Tokyo (AFP)

First at the start, first at the finish: Wales have confirmed their ambitions at the World Cup by seizing the controls of Pool D at the expense of Australia, beaten 29-25 Sunday in Tokyo thanks in particular to a first one-way period.

Imperial in the first act (23-8), more feverish in the second, the XV Leek, already winner of Georgia (43-14) Monday, took a big step towards the quarterfinals via the first place in the group , which would guarantee him to face the 2nd of the pool C (England, France or Argentina).

The Wallabies, who beat the Fijians (39-21) to start their World Cup, will have to beat Uruguay and Georgia before certainly facing the first of the same pool.

The scenario recalls that of France - Argentina (23-21), where each team had its half of the match. Full of control before the break, the Welsh saw their confidence erode along with their advantage. Their scrum halfback Tomos Williams, whose forwards had just been penalized in closed scrum for the second time in a row (77th), saved the game by preventing a penalty shoot before a last scraped ball in their 22 m.

Caught up, the Welsh did not crack. Candidates for a first final as a starting gift for their coach Warren Gatland, in place since 2007, they have good remnants of their Grand Slam Six Nations Tournament: a very aggressive and clean defense - only 2 penalties conceded in the first period - and a precise footwork game.

Helpless against the Welsh's well-placed defense, except on Adam Ashley-Cooper's foot test by Bernard Foley following a breakthrough by center-back James O'Connor - Samu Kerevi (21st), the Australians woke up by changing opener; the entry into play of Matt Toomua (45th) in place of Bernard Foley coinciding with the beginning of their ascent.

. Patchell and Toomua, surprise guests

To take advantage and never let go, the Welsh relied on a game at the surgical foot. First by opening the score after 37 seconds on a Dan Biggar drop rewarding the Aaron Wainwright contest on Michael Hooper at kickoff. Then digging the gap on a corner test of Parkes (13th), perfectly served by Biggar.

The Welsh sits their advantage late in the first period via a penalty for a bumpy knee ahead of Kerevi on Patchell (37th) - followed by a lengthy discussion with referee Mr. Poite-- and a try on interception of scrum half Gareth Davies (38th, 23-8).

But the early release (28th), on concussion protocol, of the Biggar opener may have destabilized the Welsh. Even if his replacement Rhys Patchell was impeccable, especially at the foot.

The problems of n.10 also hit the wallabies, since the coach Michael Cheika returned Bernard Foley on the bench at the beginning of the second period. It must be said that his record was catastrophic (missed transformation, pass intercepted or in the socks of his partners ...)

The entrance of Matt Toomua changed the face of the match. In the wake, David Pocock sent Dane Haylett-Petty behind the line of a superb pass after contact (46th). After a third try scored by Hooper at the bottom of the posts (61st) and a penalty rewarding the work of the front in the closed scrimmage (67th), the Wallabies had only one point behind (26-25).

But they had gone too far. Welsh defense, polished for years by former treizist Shaun Edwards, has lasted until the end. Until the touch saved by Tomos Williams.

© 2019 AFP