Gerard Meagher's match report
Summary
So, there we have it. A hard-fought victory for the Wallabies. On the balance of things across 80 minutes, were they good value for their win?
Both sides were immense at times defensively, but in attack, as expected pre-game, it was Australia that showed a bit more of the threat, courtesy the high-ball ability of Folau. It was a tactic the Wallabies turned to a few times.
Murray and Carbery showing perhaps a smarter kicking game earlier on to ratchet up the pressure on the home side, but was the young No10’s missed penalty in the first half a blot on his audition for Sexton’s position in the team?
Pocock was immense for Australia on his return to the national side, and the flanker was rewarded for his fine work with a rare try, with Beale also marshalling the Wallabies’ backline with aplomb.
A terrific opening to this first-ever three-Test series between these two nations. Thanks for your company tonight; we looked forward to next week’s second Test in Melbourne!
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Full-time: Australia 18-9 Ireland
It’s hard to tell, but the video referee has spotted a knock-on.
No try, and that’s all she wrote. Australia end this terrific run of results from the Six Nation champions. A big win on home soil, and what a terrific series we have in store now!
Ireland held try-less. And it’s smiles all round for those in gold. They dominated possession, did the visitors, but they couldn’t quite find the line. CJ Stander aggrieved perhaps; he crossed twice but neither effort was quite conclusive enough to earn the video referees confirmation.
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80 + 1 min: Ireland win the lineout and work a short move. Two good forward hit outs, has Stander got over the line?
We go upstairs, they check multiple angles. Has the South African-born forward got over, or has there been a knock on?
79 min: Ireland continue to build the phases, 15, 16. They’re not making much forward progress with this though.
Eventually Australia are penalised, Sexton looks for touch. The final siren has sounded but Ireland are pushing for one last statement.
Their 12-game winning run could be about to end, but they’re pushing til the last, Ireland.
78 min: Some long faces on the Irish bench. Australia in no hurry to set this scrum.
Foley puts an up-and-under. There’s no real pressure on the kick and Ireland regather midfield. Good hands from Healey to pick a tough pass. Ireland work it through the middle, 10 phases and counting.
77 min: Disaster for the visitors! Murray deemed to have knocked on passing out. Was there a hand on the ball there? The Irish scrum-half is livid - he gets up in the face of the referee and is told to walk away.
What a let-off for the Wallabies. A turnover, about 20m out from their line!
75 min: Ireland look to hit straight back, and it’s Larmour charging through. Australia forced to scramble on their own line. Beale with a rushed clearance kick, and Ireland set up for an offensive line out about 30m out. Big moment in the game here - what can the world No2-ranked side muster here?
Try! Australia 18-9 Ireland
And would you believe it! 18 months since his last Test in gold, it’s David Pocock who just finds the line.
Would you believe his first ever try on Australian soil. He’s been immense tonight on his return. Almost 20 tackles, 2 pilfers and now a try.
Foley lands the conversion and adds the extra two.
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71 min: He elects for the scrum, Hooper and Australia look to ramp up the pressure. They swing left, they swing right. Tremendous try-line defence from the Irish here.
Foley straightens his run, Genia picks off, looks for a one-out runner cloes to the line, can he find one..
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Penalty! Australia 11-9 Ireland
And he knocks it home!
Ireland kick deep from the restart, Genia looks for Beale who goes high. Folau rises brilliantly, what a take! He offloads for Kerevi, but a brilliant ball-and-all tackle from Kearney halts the charge.
Beale looks for the kick in behind with the fullback committed; Stockdale claims but he’s monstered by about four in gold. The Irish defender doesn’t release and it’s another penalty.
Hooper - does he go for the penalty kick; the kick to touch; or the scrum?
68 min: Big scrum here, about 5m out. Australia fancy the replacement prop Taniela Tupoa to get this going. And they wheel the Irish scrum about and Ireland are penalised!
Huge push, and Foley lines one up from just inside 20m, slightly to the right.
67 min: Australia build the phases. They get 10 phases, before Beale is almost isolated. Kerevi looks to bash through, about 10m out.
Ah, a big mistake. Australia throw a tight one with the defence right up in Kerevi’s face, and the outside centre puts it down. Huge let off!
Good defence from the Irish, having been pinned on their own line.
65 min: Australia throw wide but it’s a speculative pass. Larmour races in to claim but he spills the ball under close attention in the tackle. The Wallabies set up scrum about 35m out.
Big opportunity here for the hosts to regain the lead.
62 min: A bit of feeling in this now, some of the Wallabies not too happy with that ruling.
Now the video referee has popped up again. Ireland’s Cronin is penalised for a “neck-roll” on Hooper. It’s not deemed sufficient for a yellow card, but it’s a penalty to the Wallabies. They kick for touch.
