Wallabies win six matches from 15 games as nightmare 2016 draws to a close

WALLABY winger Dane Haylett-Petty has urged Australian rugby fans to keep the faith despite recording one of their worst seasons on record.

LONDON, ENGLAND — DECEMBER 03: Jonny May of England (L) and Dane Haylett-Petty of Australia (R) battle to win the ball during the Old Mutual Wealth Series match between England and Australia at Twickenham Stadium on December 3, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

WALLABY winger Dane Haylett-Petty has urged Australian rugby fans to keep the faith despite recording one of their worst seasons on record.

Australia managed to win just six of 15 Tests this year and ended the season with back-to-back defeats against England and Ireland but Haylett-Petty, one of the few bright sparks of 2016, said the team’s improvements should not be discounted.

“I think anyone who knows anything about rugby would be able to see the growth that this group has had,” Haylett-Petty said.

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“I think we’re definitely heading in the right direction and it’s a shame it has to come to an end but it does give us a chance to go back and keep working and keep moving forward.

“We’ve blooded so many young, new players this year and there’s so much talent in Australia that without a doubt, there’s a bright future there.”

Haylett-Petty said the team is burning at having to wait another seven months for their next Test, against Fiji in Australia, after losing 37-21 to England at Twickenham.

“It’s definitely frustrating, it would be nice to cap off the year and get some reward for all the hard work we’ve put in,” Haylett-Petty said.

Dane Haylett-Petty is shown a yellow card for a late tackle.

“I do think we’re one of the hardest-working teams out there.

“So it is frustrating but gives us an opportunity to now look at what we need to work on and it gives us a lot of time to work on it for June next year.”

Haylett-Petty was controversially yellow-carded late in the match by referee Jaco Peyper for a late hit on English fullback Mike Brown, though it should only have been a penalty.

“I don’t know what I can say, obviously a bit disappointing, we were still chasing the game,” Haylett-Petty said.

“I felt like probably a penalty, bit rough. Yeah, I was definitely disappointed.”

Originally published as Wallabies win six matches from 15 games as nightmare 2016 draws to a close