Australia finished their year-end tour of the United Kingdom and Europe on an impressive note, beating a star-studded Barbarians side 18-11 at the Wembley Stadium on Wednesday, in a match that produced plenty of action, but very little structure.

The Wallabies, with England referee Chris White seemingly in the festive season spirit already and very generous in his handling of the constant breaches of the law, simply tackled the BaaBaas into submission.

With the famous invitation club, the BaaBaas, entering into the spirit of the game and running the ball from everywhere, the Wallabies had plenty of errors to pounce on as well.

But it was the Australians' greater enthusiasm and willingness to, push the law to its utter limits in both defence and at the breakdown, that won them the day.

Credit to the Wallabies, most of them fringe players who have had very little game time in this six-match tour, they were ready for a scrap and tackled with great enthusiasm and vigour.

This helter-skelter approach clearly caught the BaaBaas off-guard and they themselves became more frantic, instead of trying to find some semblance of structure.

The result was a high-paced, error-riddled game — plenty of action, lots of excitement and good value for money (only if you're not a purist).

The victory was sealed only two minutes from time, by replacement Lachie Turner's breakaway try after South Africa's Francois Steyn, who also missed a number of goal-kicks, turned the ball over yet again.

The result meant Australia had won four of their six tour matches — also beating Italy, England and France, but losing to New Zealand, in Hong Kong, and Wales last weekend in Cardiff.

But worryingly for Australia, props Matt Dunning, who exited on a stretcher with a torn Achilles tendon, and Sekope Kepu (torn bicep muscle) both went off early in the second-half after the Barbarians demolished a Wallaby scrum.

This match was organised as part of the British Olympic Association's celebrations of the centenary of the first Olympics in London, where the Games will return in four years' time.

Australia took the Rugby Union gold medal in 1908 with a 32-3 victory over Great Britain, represented by the south-west English county of Cornwall.

The Barbarians, in honour of that match, all wore yellow Cornwall socks as they departed from their usual tradition of players wearing their club socks.

BaaBaas try-scorer Jerry Collins, who last year played for Cornish side Barnstaple, even dyed his hair yellow.

The Barbarians were 6-13 behind with just under 30 minutes left when they got back into the game with a superb try.

Australia flyhalf Quade Cooper's poor kick out of defence gave possession back to the Barbarians and Steyn, playing at flyhalf, threw a long cut-out pass to Welsh wing Shane Williams, the newly-crowned International Rugby Board Player of the Year.

Williams, on as a half-time replacement for Percy Montgomery, sprinted clear down the touchline.

And the flyer, who scored against the Wallabies last weekend, then took several Australians out of the game with a well-timed pass inside to All Black flank Collins, who went over for the try.

Steyn missed the conversion, but Australia's lead was now 13-11.

Then, with eight minutes left, Steyn pushed a penalty wide of the posts.

In the ninth minute, Springbok wing Bryan Habana, one of seven members of South Africa's World Cup-winning side in the Barbarians' starting XV, broke clear and chipped ahead.

But his kick was fielded near Australia's line by Lote Tuqiri who, despite pressure from New Zealand captain Richie McCaw, grounded the ball for a five-metre scrum.

Minutes later Tuqiri, making his first start since knee surgery after this year's Tri-Nations, opened the scoring.

Australia wing Ryan Cross burst down the right touchline from deep in his own half and his clever cross-kick inside was gathered up by Tuqiri who strolled in under the posts for a try.

Teenage fullback James O'Connor added the conversion in his first start for the Wallabies.

And the 18-year-old soon stretched Australia's lead to 13-0 with a couple of penalties.

The Barbarians, with South African lock Bakkies Botha a powerful presence, did start to gain ground.

They were rewarded with two penalties from Montgomery, the Springboks' record points scorer, and at half-time Australia's lead had been cut to 13-6.

Habana and All Black wing Joe Rokocoko then caught the Wallabies cold with a neat exchange of passes which took the Barbarians to within sight of the try-line.

Samoa prop Census Johnston and Botha both went close and White called on the video referee. But, with the pictures inconclusive, no try was awarded and instead the Barbarians had a five-metre scrum.

Off the back of that, former Wallaby prop Rodney Blake almost got over the line, but again the replay couldn't offer firm evidence of a try.

On the hour, former Australia captain George Gregan came off the Barbarians bench to face his compatriots, but there was no fairytale finish for the scrum-half.

Man of the match: The real heroes were all on the Wallaby side, Mark Chisholm a colossal up front and teenage sensation James O'Connor a rock at fullback. But our award goes to Wallaby centre Adam Ashley-Cooper, who not only led the Australian defensive effort, but stood up from a nasty head knock to show the true bravery of this Wallaby side.

Moment of the match: It is easy. This one goes to the match-winning try by Lachie Turner in the 78th minute. It came as the BaaBaas, hot on the attack, failed to control the ball. From the turnover just inside his 22 Drew Mitchell sprinted clear and then put Lachie Turner into space for the match-winning try.

Villain of the match: No award. We'll join referee Chris White in being generous.

The scorers:

For the Barbarians:
Try: Collins
Pens: Montgomery 2

For Australia:
Tries: Tuqiri, Turner
Con: O'Connor
Pens: O'Connor 2

Teams:

Barbarians: 15 Percy Montgomery, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Rico Gear, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Francois Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Schalk Burger, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Jerry Collins, 5 Johann Muller, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Census Johnson, 2 John Smit (captain), 1 Federico Pucciariello.
Replacements: 16 Mark Regan, 17 Rodney Blake, 18 Chris Jack, 19 Nick Koster, 20 George Gregan, 21 Ollie Smith, 22 Shane Williams.

Australia: 15 James O'Connor, 14 Lote Tuqiri, 13 Ryan Cross, 12 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 11. Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Brett Sheehan, 8 Richard Brown, 7 George Smith, 6 Dean Mumm, 5 Hugh McMeniman, 4 Mark Chisholm, 3 Matt Dunning, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Sekope Kepu
Replacements: 16 Adam Freier, 17 Ben Alexander, 18 Peter Kimlin, 19 David Pocock, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Lachie Turner, 22 Drew Mitchell

AFP