Wallabies quell Pacific Islanders fire in torrid clash

9.35am


A superb tactical kicking display propelled the Wallabies to a hard-fought 29-14 victory in a spiteful historic rugby test win over the Pacific Islanders at a rain-lashed Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

Pivot Stephen Larkham was in sublime form throughout a bruising encounter which saw Wallabies defensive coach John Muggleton reprimanded late in the game for apparently complaining about the Islanders' tackling technique to New Zealand touch judge Paddy O'Brien.

Watson, presiding over his final international, warned Muggleton could be sent off from the field after remonstrating behind the goal line after Sireli Bobo scored in the 71st minute.

Wing Clyde Rathbone and captain George Gregan copped the bulk of the punishment from the hard-hitting Islanders.

Gregan complained he had been tackled illegally by Seilala Mapusua before retreating with a shoulder injury in the 61st minute. Rathbone left the field dazed after a collision with replacement Seru Rabeni.

Larkham survived the carnage and orchestrated three of the Wallabies' five tries with an accurate kicking display in slippery conditions.

Stirling Mortlock and Matt Giteau provided the finishing touches to give the home side a 10-0 buffer at halftime but it was the wily Larkham who instigated the double-strike.

Larkham set the platform for Mortlock's 14th-minute opener when the Islanders failed to find touch and then laid on a inch perfect grubber for Giteau to snaffle to force three minutes before the interval.

The Fijian, Samoan and Tongan composite side paid for an inability to clear from defence, failing to find the safety of the touchline on several occasions.

Adelaide's weather also conspired against the free-running side, with downpours before and during the game negating the Islanders' ball-handling, hard-running style of play.

The crowd of 19,296 gained an a rare glimpse of the ability to wreck havoc from broken play when first five-eighth Tanner Vili, ghosted through the Australian defensive line on a weaving run before finding second five-eighth Seremai Bai with an over-the-shoulder pass.

Bai was lowered by Mortlock 10m from the line, snuffing out the Islanders' best chance of scoring in the opening half.

They made a strong start to the second half and were rewarded after a series of powerful surges when Chiefs flanker Sione Lauaki barged over by the uprights in the 48th minute.

Hooker Brendan Cannon muscled over to restore the Wallabies' buffer before Larkham struck again with a perfect bomb behind deep in the Islanders' in goal.

Giteau won the scramble for the loose ball to spare any Wallabies' blushes before the opening Bledisloe Cup clash in Wellington on July 17.

The All Blacks can expect a torrid clash at North Harbour Stadium next Saturday based on the Islanders' physical approach.

Rathbone, the hat-trick hero from last weekend's 51-15 defeat of England, was hit late in the fourth minute and needed treatment on a cheekbone before returning to the fray.

He was also cleaned up by opposite Sitiveni Sivivatu with a jarring legal hit before limping off in a dazed state after colliding with Islanders substitute Seru Rabeni.

Watson ruled the tackle as marginal but gave the Wallabies a penalty after O'Brien intervened.

Australia 29 (Matt Giteau 2, Stirling Mortlock 2, Brendan Cannon tries; Joe Roff con; Matt Burke con)

Pacific Islanders 14 (Sione Lauaki, Sireli Bobo tries; Seremai Bai 2 con)

Halftime: 10-0.

- NZPA