Wales 20-52 Australia: Autumn Nations Series rugby union – live reaction

Autumn Nations Series: Wales battered by Australia as Eddie Jones' men run in eight tries in Cardiff

Australia flexed their muscles against a weakened Wales side with eight tries, as tempers flared late on in Cardiff.

After an even opening 20 minutes in which Wales' indiscipline gifted Australia three penalties, the tourists opened up a 17-3 lead thanks to tries from Jordan Petaia and Lalakai Foketi.

And, despite interim head coach Steve Borthwick's men responding through Josh Adams, the Wallabies added two more tries before the break through Tom Wright and Nic White.

The second half continued in the same fashion, with Australia's backs running riot as Petaia, Mark Nawaqanitawase and Foketi all crossed to make it seven tries and a 47-13 lead.

Wales did at least manage a second try through Kieran Hardy, but a late flare-up between Wyn Jones and Darcy Swain resulted in both men being sent off and the game ending on a sour note.

How Wales were outclassed by dominant Australia

Borthwick made 10 changes to the Wales starting XV that began the 55-23 defeat to New Zealand, with the likes of Willis Halaholo, Liam Williams and Alex Cuthbert recalled.

Nonetheless, with talisman Louis Rees-Zammit out injured and Dan Biggar only fit enough to be on the bench, Wales' attacking threat was limited on paper and so it proved in Cardiff.

Australia, chasing a fourth successive win over their hosts, seized the initiative from the off and took full advantage of Wales' early ill-discipline as James O'Connor kicked three penalties.

And Australia's dominance soon turned into points as Peteia exploited space on the left wing before Foketi seized on Alex Cuthbert's missed tackle to score a second try.

Adams, one of Wales' best players this autumn, showed his class to score in the corner after some nice interplay down the right, but the tourists hit back almost immediately with a length-of-the-field score finished by Wright.

A fourth try before the break, this time from scrum-half White, left Wales with a mountain to climb after the interval.

Australia run riot in second half as tempers flare

Just as they had done in the first half, Australia took control from the off after the restart as Petaia crossed for his second of the match and replacement back Nawaqanitawase added a sixth for the tourists.

With just over 20 minutes remaining, Foketi completed his hat-trick after another slick move by the Australia backs put him in space down the left.

Hardy did manage to cross for Wales in the final 10 minutes, but tempers frayed late on as Jones and Swain clashed off the ball and were both shown red cards.

The late sending offs marred what was a dominant display by an Australia side pushing to be considered among the favourites for next year's Rugby World Cup in France.