Australia's most capped captain Michael Hooper says he's hurting for the Wallabies after their record loss to Wales which is set to end their Rugby World Cup hopes.
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Players such as Rob Valentini and Nick Frost were in tears, consoled by their teammates at OL Stadium in Lyon following Australia's 40-6 thrashing, which was the country's biggest-ever defeat in the tournament.
They look certain of elimination, missing the quarter-finals for the first time ever.
Hooper was one of the biggest omissions from Eddie Jones's World Cup squad, alongside playmaker Quade Cooper, as the coach pursued a youth agenda.
But the team's inexperience on the big stage was telling with the Australians comprehensively outplayed by Wales and also by Fiji in their previous pool match.
In commentary veteran flanker Hooper said he felt for the players and their fans.
"I'm looking at the faces of our boys there on screen and that's a representation of how we all feel I think, they're absolutely gutted," Hooper said on Stan Sport.
"There's no lack of effort - obviously we're well off the pace.
"I've still got my player's hat on, I'm a part of this team, I was in here six or seven games ago too so it really hurts when you're not able to get the pay-off for all the hard work you do but also give fans and the country something to get behind.
"As we saw with the Matildas earlier in the year, you want to get that 'We can do something here', and to have that ripped out from under you it's heart-breaking."
Former Test playmaker Bernard Foley, who was also omitted with Jones as the coach took only one specialist five-eighth in rookie Carter Gordon, tweeted: "It didn't have to be like this.
"Players have always put in."
Australian Associated Press
