The Wallabies are set to make their earliest exit in Rugby World Cup history after a humiliating 40-6 loss to Wales in Lyon.
Never before have the Wallabies been bundled out of the tournament in the pool stage, but their campaign in France is all but over after the defeat to the Welsh.
The two-time world champions have a slim hope of staying alive if other results go their way and bonus points come into play, but they can expect to be packing their bags after their final pool match against Portugal next week.
Wales confirmed a quarterfinal berth with the victory, while Fiji – who stunned the Wallabies 22-15 last week – is in the box seat to also advance to the last eight.
It was an embarrassing performance against Wales, which left the Wallabies with a 1-7 win-loss record under coach Eddie Jones in 2023.
Jones's future with the Wallabies is clouded, with media reports linking the veteran coach with a return to Japan after the World Cup, despite his long-term deal with Rugby Australia.
Long-time captain Michel Hooper, who controversially missed out on selection for the France squad, said on Stan Sport that some of the criticism was fair, but he did not want to see a pile-on.
"No-one is up for more hours than Eddie. There's no lack of desire from that guy to make that team the best it can be," he said.
"People will come under fire … but let's pull the breaks off Eddie. I hate seeing people booed regardless of who they are.
"Players, coaches, they're putting their nuts on the line. … Let's not have a crack at the bloke."
It was also a record loss for the Wallabies against Wales, adding further insult to the insipid performance.
The Wallabies could not have made a worst start to match in Lyon, giving away a penalty at the breakdown after play had just got underway from the kick-off.
They then conceded the opening try of the match when a brilliant Welsh attacking movement off first-phase ball from a line-out sent Gareth Davies over in the third minute.
Dan Biggar added the conversion, but the Wallabies settled and capitalised on Welsh indiscretions with back-to-back penalty goals from Ben Donaldson.
The Welsh were dealt a blow when Biggar left the field injured in the 12th minute, with his replacement Gareth Anscombe handed the kicking duties.
Anscombe missed his first attempt at a penalty goal but nailed his second in the 21st minute to give Wales a 10-6 advantage.
He added another two to establish a 16-6 lead at half-time.
The Wallabies only had themselves to blame to be trailing at the break, having wasted several attacking opportunities during the opening 40 minutes.
Perhaps the best example came via a lost line-out on their own throw deep inside the Welsh half when they trailed 10-6.
They also gifted Wales points by giving away penalties inside their half, a trend that continued only minutes after the break when poor discipline saw Anscombe extend the lead to 19-6.
Wales ended any hopes of a Wallabies comeback in the 48th minute when Anscombe executed a perfectly timed chip kick behind the defensive line, which was swooped on by Nick Tompkins.
Tompkins touched down for the try, which was converted by Anscombe to set up a 26-6 lead.
From this stage, it was a case of the Wallabies needing to avoid further embarrassment, but they could not stem the bleeding on the scoreboard as Wales piled on the points.
The Wallabies were kept scoreless in the second half as their hopes of keeping their campaign alive faded.
Look back at how the action unfolded in our live blog.
And we'll leave you with this heartbreaking image.
Everyone involved in Australian rugby will be feeling rotten today - so if you see one on your travels, perhaps give them a hug.
Australia does still have a match in this World Cup to go against Portugal next Monday in the early hours - although that will be the last baring something incredible happening.
Thanks for being with us this morning.
We'll back back next week.
Questions also need to be asked of Rugby Australia. Less than a year out from the world cup year they sacked their coach in a knee-jerk reaction. Dave Rennie was making steady inroads into the Wallabies and they were beguiled by the media mastery of EJ. It is baffling that the board is so short-sighted, especially with the long-term challenges facing rugby in Australia.
- Hamish
Eddie Jones is speaking to Stan Sport.
"We're all gutted mate," he says.
"Apologies to all supporters, here, everyone back at home.
