Progress can be hard to measure when you are coming from such a long way back but a second-up Wallabies win in the Joe Schmidt era is better than the alternative.

In conditions as much like Cardiff as the touring Welsh team could expect in Australia — it was wet, cold and slippery in Melbourne — the home team scored four tries but conceded four as well before holding on for a 36-28 win.

“It was like we were playing in Cardiff tonight, but it was a good effort from us,” Wallabies captain James Slipper said in the immediate aftermath,

Scrum-half Nic White, who came on to ice the game, said the “composure” of his team was key in the run to the whistle as the visitors pushed the Wallabies to the end.

Positive performances from scrumhalf Jake Gordon and the presence, in attack and defence, of Rob Valentini stood out among an other wise middling effort from Schmidt’s new-look line-up who did just enough to prohibit a first Welsh win on Australian soil since 1969.,

But only just enough.

A sloppy second-half from the home team, and allowing the Welsh to score twice and seemingly with ease on both occasions, took the polish off a positive first-half which, apart from lineout losses, a plague on Australian rugby, was relatively mistake free and finished with a 23-14 lead, not aided by a yellow card for Lukhan Salakaia-Loto.

Wales scored a try as he left the field, then the first after the break to grab all the momentum before a pushover try from Wallabies prop Allan Alaatoa eased some pressure and then a fair bit of luck aided a fourth try, which proved crucial.

Flying Wallabies winger Filipo Daugnu, who scored twice, pounced on a pat back in to play from Welsh centre Liam Williams after a touch-finder from Noah Lolesio failed to go out, and streamed to the line

It made the gap 12 points with 12 minutes to go, after Lolesio missed his second straight conversion, with the Wallabies number 10 then wiped out by Wales fly half Ben Thomas who charged over for his team’s fourth try to leave the solid-sized crowd on the edge of their seats.

Schmidt, who put a broom through the Wallabies after taking over, spent most of the game on his fete in the coach’s box, relentlessly feeding instructions through his lapel mike as the clocked ticked down, Wallabies physicality earning a game-sealing penalty,

One of a trio of Melbourne-raised Wallabies playing, Valentini, the reigning John Eales medallist, proved the powerhouse his team needed in both attack and defence, a try-saving effort as momentum turned Wales way in the second-half one of many pivotal efforts.

AUSSIES BEAT A BOTHAM AGAIN

Battles between Ian Botham and the Australian cricket team were as physical as cricket would allow and the legendary Englishman’s grandson, James, was on the end of his own brutal shot which left him reeling.

In the first international outing for a Botham in Melbourne since Sir Ian blasted a 52-ball innings of 71 in the last ODI he ever played at the MCG, Wales flanker James was hit hard by local lad, being a Victorian, Rob Valentini after catching a kick-off. .

Botham hit the ground gasping for air, came up with a bloody nose, the Wallabies earned a penalty and Noah Lolesio slotted it to give the Australians a hand 23-14 halftime lead.

NEW WALLABIES DRAW A CROWD

There was a big watch was on what impact Rugby Australia’s decision to shutter the debt-riddled Melbourne Rebels would have on the turnout at AAMI Park.

The Super Rugby franchise exited the Melbourne sporting landscape with barely a whimper and less than 5000 people turned out to their final match, a measure of the wider antipathy towards the governing body,

Wet and cold conditions could have deterred the green and gold wearers but the stands were instead full enough, to the back row on one side and at both ends, with 21,932 showing up

A Wallabies clash, against England in 2016, which holds the AAMI Park crowd record of 29,817. But it could take their return, or some more Wallabies wins, to hit those heights again.

WALLABIES 36

Tries: Daugunu (2), Gordon, Alaalatoa

Goals: Lolesio (2/2 conversions 3/5 penalties), Donaldson (1/1 penalties)

WALES 28

Tries: Lake (2), Williams, Thomas

Goals: Thomas (3/3 conversions, 0/1 penalties)

Crowd: 21,932 at AAMI Park