SYDNEY – Australia claimed a 20-19 victory over Wales on Saturday to complete 3-0 series victory and retain the James Bevan trophy. Tries to Australia's Rob Horne and Wales No.8 Ryan Jones were the only bright spots in an otherwise tepid performance by both teams. The match was punctuated often by South Africa referee Craig Joubert's whistle with both teams struggling to stem the tide of ill discipline and errors despite clear, dry conditions. Man of the Match Berrick Barnes kicked 5 penalties for the home team, while Leigh Halfpenny scored 14 points for the visitors. Australia won the opening test 27-19 at Brisbane and the second test in Melbourne 25-23 last week. New Zealand crushes Ireland New Zealand posted a record-breaking 60-0 thrashing of Ireland in their third and final test match at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton Saturday to complete a series sweep. The All Blacks, who squeezed past the Irish with a last-gasp Daniel Carter drop goal in Christchurch last week, scored nine tries including two each to Sam Cane and Sonny Bill Williams, and had the game won at halftime leading 29-0. Ben Smith, Hosea Gear, Israel Dagg, Liam Messam and Adam Thomson also scored as the world champion recorded its largest winning margin against Ireland. Fiji beats Tonga In Lautoka, Fiji, fullback Metuisela Talebula bagged two tries as Fiji turned around a half-time deficit to beat Tonga 29-17 in Pacific Nations Cup match at Churchill Park Saturday. The win means Fiji finish second in the quadrangular tournament, won by Samoa who pipped Japan last week 27-26, after earlier beating Fiji and Tonga to finish their three matches unbeaten. Scotland edges Samoa In Apia, Samoa, Scotland's Greig Laidlaw converted a try by debuting flanker Rob Harley a minute from fulltime to give the visitors a 17-16 win over Samoa Saturday and a clean sweep of matches on their southern hemisphere tour. Samoa seemed headed for its first-ever win over Scotland when flyhalf Tusi Pisi, who provided all of his team's points, scored a 61st minute try to give it a 16-10 lead. Scotland, which had previously beaten Australia 9-6 and Fiji 37-25, applied continuous pressure but was the last play of the game. SA, England draw 14-all In Port Elizabeth, South Africa and England drew 14-14 in the third and final test Saturday as the resilient tourists nearly came away with a morale-restoring victory from the series. Recalled scrumhalf Danny Care darted in for England's sole try in the 11th minute to give the tourists an early lead and a promising start to the finale at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. But England lost flyhalf Toby Flood to injury early on and South Africa ground its way back, with wing JP Pietersen's second-half score putting the Boks narrowly ahead. Replacement Owen Farrell leveled with a late penalty and he and opposite number Morne Steyn both missed late dropped goal attempts to leave South Africa with a 2-0 series victory. — Agencies
