The Wallabies took on Uruguay at Oita in a Pool D clash.
Australia came into the game having lost to group leaders Wales and were hoping for a response. Uruguay meanwhile were bottom of the group and came off a loss to Georgia.
The game kicked off and Australia inflicted the first blow with a converted try just 5 minutes in. Dane Haylett-Petty finished off the move in the corner after they switched it out wide as Los Teros got drawn into the breakdown. Christian Lealiifano got the conversion for a 7-0 score.
Australia 45-10 Uruguay: Watch highlights below
11 minutes in and Uruguay were awarded a penalty and Felipe Berchesi stepped up and added three points for the South Americans.
13 minutes and Australia’s Adam Coleman was sin-binned for for a high tackle and it was up to Uruguay to cash in on their man advantage.
24 minutes in and 19-year-old Jordan Petaia burst through a gap to pivot over the line to score his first international try on his debut. With Lealiifano’s conversion, 14-3 the scoreline read.
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto became the second Aussie player to visit the sin bin after a high tackle 28 minutes in.
Despite being a man down, the Wallabies scored their third try two minutes later after good work from Petaia who fed Tevita Kuridrani who scored under the posts. Lealiifano missed the conversion as the score read 19-3 to the Aussies.
19 – The @wallabies' Jordan Petaia (19y 205d) is the second youngest player to score a try at the @rugbyworldcup, after @George_North who crossed for Wales against Namibia in 2011 aged 19 years and 166 days. Youthful.#RWC2019 #AUSvURU pic.twitter.com/HiQjw4E8Rc
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) October 5, 2019
Uruguay had demonstrated grit and resolve in the encounter but were found wanting in that clinical edge.
39 minutes in and Los Teros appeared to score a try after Tomas Inciarte cleared the line, but it was eventually ruled out as Manuel Diana was found to be offside in the buildup. Halftime arrived; the Wallabies were in a comfortable position despite being far from their best and Los Teros had been error prone despite putting up a fight.
The second half kicked off and five minutes in, Australia scored another converted try to grab their bonus point. Kuridrani galloped through to score his second try of the game and Lealiifano grabbed the extras. 53 minutes in and Will Genia, who had been on the pitch for two minutes grabbed a try after brilliant work from Jack Dempsey to power through a couple of tackles to feed him the ball. Lealiifano converted for a score of 33-3 to the Wallabies.
Australia got their sixth try of the match 61 minutes in, after James Slipper scored his first international try on his 94th cap for his country, inciting enthusiastic celebrations from his teammates and a standing ovation from the bench. Again, Lealiifano converted for a score of 40-3.
68 minutes in and Haylett-Petty scored after a through ball from Genia as the Aussies put up a resounding 45-3 scoreline following the conversion.
With just two minutes left in the game, Uruguay found a just reward for their hard efforts with a try after Diana muscled over the line from close range. Berchesi grabbed the conversion as the final scoreline read 45-10.
And so it finished at Oita. Australia did well to return to winning ways but there were individual errors in their game that they will need to remedy if they are to go deep in this tournament. They face Georgia next and as for Uruguay, their fighting spirit was on display and they have entertained their fans and the crowd on multiple occasions in this tournament; Los Teros face off against Wales in their final clash before bowing out of the RWC 2019.
Tevita Kuridrani clocked up some huge stats to win the @Mastercard Player of the Match against Uruguay
Made 120 metres (1st)
Two Clean Breaks (1st)
Nine Defenders Beaten (1st)
Two Tries#POTM #RWC2019 #StartSomethingPriceless pic.twitter.com/pWpVzwihyY— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 5, 2019