No try! Australia 8-9 Ireland (Folau)
Oh wow. This is a big moment. Beale does brilliantly to draw the lumbering cross-field defence, he draws the extra man to create the overlap. Folau is put in space, and the fullback crosses in the corner!
We go upstairs; the video referee has spotted something in back play. It seems unrelated but Coleman is penalised for tackling an Irish player without the ball. The Wallabies supporters are livid. Hooper questions the referee, claiming the action had “no effect” on the resultant action.
Gee. Big call this. Folau’s try chalked off - and we’re back to a 1pt game!
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59 min: Beale with a good chip into open space, Haylett-Petty recovers but he’s well gathered by the Irish defence. Australia swing to the other edge and Beale again goes to the air. Kearney anticipates well and the fullback claims ahead of an on-rushing Folau.
The Australians now swing right; there’s some big bodies in green out there, can they match up?
56 min: Genia slow to distribute and Ireland win a scrum for the handling error. Murray feeds to a new-look Irish front line.
They burst left and Murray finds a gap straight from the scrum base. A lucky break for the Wallabies as the scrum-half puts it on the toe but it’s just too heavy and goes dead in-goal.
Australia restart with a scrum around 30m out from their own line.
Penalty! Australia 8-9 Ireland
No mistake! And the Irish pressure is rewarded.
They retrieve the restart and an excellent exit from Murray. Great distance and Australia have the lineout from just inside their own half.
And a roar from the Irish supporters among the crowd; Sexton enters the fray, and Carbery heads for an early rest. Not a lot wrong from the youngster, one missed penalty attempt aside.
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54 min: Ryan rises well, claims with two hands. And it’s another penalty. Pocock pinged for losing his feet but claiming the ball.
Surely Carbery will get this one. 20m out, just to the left of the uprights.
51 min: Australia win the lineout and probe about 25m out.
Big let off for the Irish. Folau penalised for cleaning out incorrectly. A disappointing error at a moment when the Wallabies needed to break this Irish momentum.
And now it’s Rodda penalised in the lineout. They contemplated the shot at goal did the Irish, but they’ve opted for the kick to touch.
An offensive lineout from just inside the 22. What can they make of this.
49 min: And Samu comes on for the Wallabies - that’s his debut, and a third for Australia tonight.
Ireland with it about 25m out. They patiently build the phases once again. It’s a war of attrition at time with these long passages of possession. Australia look for the exit but can’t find touch.
And a penalty - it’s Samu who isolates Stockdale, nice introduction to international rugby from the Crusader!
46 min: It doesn’t last long - it’s the young hooker with an error, a bit of miscommunication in the midfield and it’s a penalty for Ireland. A touch further out for Carbery, but more or less in front.
Oh my! And he’s missed it. Very gettable that. And the Irish go to the bench and on comes Healy and the fridge-on-wheels, Furlong. Will he have something to prove?
43 min: Ireland win the scrum, but can’t get any forward momentum. They swing left but the Wallabies defence passes the examination.
The Irish swing right, but a loose pass sees them lose about 10m. They bring up 10 phases, a mix of one-out runs and short backline moves.
The phases continue, 17 phases, 18 phases, and who gets there? David Pocock! How often have you seen that across the years - and what a welcome sight back in gold for Wallabies fans. Turnover!
42 min: A marauding break from CJ Stander - he’s straight through the middle and the big No8 rolls over the line!
Koroibete effects the tackle and Haylett-Petty does his best to get underneath it. Has the winger done enough?!
The video men confer: no try! It’s an attacking scrum instead.
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Second half: Australia 8-6 Ireland
41 min: And we’re back underway! Australia kick deep and Ireland field well. There’s an early turnover and the Wallabies look to shift through the hands.
Foley with a mishit kick and it’s straight down the winger’s throat. He fires one back in return and Australia lose about 30m of good work!
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Your reflections on that opening foray?
Australia working over both Murray and Carbery, but have the Irish halves still enjoyed the better of it? Neither sides really finding gaps at will but the hosts enjoying one or two moments across the backline; Stockdale’s try-saver on Koroibete to prevent the Wallabies crossing inside 20 minutes perhaps the best highlight?
Some stellar defense there from @IrishRugby to deny a charging Koroibete! #AUSvIRE pic.twitter.com/khclpkN0uc
— TEN Sport (@tensporttv) June 9, 2018
Half-time: Australia 8-6 Ireland
40 min: A tough call as a slippery pass from Australia bobbles about and is adjudged forward. Murray with the scrum feed and the No9 is happy to put it into touch.
An interesting half. Something in that for both sides; the Wallabies perhaps a touch fortunate to go into the sheds ahead?
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38 min: A lively minute there - Foley forced to bat on a pass under pressure, before Ireland regain only for Carbery to throw a wobbly old pass. Ireland recover but are tackled into touch.
