It's delight for Australia as they keep their Grand Slam hopes alive thanks to this emphatic win -- their biggest ever over Wales in Cardiff -- and despair for Wales as they slump to their longest ever losing streak with 11 straight losses. It gets no easier for Warren Gatland who has to rally his men to face the World Champion Springboks next weekend to close out 2024, while the Wallabies have two tests left in their Autumn Nations Series as they take on first Scotland next weekend and then Ireland in their final test of the year.

It's very telling that in the 20 minutes that Australia were down to 14 players they managed not to concede a single point while scoring 14 of their own. Wales narrowed the gap on the scoreboard before the break, but the Wallabies came back out of the tunnel with fire in their bellies. They threw everything they had at the Welsh defence, and even when they didn't have ball in hand they were brutal on defence, forcing Wales back and getting themselves over the ball at breakdowns to force turnovers.

Australia's backline were also excellent on attack, with some stunning stepping getting them onto the front foot and down into the right areas of the pitch. They were often unstoppable once they got past the first couple of defenders, with a few tries scored from quite a way out from the tryline, and some scored completely against the run of play with Frost pouncing on a loose ball from Wales early in the first half and Wright intercepting a pass almost ball on his 22 in the second to run in another.

It was a great effort from the Wallabies at lineout time. Aside from those crucial steals on Welsh ball they were lethal with their own, setting a couple of brutal rolling mauls that drove right on through the Welsh defence and onto the line. Matt Faessler becomes the first Australian hooker to score a hat-trick as a result of that! Those same rolling mauls that caused such concern for the Aussies on defence against this side in July have instead proved to be a very beneficial avenue of attack today in Cardiff.

Wales looked like they had a strong scrum at times, but they found themselves under enormous pressure at the lineouts, losing three in a row on their own ball with what was two of their best scoring opportunities deep inside the Wallabies 22. When they did have ball in hand they found themselves falling foul of a massive defensive line from Australia which forced them backwards over and over again through some absolutely massive tackles, forcing them ultimately to end up kicking the ball away in frustration.

A huge performance from Australia! Wales came back at them in the second quarter, but even before the break the Wallabies had shifted the momentum back in their favour again, and they went on to add another five tries to their tally in the second half despite spending 20 minutes down a man thanks to Kerevi's red card. Wales really just weren't up to standard today, unable to control that Wallabies backline and finding themselves under pressure from the relentless nature of the forward pack on attack.

Lolesio pulls this one just short on the left from out on the wing.

Straight over the top for Valetini who carries up into contact. Recycled infield to Kellaway who dodges one and then flicks it quickly to the left wing where a break off the base of the ruck opens things up! A weaving run there dodges three, and then the pass goes to Wright who sprints the last 50m on his own to run it in in the left corner!