Australia scraped past Fiji 21-18 in a performance that suggests the British and Irish Lions have little to fear heading into their Test series.
It took a try by Harry Wilson in the 78th minute that was converted by Ben Donaldson to rescue the Wallabies from the prospect of an embarrassing defeat in their only match before taking on Andy Farrell's tourists.
Fiji trailed 14-0 but scored a stunning try through Salesi Rayasi on the cusp of half-time and they emerged a different side after the break, with Lekima Tagitagivalu touching down in the 55th minute.
Controversy reigned when the Islanders appeared to cross through Sireli Maqala only for play to be called back because Australia's Harry Potter had put a foot in touch earlier in the passage of play.
A Caleb Muntz penalty propelled Fiji 18-14 ahead but in the closing stages back-row forward Wilson forced his way over to spare the Wallabies' blushes.
Adding to Australia's issues is a possible concussion and neck injury sustained by fly-half Noah Lolesio, who was taken from the field on a medical cart with 20 minutes to go, making him a doubt for the first Test against the Lions on 19 July.
The Brumbies man was taken to and later discharged from hospital, and "has been cleared of significant damage... with his symptoms improving", the Wallabies confirmed in a post on X this afternoon.
After the game head coach Joe Schmidt admitted the shaky victory will have reinforced the British and Irish Lions’ status as favourites to win the Test series.
"We didn't play well enough for people to have the expectation that we’re going to come bowling into Brisbane and knock the Lions over. I’m not sure that expectation was there before Fiji," Schmidt said.
"There’s not real confidence, but there’s a quiet resolve. And that quiet resolve, hopefully over the three-match series, can build to something that will earn us the support of a very interested group.
"We haven’t been together for six months. To have five trainings and to be seamless would be an expectation that I hoped for rather than immediately believed would happen. Now we have another short runway to improve on where we were against Fiji."
This was Australia's first and final warm-up game before the first test with the Lions in a fortnights time in Brisbane.
