Wales 21 - 18 Australia: Wales expect Roberts to be fit for Murrayfield showdown

Published on Sunday 30 November 2008 22:44

THE Wales medical team have revealed Jamie Roberts could be fit for the opening RBS 6 Nations clash against Scotland at Murrayfield on 8 February despite suffering a freak skull fracture.

A clash of heads with Stirling Mortlock at the start of Wales' 21-18 win over the Wallabies on Saturday saw the Australia captain leave the field. But Roberts played on for some 15 minutes with the fracture, an injury which Welsh team doctor, professor John Williams, admitted he had not seen before.

Williams said 22-year-old Roberts would be out of action until the middle of January, three weeks before the Welsh begin their defence of the championship. "Second week of January he could be back in contact which is three weeks before the Six Nations," said Williams. "We will just watch over the next two or three weeks while this heals."

Wales' victory restored a small degree of battered northern hemisphere pride as it staved off the threat of an 11-Test whitewash for European countries against Tri-Nations heavyweights New Zealand, South Africa and Australia this autumn. It was a first Welsh victory over a southern hemisphere super-power since 2005 – at the 11th attempt. They also climbed above England to claim fifth place in the International Rugby Board rankings ahead of today's 2011 World Cup draw.

The statistics though, were merely a sideshow after try-scorers Shane Williams and Lee Byrne commanded centre-stage to leave a Millennium Stadium full house breathless. Williams'

44th Test try, a classic score that he started and finished, will linger long in the memory and he will struggle to add a better one to his glittering collection.

While Williams teased and tormented the Wallabies, so Byrne excelled at full-back to leave his audience gasping. "I don't think there is anyone better at the moment," said Williams, his Ospreys colleague. Byrne's try came after Williams materialised in the centre, before transfixing two Australian defenders and then drifting an exquisite pass to his fellow destroyer.

Wales were never more than an unconverted try ahead until the 77th minute, and that brief eight-point advantage was slashed when wing Digby Ioane's touchdown sparked a frantic finale.

Lock Mark Chisholm had earlier galloped almost 60 metres to score after capitalising on some woeful Welsh lineout work, while fly-half Matt Giteau booted a drop-goal, penalty and conversion. Ultimately, his opposite number Jones made the difference, contributing 11 points, including a nerveless penalty as the clock ticked down on a titanic tussle.

Scorers: Wales: Tries: S. Williams, Byrne. Cons: S Jones. Pens: S Jones 2. Drop Goals: S Jones. Australia: Tries: Chisholm, Ioane. Cons: Giteau. Pens: Giteau. Drop Goals: Giteau.

Wales: Byrne; M Jones, Shanklin, J Roberts, S Williams; S Jones, Cooper; Jenkins, Rees, A Jones, Gough, A Jones, R Jones, M Williams, Powell. Replacements: Bishop for J. Roberts (18), D. Jones for Powell (62). Not used: Hibbard, Yapp, Charteris, M. Roberts, Hook.

Australia: Mitchell; Hynes, Cross, Mortlock, Ioane; Giteau, Burgess; Robinson, Moore, Baxter, Chisholm, Sharpe, McMeniman, Waugh, Brown. Replacements: Tuqiri for Hynes (34), Cooper for Mortlock (3), Freier for Moore (69), Mumm for McMeniman (69), Smith for Waugh (63). Not used: Dunning, Cordingley. Sin Bin: Moore (28).

Ref: Allan Lewis (Ireland). Att: 74,250.