Scrappy Ireland survive Wallabies scare

REPORT: Ireland concluded their Nations Series campaign with a 22-19 win over Australia at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.

The hosts outscored the Wallabies three tries to one to give head coach Andy Farrell a victorious farewell before he takes charge of the British & Irish Lions next year.

It also crowned a memorable day for Cian Healy, who became Ireland’s most capped player with 134 when he came on as a replacement in what was also a match commemorating Irish Rugby’s 150th anniversary.

*To recap all the action CLICK HERE!!!

The Wallabies took the lead when Joe McCarthy was penalised for a head-on-head collision – but spared a sin-binning – and Noah Lolesio slotted over the penalty.

The Irish were making elementary handling errors, and Australia-born prop Finlay Bealham was guilty of two sloppy knock-ons.

A scrappy opening 20 minutes was brightened by a superb Australian try.

Sam Prendergast produced a brilliant try-saving tackle on Andrew Kellaway but the Wallabies kept possession and spread it out to the other wing where Max Jorgensen was free to touch down.

Lolesio converted brilliantly from the touchline for 10-0.

The score appeared to wake the hosts up and they got back into it as Josh van der Flier crashed over for his 13th Test try in the 23rd minute.

Prendergast’s conversion attempt was a wild one leaving the Wallabies 10-5 up.

The Irish enjoyed their best spell of the match since the opening minutes but a loose pass into touch by James Lowe and then an Aussie turnover by Tom Wright prevented them adding to their tally.

 Handling errors

The handling errors were mounting for the Irish, Lowe’s knocked on their eighth in the first half hour.

This allowed the Wallabies to clear and cut through the Irish defence, Robbie Henshaw did very well to get to touch the ball down over their tryline ahead of Kellaway.

Prendergast saved the Irish from conceding another try after a pass from captain Caelan Doris was picked off by prop Taniela Tupou.

Tupou showed remarkable pace before his over-the-shoulder pass was snaffled by Prendergast, but he was penalised for not releasing the ball.

Lolesio converted the penalty for 13-5.

Again Irish sloppiness cost them a lost line-out – their second of the half – metres from the Wallabies line allowed the visitors to clear their line.

Schmidt went for his half-time talk the happier man with his one-time apprentice Farrell needing some sharp words for his players after an underwhelming display.

The Irish got the first score of the second period, Prendergast landing a long-range and narrowing the deficit to five points.

This was a vastly improved Irish team, Doris going over under the posts as the clock ticked towards the half-hour to go mark.

Prendergast converted Doris’s eighth Test try to put the hosts ahead, 15-13, for the first time in the match.

Lolesio restored the Wallabies lead with a penalty in front of the posts and added another just after the hour mark for 19-15.

The Irish had lost their early vim of the second-half and Farrell threw on the Munster half-back pairing of Jack Crowley and Craig Casey with 14 minutes to go.

A minute later Healy came on to raise the biggest roar of the game as the 37-year-old prop became Ireland’s most capped player, edging ahead of the retired Brian O’Driscoll.

Crowley and Casey injected some much-needed momentum into the Irish attack.

Crowley’s delightful grubber kick gained the Irish a line-out close to the Australian line and was rounded off with replacement hooker Gus McCarthy touching down.

Crowley converted to put the hosts 22-19 ahead.

The Aussies pressed but a knock on by the previously excellent Wright had Farrell roaring with a mix of relief and joy in the coaches’ box.

The Irish held on just to record their fourth successive victory over the Wallabies – a feat they last achieved back in the 1960s.

Moment of the match: Taniela Tupou’s intercept in the 31st minute and 50-metre run will certainly headline the social media landscape. However despite his best efforts the prop did not win the footrace and failed to score. Nonetheless, it would have been one of the all-time great tries. But the true moment of the match was when Cian Healy took the field in the 67th minute. The crowd erupted and were all on their feet as Healy became the most-capped Ireland international with 134 appearances.

Villian of the match: None

Man of the match: Rob Valetini was incredible for the Wallabies, while Ireland captain Caelan Doris also put in a big shift and was a standout. However, our nod goes to Wallabies flank Fraser McReight, who was in fine form. He completed 21 tackles and won four turnovers.

The scorers:

For Ireland:
Tries: Van der Flier, Doris, McCarthy
Con: Crowley
Pens: Prendergast, Crowley

For Australia:
Try: Jorgensen
Con: Lolesio
Pens: Lolesio 4

Teams: 

Ireland: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Mack Hansen, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 James Lowe, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Caelan Doris (captain), 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 5 James Ryan, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Ronan Kelleher, 1 Andrew Porter.
Replacements: 16 Gus McCarthy, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Tom O’Toole, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Peter O’Mahony, 21 Craig Casey, 22 Jack Crowley, 23 Garry Ringrose.

Australia: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Joseph-Akuso Suaalii, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Max Jorgensen, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Harry Wilson (captain), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Jeremy Williams, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 James Slipper
Replacements: 16 Billy Pollard, 17 Isaac Kailea, 18 Allan Alaalatoa, 19 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 20 Langi Gleeson, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Harry Potter

Referee: Andrea Piardi
Assistant referees: Nika Amashukeli, Gianluca Gnecchi
TMO: Eric Gauzins

*Additional Source: AFP