History of rugby union matches between Australia and Wales

Last updated

Since 1908 Australia and Wales have competed against each other in rugby union in 46 matches, Australia having won 31, Wales 14, with 1 draw. Since 2007 the teams have competed for the James Bevan Trophy, which was created to celebrate 100 years of rugby between the two nations.

Contents

Summary

Overview

DetailsPlayedWon by
Australia
Won by
Wales
DrawnAustralia pointsWales points
In Australia121110376172
In Wales2918101613479
Neutral venue523088115
Overall46311411,077766

Records

Note: Date shown in brackets indicates when the record was or last set.

RecordAustraliaWales
Longest winning streak13 (28 Nov 2009 – 10 Nov 2018)3 (21 Jun 1969 – 11 Jun 1978; 10 Nov 2018 – 26 Nov 2022)
Largest points for
Home63 (22 July 1991)34 (26 November 2022)
Away39 (26 November 2022)40 (24 September 2023)
Largest winning margin
Home57 (22 July 1991)25 (20 December 1975)
Away35 (12 October 1991)34 (24 September 2023)

History

In the first 70 years, Wales won six of the eight matches. Over the next 10 years it was fairly even, but since the first World Cup in 1987, Australia has dominated by 26 wins to 6. The 2006 match ended in the second highest-scoring draw of all time, 29–29.

Australia snatched victory in the inaugural James Bevan Trophy test match 29–23 with a last minute try at the Telstra Stadium in Sydney on 26 May 2007. They followed this up with a 31–0 victory at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

Wales captured the trophy the following year with a 21–18 victory in Cardiff, but since then it remained in Australian hands with 13 consecutive wins. Three victories in Cardiff in 2009–11 were followed up by a 3–0 series win in Australia in 2012, all by narrow margins. In the return match at Cardiff, Australia once again won with a last minute try.

The 2011 Rugby World Cup brought Australia and Wales together again for another third-place play-off, and once again it was a close finish, with Australia claiming third place in a reversal of the first World Cup in 1987, when Wales won the play-off 22–21.

Wales ended a run of 13 consecutive defeats against Australia on 10 November 2018, winning 9–6. They have since defeated Australia 29–25 in the 2019 Rugby World Cup, 29–28 in Cardiff on 20 November 2021 and a record 40-6 in the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Results

No.DateVenueScoreWinnerCompetition
112 December 1908 National Stadium, Cardiff 9–6Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg  Wales 1908–09 Australia tour of Great Britain
226 November 1927National Stadium, Cardiff8–18Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1927–28 Waratahs tour of Europe and North America
320 December 1947National Stadium, Cardiff6–0Flag of Wales (1807-1953).svg  Wales 1947–48 Australia tour of Europe and North America
44 January 1958National Stadium, Cardiff9–3Flag of Wales (1953-1959).svg  Wales 1957–58 Australia tour of Great Britain, Ireland and France
53 December 1966National Stadium, Cardiff11–14Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1966–67 Australia tour of Great Britain, Ireland and France
621 June 1969 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 16–19Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 1969 Wales tour of Australia, New Zealand and Fiji
710 November 1973National Stadium, Cardiff24–0Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 1973 Australia tour of Great Britain and Italy
820 December 1975National Stadium, Cardiff28–3Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 1975–76 Australia tour of Great Britain, Ireland and North America
911 June 1978 Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane 18–8Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1978 Wales tour of Australia
1017 June 1978Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney19–17Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
115 December 1981National Stadium, Cardiff18–13Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 1981–82 Australia tour of Great Britain and Ireland
1224 November 1984National Stadium, Cardiff9–28Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1984 Australia tour of Great Britain and Ireland
1318 June 1987 Rotorua Int. Stadium, Rotorua (New Zealand)21–22Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 1987 Rugby World Cup bronze final
1422 July 1991Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane63–6Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1991 Wales tour of Australia
1512 October 1991National Stadium, Cardiff3–38Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1991 Rugby World Cup pool match
1621 November 1992National Stadium, Cardiff6–23Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1992 Australia tour of Great Britain and Ireland
179 June 1996Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane56–25Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1996 Wales tour of Australia
1822 June 1996 Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney42–3Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
191 December 1996National Stadium, Cardiff19–28Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1996 Australia tour of Great Britain, Ireland and Italy
2023 October 1999 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff9–24Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1999 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals
2125 November 2001Millennium Stadium, Cardiff13–21Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2001 Australia tour of Europe
2214 June 2003 Stadium Australia, Sydney30–10Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2003 Wales rugby union tour of Australia and New Zealand
2326 November 2005Millennium Stadium, Cardiff24–22Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 2005 Autumn International
244 November 2006Millennium Stadium, Cardiff29–29draw 2006 Autumn International
2526 May 2007Stadium Australia, Sydney29–23Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2007 Wales tour of Australia
262 June 2007 Lang Park, Brisbane31–0Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
2715 September 2007Millennium Stadium, Cardiff20–32Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2007 Rugby World Cup pool match
2829 November 2008Millennium Stadium, Cardiff21–18Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 2008 Autumn International
2928 November 2009Millennium Stadium, Cardiff12–33Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2009 Autumn International
306 November 2010Millennium Stadium, Cardiff16–25Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2010 Autumn International
3121 October 2011 Eden Park, Auckland (New Zealand)21–18Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2011 Rugby World Cup bronze final
323 December 2011Millennium Stadium, Cardiff18–24Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2011 Autumn International
339 June 2012Lang Park, Brisbane27–19Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2012 Wales tour of Australia
3416 June 2012 Docklands Stadium, Melbourne 25–23Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
3523 June 2012Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney20–19Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
361 December 2012Millennium Stadium, Cardiff12–14Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2012 Autumn International
3730 November 2013Millennium Stadium, Cardiff26–30Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2013 Autumn International
388 November 2014Millennium Stadium, Cardiff28–33Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2014 Autumn International
3910 October 2015 Twickenham Stadium, London (England)15–6Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2015 Rugby World Cup pool match
405 November 2016Millennium Stadium, Cardiff8–32Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2016 Autumn International
4111 November 2017Millennium Stadium, Cardiff21–29Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2017 Autumn International
4210 November 2018Millennium Stadium, Cardiff9–6Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 2018 Autumn International
4329 September 2019 Tokyo Stadium Chōfu (Japan)25–29Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 2019 Rugby World Cup pool match
4420 November 2021Millennium Stadium, Cardiff29–28Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 2021 Autumn International
4526 November 2022Millennium Stadium, Cardiff34–39Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2022 Autumn International
4624 September 2023 Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Lyon (France)6–40Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 2023 Rugby World Cup pool match

List of series

PlayedWon by
Australia
Won by
Wales
Drawn
4400
YearAustraliaWalesSeries winner James Bevan Trophy
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 1978 20Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Not awarded
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 1996 20Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2007 20Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2012 30Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia

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