Australia then kick for touch and.. oh no! Kearney with an uncharacteristic handling error and he spills the kick into touch. The Wallabies with some decent field position. Can they make something from this?
36 min: And an update - Earls will play no further part after failing a concussion test. A shame for the veteran winger.
Ireland kick off, and Australia look to bring out from their own 22.
Try! Australia 8-6 Ireland (Foley)
33 min: An interesting period of the game here, with Australia on the back foot. A big switch pass from Beale spreads it left; Foley with quick hands onto Kerevi under pressure and he loops round the fly-half to score in the corner! Something from nothing, that for the Wallabies!
Foley to convert his own try; he strikes it well, but it refuses to bend back - just to the right of the far upright.
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31 min: A real test for the Wallabies defence, as Ireland string some phases to pin Australia in their own 22m. A fine kick from Folau gets those in gold up the pitch, but an even better return from Carbery means another pinch lineout for the debutant hooker.
He’s thrown well so far, though, has Paenga-Amosa. And Australia clear with a box-kick.
29 min: We go for a few scrum resets, before Ireland eventually get a clean one away. They spread left and Stockdale puts one on the toe, but it just trickles into touch.
Murray beginning to really dictate things well; the speed of his pass is getting the Irish backs moving rapidly.
Penalty! Australia 3-6 Ireland
Carbery slots another simple one after Pocock is penalised for hands in the ruck about 10m out.
Deary me. And now Coleman is penalised for being offside from the kickoff. A disappointingly simple error that from the Wallabies, and Ireland pack down a scrum on the halfway line.
24 min: Australia inside their own 22. Genia with a good kick for touch, Ireland take the lineout from around 10m into the Australian half.
They swing right and Earls is found free after a flowing backline move. He tries to chip over Folau but the lanky fullback forces it into touch. Earls leaves for a blood-bin inspection.
Ireland with the lineout feed; some good pressure here.
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21 min: Australia probing around the 22m, but Hooper is penalised for not releasing. Good defence from Murray. A good pressure release, but the kick for touch doesn’t get perhaps the distance they would have liked.
Ireland with the box-kick from a few phases after the lineout, but Haylett-Petty rises well to claim.
There’s another Irish player down in backplay, Earls has copped a nasty elbow to the ear while challenging for that box-kick bomb. No malice, just one of those collisions.
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19 min: Try-saver! Stockdale with terrific coverage, Beale beats his man to create the overlap - he sends a rampaging Koroibete for the corner flag, but it’s the man from the left wing who covers the distance to prevent a try in the corner!
Terrific work from Ireland’s No11. Almost like he’s coming off some decent Six Nations form.
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16 min: Great hands from Foley to pick up a difficult pass. Australia kick, but there’s not much on it. A quick turnover from Ireland on the half-way mark and Beale kicks well to the Irish in goal. It’s forced and Ireland drop out.
The Irish do well to recover the drop out, but Stockdale is bundled into touch from Coleman! Another strong impact. Lineout to Australia, 10m into the Irish half.
Penalty! Australia 3-3 Ireland
Carbery slots the penalty, from about 10m out, dead in front. Not a bad one first up to settle any nerves.
Australia kick deep from the restart, and Ireland return a kick from around their 22. It’s a high bombed ball from Murray, and who else? Folau, plucks it from the air among heavy traffic.
Ryan with a simple turnover as nobody in gold could get to an isolated Paenga-Amosa. Good work from the Irish prop.
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10 min: Plenty of early activity for our South African referee as well - as this time it’s Coleman penalised for flopping over the ball. Some good field position squandered there, and Ireland kick to touch for the line out about 30m out.
Ireland go short side, some decent metres from CJ Stander. Plenty of phases here, but not too much penetration. A cheeky little grubber almost bamboozles the Australian defence with Koroibete leaving it behind, before Genia is forced into touch.
Carbery down after a heavy hit from Hooper as well! They’ve all been legal shots; they’re really working the halves over.
But it’s an Irish line out about 5m out. Great opportunity for the visitors here.
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8 min: Some early medical attention for Murray, gee, he’s seen some attention early on, hasn’t he?
It’s an Irish scrum feed after an Australian handling error. Beale with some claret from the left eye, so some heavy contacts happening all over the pitch.
And Beale’s just lined up Murray a third time! He played the runaround pass, but the experienced inside centre lined him up. Turn over, and the Wallabies kick for valuable metres.
5 min: Australia spread it wide, Koroibete stretches the legs, but the Australians are penalised. Good work by Henshaw to earn the whistle there. Line out on halfway, Ireland’s feed.
They win it, and spread first left, then right, stringing together eight phases before a turnover. Genia picks up a loose pass back inside.
