Australia, featuring seven Waratahs, survived a late scare to secure a 36-29 victory over Wales at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Stellenbosch on Sunday.
Leading by 19 points in the final quarter at Danie Craven Stadium, Australia conceded two tries in three minutes but managed to hold out Wales on the final play of the game.
The result means Australia will face off against Argentina on Friday for a fifth-place finish at the tournament.
It was Wales that opened the scoring after ten minutes when their rolling maul went to work and hooker Isaac Young touched down.
However, Australia hit back moments later as lock Harvey Cordukes marked his return from a two-match suspension with a try from close range.
Australia were again on the attack in the 25th minute when a grubber went awry and somehow ended in Wales outside centre Macs Page scoring at the other end.
With Wales scrumhalf Rhodri Lewis seeing a yellow card for repeated infringements, Australia reclaimed a 14-12 lead as a hard-running Kadin Pritchard plunged over.
That lead grew further as Australia won a scrum against the feed, shifted the ball wide and sent Waratahs winger Archie Saunders in for a try.
Flyhalf Harry McLaughlin-Phillips capped off a strong opening stanza with a penalty goal as the siren sounded, giving Australia a 24-12 lead at the break.
Eight minutes into the second half McLaughlin-Phillips broke clear and found Toby Macpherson in support to score, but Wales soon returned fire through a try to fullback Matt Young.
Australia next scored in spectacular fashion as winger Ronan Leahy reeled in a cross-field kick and offloaded, with scrumhalf Dan Nelson diving over to make it 36-17.
However Wales suddenly surged and Page grabbed two more tries in three minutes to make it 36-29 with nine minutes left to play, and Australia were left to defend their way to the win.
Australia will face Argentina in their final game of the U20 Championship at 2pm SAST / 10pm AEST Friday 19 July.
Every game of the U20 Championship is available live, free and on-demand on RugbyPass TV.
Australia U20 36 (TRIES: Cordukes, Pritchard, Saunders, Macpherson, Nelson; CONS: McLaughlin-Phillips 4; Pens: McLaughlin-Phillips) def Wales U20 29 (TRIES: Page 3, I Young, M Young; CONS: Wilde, Ford)
