SYDNEY (AP) — Tom Wright scored a solo try to give Australia a nine-point buffer in the 69th minute and the Wallabies hung on for a 25-16 win over Wales on Saturday to start Joe Schmidt’s coaching tenure on a positive note.
Schmidt replaced Eddie Jones as head coach in the wake of Australia’s disastrous Rugby World Cup campaign last year, including a 40-6 loss to Wales, and delivered a victory in his first test as coach.
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SYDNEY (AP) — Tom Wright scored a solo try to give Australia a nine-point buffer in the 69th minute and the Wallabies hung on for a 25-16 win over Wales on Saturday to start Joe Schmidt’s coaching tenure on a positive note.
Players react following the first rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. Australia defeated Wales 25-16.(AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Wales' Josh Hathaway attempts to catch the ball during the rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Australia's Tom Lynagh leaps to take the ball during the rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Australia's Tom Wright scores a try during the rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Australia's Jake Gordon leaps to take the ball during the rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Australia's Tom Wright runs to score a try during the rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
“Yeah, a great result. We weren’t perfect tonight by any means, but the grit we showed out there ... really pleased with that result,” new Wallabies skipper Liam Wright said.
The Wallabies had a 13-10 lead after a grinding first half in a heavy dew that featured a yellow card for both teams.
Prop Taniela Tupou scored the opening try in the 21st minute, barging over from the back of a maul after the Wallabies battered the line, to give Australia a 13-3 lead. Wales prop Gareth Thomas was sent to the sin-bin immediately.
Despite being a man down, the Welsh kicked for touch instead of taking points from a penalty four minutes later and it paid off when they were awarded a penalty try after forming a 10-man driving maul from a close-range lineout.
Australian flanker Fraser McReight was sent to the sin-bin for dragging the maul down close to the line, and Australia clung to a three-point cushion at the break.
Wales equalized at 13-13 six minutes into the second half via a Ben Thomas penalty goal after dominating the period after the break.
But the Australians retaliated quickly, with Filipo Daugunu coming off the blind wing, chiming into the backline between the Wales midfielders and sliding over into the right corner in the damp conditions in the 53rd to make it 18-13.
Wales had a try disallowed five minutes later when James Botham crashed over with his first touch following a lineout, only to be called back because a teammate joined from in front of the ball.
Tom Lynagh, the son of Wallabies great Michael Lynagh, went on for his test debut in the 64th minute and, after Wales cut the margin to two points with a penalty goal, he had a very quick impact on the game.
Lynagh started a counter-attacking move when he sent the ball right to fullback Wright, who burst through a gap and sprinted upfield in a 50-meter solo run before stepping inside the cover defense and diving over for the match-clinching try.
Lynagh converted to make it 25-16 and ensured Wales slumped to an eighth consecutive defeat since the group stage of the World Cup.
“I love the result,” Schmidt said, but “lots to do around the performance.”
The loss extended a drought Down Under for Wales, which hasn't beaten the Wallabies in 12 tests on Australian soil since 1969.
“We put a big onus on playing with pride in defense today and I think we really showed that,” Wales lock Christ Tshiunza said. “We came across short today but we’ll go again next week with pride.”
The second test will be played in Melbourne next Saturday.
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Referee Pierre Brousset shows a yellow card Australia's Fraser McReight, second left, during the rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Players react following the first rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. Australia defeated Wales 25-16.(AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Wales' Josh Hathaway attempts to catch the ball during the rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Australia's Tom Lynagh leaps to take the ball during the rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Australia's Tom Wright scores a try during the rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Australia's Jake Gordon leaps to take the ball during the rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Australia's Tom Wright runs to score a try during the rugby international between Australia and Wales in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
PALM DESERT, Calif. (AP) — Bronny James played in his first NBA preseason game Friday night, but LeBron James wasn't in uniform with him when the Lakers hosted Minnesota in the first of Los Angeles' two weekend games in the Coachella Valley.
Lakers coach JJ Redick elected to hold out LeBron James against the Timberwolves after three hard days of training camp, but the 39-year-old top scorer in NBA history is likely to play against Phoenix on Sunday — which just happens to be Bronny's 20th birthday.