"We started the game reasonably well, obviously gave them an easy try then the next 30 minutes we were in everything.
"Then we kept letting the pressure off.
"Wales were good enough to convert any pressure they had into points.
"I'm the person given the responsibility to coach the team and I haven't done it well enough.
"I feel the responsibility for it. Whether we've hit rock bottom I don't know, but I've got to take responsibility for it."
Rugby Australia have to take accountability. Lack of support of grass roots rugby, and the old boys not embracing change. Truly tragic.
- Simon
Cymru Am Byth! Eeehaaaaaa!!
- TaffinPerth
Tate McDermott is talking now in the mix zone on Stan Sport.
He looks close to tears to be honest.
"I'm pretty gutted to be honest," he says.
"That's not how we imagined our World Cup going, but that's the reality of it, and we've got to live with that.
"We put on the jersey tonight, we put on the jersey last week and there's no easy way to say it, words won't do it justice, but it's not good enough.
"We let ourselves down big time in that second half.
"We're a good side when we've got ball in hand, but that's only a part of the game so we're kidding ourselves out there when we're walking, when we're slow to set.'
"Credit to Wales, they outplayed us tonight," David Porecki says on Stan Sport.
"I don't have much to say, embarrassed for the aussie people for the performance we put in.
"Wasn't good enough tonight
"We have to front back up for next week and try and earn a bit of respect back
"This one hurts.
"Just gutted mate."
Former Wallabies captain Michael Hooper, who is standing in a Stan Sport studio rather than in France after being left out the squad due to injury, has leaped to the defence of Eddie Jones.
"A lot is going to come on Eddie, and maybe there's some fairness in that," he says on Stan Sport.
"But I've been in the camp.
"No one is up for more hours than Eddie.
"Eddie is up til 11 at night thinking about how to make the Wallabies team better, and he's waking up at 3 in the morning answering messages
"There's no lack of desire from that guy to make that team the best it can be.
"People will come under fire, players first, coaches, coaches staff, the greater wider rugby community.
"But let's pull the breaks off Eddie.
"I hate seeing people booed regardless of who they are.
You know that people are putting themselves out there, players, coaches, they're putting their nuts on the line.
"Let's not have a crack at the bloke."
As a club rugby fan/player/coach its inevitable. Grassroots rugby is dwindling. Good on Auskick and AFL. This slide has been coming for a while and it comes from the bottom up. Well done Wales and Fiji!
- Justin
Focus will be on this result.
But there are bigger issues at play here.
A young inexperienced team what do you expect from Australia. Who chose the side for the World Cup??
- Maggie
Questions will be asked of Eddie Jones.
Quade Cooper's omission will be debated again.
But now there are a young group of players who have to live with the fact that they were part of the first Wallabies team to fail to progress from what on paper was an incredibly easy pool, having been beaten by a limited Wales team that finished a lowly and deserved fifth in this year's Six Nations.
This will not be a quick fix.
Rugby Union is a dying sport in Australia, has been for several years
- Garry Taylor
I know there will be a "pile on" the Wallabies & Eddie Jones after this disastrous world cup campaign & I don't want to see players & coach's hammered, but there needs to be a review of why this team was selected by Eddie Jones. There were very few experienced players in this group
- Mickey D.
He's covering his eyes with his jersey, his teammates have gone over to him.
He's not the only one that looks distraught.
Horrible scenes at the end of a horrible performance.
Disaster for the Wallabies.
The Wallabies will exit this World Cup with a whimper - a nightmare for this team.
That second half performance was abject. The Stan Spot commentators said Australian Rugby has hit rock bottom.
Hard to disagree.
Wales get their biggest ever win over the Wallabies 40-6.
The Wallabies have never suffered a big a defeat in the Rugby World Cup.
The Wallabies drive for the line but is held up.
The Wallabies get a penalty.
This time Gordon does find touch.
Warren Gatland is showed on the screen and is cheered by the Wales supporters.
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