Wallabies finish on a high

Australia have rounded off their autumn tour by scoring an 18-11 victory against the Barbarians at Wembley.

The Wallabies bounced back from their 21-18 defeat against Wales at the weekend by scoring two tries against a Baa-Baas side packed with stars from both South Africa and New Zealand.

The invitational side's line-up was arguably their strongest-looking in 35 years, but a total of two training sessions at the end of a hectic period of international rugby perhaps told its own story.

Players such as Bryan Habana and Joe Rokocoko tried their hardest to unlock Australia in the traditional Baa-Baas style, but the opposing defence proved too strong - Robbie Deans' side making far more tackles.

Despite, or perhaps because of, their experimental look, Australia appeared to be treating the contest as a full-blown Test, but their opponents nevertheless gave them plenty of food for thought in the opening exchanges.

The Barbarians could have gone ahead after nine minutes following a break inspired by Jerry Collins and Habana - Richie McCaw then forcing Lote Tuqiri into touch after the ball had broken loose near Australia's line.

However, from the resulting five-metre scrum, Francois Steyn's pass to Rokocoko on the right-hand flank carried too much weight.

It was Australia who took the lead in the 13th minute and the try came very much against the run of play, the Barbarians having strung together several phases.

The move broke down after Federico Pucciariello lost possession and with Ryan Cross breaking out towards the Wallabies' right-hand flank, the outside centre chipped forward for Tuqiri to run on and touch down.

Confident

Making a confident debut, James O'Connor kicked the extras and the 18-year-old full-back then put his side 13-0 ahead with penalties in the 19th and 23rd minutes.

Schalk Burger's route one approach in the 25th minute met with stout resistance but the Baa-Baas soon gained a penalty - captain John Smit ordering Steyn to kick to the corner.

However, South Africa's World Cup-winning captain overthrew the resulting line-out and Australia cleared the danger.

The half-hour saw Steyn trying in vain for a long-range drop goal - his miss prompting boos from a crowd expecting more from the Barbarians.

Pucciariello then took offence after Quade Cooper went in high on Baa-Baas scrum-half Fourie du Preez - the prop and fly-half knocking over an advertising hoarding as they came to blows.

Australia's strong defence meant that Percy Montgomery went for, and gained, the points after the Barbarians won a penalty five minutes before the interval, the full-back kicking another three minutes later.

He was replaced by Shane Williams for the second half, the start of which saw Rokocoko and Habana immediately stream forward. McCaw, Smit and Rodney Blake all went for the line, but Australia stood firm.

Matt Dunning's tour was brought to unfortunate end shortly afterwards when he suffered an Achilles tendon injury in a scrum.

Pressure

Australia soaked up the pressure and got the chance to break forward when Adam Ashley-Cooper intercepted McCaw after 48 minutes. The full-back, playing inside centre, subsequently crossed but was held up by du Preez.

The match drifted as the hour came and went and the error-count increased - both sides starting to look a little ragged after their autumn exertions.

And it was one such - O'Connor's failure to clear - that suddenly brought the Baa-Baas their only try in the 62nd minute, the ball being worked to Williams on the left-hand flank before he passed inside for Collins to plough his way over.

Looking to level the match, Steyn missed the extras and did the same when presented with a penalty opportunity in the 73rd minute.

The Baa-Baas piled on the pressure in the closing minutes and more boos rang out when Steyn again tried - and missed - a drop goal attempt.

But the match was then settled when Australia scored their second try two minutes from time, the Baa-Baas again dispossessed before Drew Mitchell's break was finished off by the overlapping Lachie Turner.