Bronny James finished with two points in the Lakers’ 124-107 loss to the Timberwolves, missing his first five shots before making a layup with 56.9 seconds to play. But the 6-foot-2 guard also blocked three shots, and he picked up one rebound and one assist while playing the first half of the second quarter and most of the fourth, finishing with 16 minutes of action.
“I liked what I saw from Bronny,” Redick said. “Truthfully, he’s so easy to coach, and he’s got great soul and a great energy about him. I like being around him. I’m rooting for him. He’s a good player that we’re happy to have in our program.”
Bronny James didn't speak to reporters after his debut.
Before they become the first father and son to play in the same NBA game, Bronny James knows he has plenty of work to do. He got his first chance to play in Lakers gold when he took the floor to begin the second quarter at Acrisure Arena outside Palm Springs.
Playing alongside starting Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell, Bronny got caught on a pick on his first defensive possession, allowing Rob Dillingham to hit an open 3-pointer. Bronny's pass was then intercepted by Nickeil Alexander-Walker on the other end, but Bronny hustled back and blocked his layup attempt.
“He can do some things defensively at his size that are really unique, and he can, I think, turn into a really disruptive defender, and that manifested itself,” Redick said. “On the offensive end, he’s still kind of figuring out who he is, and that’s our job as a player development program to build him up.”
Bronny missed all three of his shots during his first six minutes of action, including a 3-pointer. He picked up an assist when he found Rui Hachimura for a 3-pointer from the corner on a fast break.
Bronny returned for the start of the fourth quarter, missing a jumper and having a layup attempt blocked. In the final minute, he got a pass from fellow rookie Dalton Knecht and looped a layup over a defender for his first points.
Redick said Bronny earned playing time in the Lakers' preseason opener with three strong performances in practice this week.
LeBron appeared to be keeping a mindful distance from Bronny during the game, allowing his oldest son to focus on his job. But LeBron spoke at length to Bronny during a timeout halfway through the second quarter, explaining something with hand gestures while Bronny nodded.
Bronny James was the Lakers’ second-round draft pick, and he played in summer league in Las Vegas. He is expected to play for the Lakers in the preseason before spending a significant portion of the upcoming regular season with the G League’s South Bay Lakers.
“Of course there’s nerves,” Bronny said after the Lakers’ pregame shootaround. “But I’m just excited to go out there and learn from the people playing in front of me, and if I get a chance to showcase what I can do, I’m going to do that.”
As is typical for inactive players, LeBron largely stayed away from the Lakers' huddles. He mostly stood on the perimeter during timeouts with Anthony Davis, who also sat out the preseason opener. Both superstars have been at training camp in El Segundo.
“We felt like, given everything they had this summer, and their level of participation over the past three days, it made the most sense for them to get an off day today,” Redick said. “We told them at shootaround to just stay off their feet.”
Redick said Thursday that both LeBron James and Davis will play in at least one game this weekend.
James and Davis are sitting out the first of the Lakers’ six preseason games as they ease back into competition after a busy summer. LeBron and Davis were both on the U.S. team that won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, and they walked to midcourt right before tipoff to greet Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, their Olympic teammate.
Friday's crowd didn't seem disappointed as it poured into the 22-month-old arena that serves at the home of the American Hockey League's Coachella Valley Firebirds. Hundreds of fans in gold Lakers jerseys representing everyone from James to George Mikan rushed into the building and down the stairs in the lower bowl for an up-close look at the pregame warmups.
“The beautiful thing about the Lakers is that we have fans all over the world,” Redick said. “The desert over here is an extension, I think in some ways, of our fan base in LA. It's a great opportunity for our group to play in front of these fans tonight.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James, right, tries to shoot as Minnesota Timberwolves guard Rob Dillingham defends during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Palm Desert, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James shoots and misses during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Palm Desert, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James stands on the court during introductions prior to a preseason NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Palm Desert, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James, right, runs to the other end of the court as Minnesota Timberwolves guard Rob Dillingham watches during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Palm Desert, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, center, shoots as Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James, right, defends during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Palm Desert, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, center, shoots as Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James, right, defends during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Palm Desert, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
CORRECTS TO PALM DESERT, CALIF., NOT LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James, right, shoots as Minnesota Timberwolves center Luka Garza defends during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Palm Desert, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, left, greets his son, Bronny James as Bronny comes off the court during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Palm Desert, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, left, and his son, Bronny James, pose for photos during the NBA basketball team's media day in El Segundo, Calif., Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
