WALES were left scratching their heads as they watched an 11th straight game against Australia slip away from them.

Australia won 15-6 in the Pool A decider to top the group in a game dominated by the boot at the referee.

It means Wales play South Africa in the quarter final and the Wallabies take the easier route with Scotland up next.

A second minute scrum was like the immovable object meeting the unstoppable force as neither pack budged, but Gareth Davies popped up with the ball despite it being a Wallaby put in.

He sniped down the blind side into Australia's 22 and the ball was eventually shipped wide where Tevita Kurindrani fumbled Gareth Anscombe's grubber.

The Wallabies, defending a 5m scrum, were pinged for offside and Dan Biggar opened the scoring with a penalty on four minutes.

From the restart, the Wallabies came at Wales, but the back row of Justin Tipuric, Sam Warburton and Taulupe Faletau got their mitts on Will Genia and the trio held him up for a scrum - a much-used tactic in the first half.

Australia were penalised for an early shove, and Faletau was off, fending his way through would-be tacklers only for Sean McMahon to force a Davies knock-on at the base of the ruck.

The third scrum of the day didn't move either, and Wales' ferocious work at the breakdown saw Alun Wyn Jones emerge with the ball, which led to another Wales penalty just out of Biggar's range.

The fly-half knocked it into touch inside the Australian 22 and a rampant Wales laid siege on the Wallaby line.

Referee Craig Joubert blew for a scrum when the ball became unplayable 5m out, but the gold front row put the squeeze on Samson Lee, Paul James and Baldwin.

Gareth Davies was stragged and the ball turned over, but a Foley pass Fijian style was deemed forward giving Wales another attacking scrum.

Despite creeping forward, Joubert penalised Lee for standing up under pressure and Australia were able to clear their lines after a tough opening 15 minutes.

Luke Charteris demonstrated his pedigree as a code-breaking maul defender when he clawed his way through an advancing Australian maul to earn his side a scrum only for Anscombe to kick straight into touch.

There was only one team in it with 19 minutes gone, but Wales had only mustered three points for all their possession and territory.

Australia's first visit to the Welsh 22 came when Samson Lee was penalised for holding on, but a set move which saw the Wallabies attack the blindside was easily marshalled by Alex Cuthbert and Gareth Davies as they walked Drew Mitchell into touch.

Having looked so steady, a Welsh scrum on 23 minutes buckled and Bernard Foley levelled the score.

From the restart Justin Tipuric, sniffing for a turnover, was penalised for coming in from the side which allowed Australia to pump the ball into the Welsh 22.

Another penalty - this time against Luke Charteris for collapsing a maul - saw the Australians pummel the Wales line but they got as much change as you would if you went to the cinema with a £10 note.

With 10 minutes left of the half, Bernard Foley knocked another three points over after his captain opted for the posts instead of a lineout.

Gareth Anscombe, after a shaky start, claimed his own up-and-under and Stephen Moore was penalised from the resulting ruck for taking out Gareth Davies.

Davies wanted to go quickly, but the hooker kept hold of the ball.

Joubert marched him back 10m - well within Biggar's range - and the fly-half levelled with six minutes to half time.

Wales cleared the restart but the Aussies bit back and Taulupe Faletau made what felt like his first mistake in a Wales jersey on his 51st cap.

He was penalised for knocking the ball out of Will Genia's hands and Bernard Foley was accurate again off the tee to put Australia back into the lead.

Australia were immediately called for offside only for Dan Biggar to prove he's a human being and not a goal-kicking robot as he missed his first kick of the tournament from 38m out.

With the clock dead, Matt Giteau lined up an ambitious 53m shot at goal, but it fell well short and Biggar blasted it into the crowd with his side trailing by three.

Bernard Foley kicked off the second half deep and Wales' scrappy exit strategy put them on the back foot.

Sam Warburton came to the rescue with an interception after Israel Folau counter-attacked and Wales hounded Matt Giteau into lobbing a blind pass into touch - only for Liam Williams to do exactly the same with the Welsh response.

Alex Cuthbert looked like he was about to break free of the shackles that have tied him down for 12 months after Gareth Anscombe was illegally challenged but Joubert did not allow the advantage to play out as the Cardiff Blue surged up the left wing.

A game of rugby tennis ensued after Dan Biggar missed touch from the resulting penalty, and the first scrum of the second half came eight and a half minutes in.

Sam Warburton battled his way to a turnover, only for Jourbert to come back for a soft penalty after assistant referee Stuart Berry spotted a Taulupe Faletau neck roll.

Bernard Foley stretched the Australian lead to six with 50 minutes on the clock.

Both sides replaces their tightheads and Wales were on the front foot again with a succession of attacks.

When Gareth Davies took a quick tap from a breakdown penalty, he ran straight into Will Genia who was sin-binned for tackling his opposide number within 10m.

Sam Warburton decided to turn down the three points and went for the corner and a 13-man maul was illegally hauled down.

Warburton pointed to the corner again, and although the maul fell short, Taulupe Faletau got over the line only to knock the ball on.

Joubert came back for an offside penalty and Biggar knocked it into touch for a third time.

Dean Mumm got hold of Alun Wyn Jones in the air and Australia were reduced to 13 men when he too was sent to the sin bin.

Wartburton cleverly opted for the scrum but as it hurtled towards the Australian try line it popped out of the back and the Wallabies were able to scramble.

Wales regrouped and slick hands from Biggar, Jamie Roberts and Alex Cuthbert put George North away but the converted centre was held up over the line.

The resulting scrum collapsed, but Craig Joubert allowed play to continue, and Wales pummelled the Wallaby line.

They were met with a brick wall and could only manage to get Liam Williams over the line, again held up.

The scrum collapsed again and this time Joubert penalised the Australian front row, but Warburton opted for a lineout instead of packing down again.

The Wallabies flew up the other end of the field and Gareth Davies was penalised inside his own 22 and somehow Wales found themselves nine behind despite spending the whole time where their opponents were down to 13 men inside Australia's 22.

Wales themselves got a man sent to the sin bin in Alex Cuthbert with a brainless basketball-style knock on and Australia finished off the 80 minutes in the Welsh half to hold on comfortably for the win.