half had been promising, after the calamity of the opening dozen minutes, the second half was equally impressive and Wales were thoroughly deserving of their 53rd-minute try.

A sloppy penalty kick for touch by Latham was fielded by Rhys Williams, who sent Shanklin off upfield. A penalty ensued, but instead of going for goal, Stephen Jones opted for touch. The rest was clinical.

Sidoli leapt high to claim the lineout, and after the ball had been swept infield, Jones picked up.

The Wallaby response brought tries for hooker Jeremy Paul and replacement centre Nathan Grey, but that double whammy should not take away from the Welsh performance and they might have had a second try when Gareth Cooper lost the ball as he dived in at the corner in injury time.

It was better, much better, and if Hansen is given the time, he will certainly produce a side easily capable of reaching the last eight, at least come October.

Australia: C Latham; W Sailor, M Turinui, S Kefu (N Grey 67mins), J Roff (L Tuquiri 73mins); E Flatley, G Gregan (capt. C Whitaker 78mins)); B Young, J Paul (B Cannon 68mins), P Noriega (B Darwin 55mins), N Sharpe, D Giffin (D Vickerman 64mins), D Lyons (D Heenan 72mins), P Waugh, T Kefu.

Scorers. Australia: Tries: Sailor (2), Latham, Paul, Grey. Con: Roff. Pens: Flatley

Wales: R Williams; M Jones, J Robinson, M Taylor, T Shanklin; S Jones, G Cooper; I Thomas, R McBryde (M Davies 72mins), G Jenkins, G Llewellyn (C Wyatt 69mins), R Sidoli, J Thomas (A Popham 76mins), M Williams (capt), C Charvis

Wales. Tries: Robinson Cons: Jones. Pens: Jones Ref: M Lawrence (South Africa)