The hosts were taken apart by a magnificent display from a young Australia team – none of the starting XV was older than 27 – more than justifying the persistence with youth, under considerable fire, of coach Robbie Deans. Carry on in this vein and they will be serious contenders at the 2011 World Cup.

So long vulnerable in the scrummage, they dominated completely in Cardiff yesterday. As well as outpointing their opposite numbers in the tight, Australia’s props Benn Robinson and Ben Alexander were conspicuous with the ball in hand, each contributing to the two tries scored in rapid succession midway through the first half that more or less settled the match.

The Wallabies were also superior in every other phase, most of all at the breakdown and in the air, forcing 11 turnovers to Wales’ two. In the first half their control was so complete that three consecutive Welsh scores were followed by immediate Australian responses.

If anything, the final scoreline understated the visiting side’s superiority, with the try-count of 4-0 telling a truer story.

Wales were not helped by a string of injuries. Shane Williams limped off after five minutes, fellow wing Leigh Halfpenny followed him after 28 and hooker Matthew Rees was stretchered off on the half-hour.

But they were in trouble from the first scrum when prop Paul James was penalised and Matt Giteau opened the scoring with a penalty from halfway. Wales never recovered and Giteau, the fall guy of last week’s defeat at Murrayfield, did not look back.

Five minutes later, he angled a kick to the corner so artfully that centre Digby Ioane was a good yard ahead of marker Halfpenny when he touched down. The conversion was missed but by the 24th minute Australia had scored two more tries to lead 20-6.

The first saw Robinson make the initial incursion, breaking a tackle by Welsh lock Luke Charteris, wing Drew Mitchell drew the cover and lock James Horwill crossed on the left.

For the second, Alexander, lively in the loose throughout, combined with hooker Stephen Moore to send flanker David Pocock over.

Wales trailed 23-12 at the break, but had their best spell, briefly energised by three changes to their pack, early in the second half.

Had centre Jamie Roberts backed himself in the 52nd minute to reach the line instead of looking for replacement wing Andrew Bishop, who was rapidly halted by a tackler, they might have made a game of it.

They sustained the assault for a while, but to no effect and when Giteau landed his third penalty after Australia had again wrecked the Welsh scrummage the only issue remaining was the size of the final margin of defeat.

Australia settled for one further try, Giteau changing direction to scythe through the Welsh defence and send replacement hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau over.

Wales: J Hook. L Halfpenny, J Roberts, J Davies, S Williams. S Jones, D Peel. G Jenkins (captain), M Rees, P James. A-W Jones, L Charteris. D Lydiate, A Powell, M Williams. Replacements: T James for S. Williams 5. M Roberts for Peel (blood bin 11-15, permanent 70), A Bishop for Halfpenny 28, H Bennett for Rees 30, S Warburton for Lydiate 48, D Jones for P James 48, J Thomas for Charteris 49.

Australia: A Ashley-Cooper. P Hynes, D Ioane, Q Cooper, D Mitchell. M Giteau, W Genia, B Rob-
inson, S Moore, B Alexander. J Horwill, D Mumm. R Elsom (captain), W Palu, D Pocock. Replacements: G Smith for Pocock 40, T Polota-Nau for Moore 55, J O’Connor for Hynes 61, M Dunning for Alexander 70, M Chisholm for Palu 70, K Beale for Mitchell 70, L Burgess for Genia 79.

Referee: W Barnes (England)