Penalty! Australia 3-0 Ireland
And he’s successful. First blood to the home side. Cheika spoke pre-game about the importance of not conceding too many penalties, but it’s the Irish guilty on that front.
And Koroibete lines up Murray with a bone-rattling tackle. And Hooper lines up Ireland’s No9 on his second touch! Welcome down under!
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2 min: A second penalty! Paenga-Amosa lands his first line up throw, a nice nerve settler for the debutant hooker. And the Australians play high for Folau once more, and Ireland are penalised for offside.
Foley lines up the penalty attempt, from almost dead in front.
First whistle! Australia 0-0 Ireland
1 min: Ireland kick us off, it’s Carbery who plays it high, and who else claiming the first ‘mark’ of the contest - AFL’s own Israel Folau rising exceptionally well. And there’s a penalty to Australia for contact on the man in the air. A touch soft perhaps?
Shannon Ruska presents a slightly irreverent Welcome to Country to get us going in Brisbane. Everyone’s taking cues from the royal wedding these days it seems. A few of the Australians in the crowd shuddering at the Crocodile Dundee reference, but good fun all said.
And now the national anthems. A fair hue of green in the crowd tonight; don’t consider this one a complete home game I’d imagine.
Decent reception for both anthems. Our referee tonight is South Africa’s Marius van der Westhuizen by the by. He receives the match ball, and we’re not far away.
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We’re not far away from kick-off in Brisbane. Plenty of talking points ahead of this one. I for one am keen to see how Australia’s three debutants go, especially Pete Samu off the bench given his Super Rugby form this season.
A lot of eyes on Joey Carbery, who as we know has kept Jonathan Sexton on the bench. Tadhg Furlong will also be watching how a new-look front three goes. He’s shuffled the pack, has Joe Schmidt - are there too many gambles? It’s the first ever three-Test series between these two countries and you’d imagine whoever gets the first one will take huge confidence into the rest of the series.
Michael Hooper leads the Wallabies out; he’s got debutant Caleb Timu and the returning David Pocock alongside him - how good is it from a Wallabies perspective to see him back?
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Speaking of that earlier New Zealand v France fixture from Eden Park in Auckland, here’s the match report:
I had half an eye on that one and you can’t help but feel aggrieved for the French; a very stiff sin-bin decision no doubt turned that fixture.
Normally the ABs don’t run completely over the top of sides until the 60th minute, but here the floodgates opened from around the 50th thanks to a highly questionable yellow card.
Team news:
And here’s how our two XVs will line up tonight:
Australia:
#BREAKING l #Wallabies team to face @IrishRugby in the Mitsubishi Estate Ireland Series at @suncorpstadium. #AUSvIRL #GoldBlooded
— Qantas Wallabies (@qantaswallabies) June 7, 2018
TICKETS: https://t.co/Mvz4PozWYp
READ: https://t.co/1oqVRjhjqf pic.twitter.com/b528KkmMNe
Caveat: one update on the above - injury to Allan Alaalatoa means Waratah’s prop Tom Robertson comes onto the bench in his stead.
Ireland:
Here's your Ireland team to play @qantaswallabies in Brisbane on Saturday. #AUSvIRL #TeamOfUs pic.twitter.com/jQ8txA6dab
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) June 7, 2018
Both sets of players are out on the Lang Park pitch, going through their warm ups. We’ll fire through some fresh pics as soon as they drop.
Hi all! I hope this finds you well, from wherever you’re following Guardian’s coverage of Australia v Ireland.
The rugby season is back, and you can almost smell that freshly clipped grass with a stack of big fixtures around the world this weekend. The All Blacks have thrown down an early marker at Eden Park, brutalising France 52-11. And to think the French were leading 8-11 at half-time. Who knew NZ finished matches strongly.
As always we welcome your correspondence - please enrich the evening of your fellow readers, with your quips, predictions, insights and remarkable stats - get in touch on email or tweet @rrjparkin.
What do you make of the Joey Carbery gamble? The new-look Irish front three? Cheika’s 6-2 bench split? And who of Australia’s three debutants will cover themselves with glory? Let us know.
Welcome
There’s something very special about the June Tests, and after international Rugby’s “off-season”, we explode back to life with a fixture many are considering the pick of the weekend as the No2-ranked side, Ireland, fresh off Six Nations victory, takes on No4-Australia on the latter’s home soil.
They say you’re only as good in your last game in sport - good news for Ireland fans then, it’s hard to imagine too many better performances than securing a Grand Slam in front of 80,000 at Twickenham.
Conversely, having 50+ points put on you by Scotland isn’t an auspicious last outing; but a lot has changed since last November. At least, Wallabies fans will be hoping.
Coach Michael Cheika has already lit the “war-of-words” torch with his statements midweek. According to the Australian coach: “This is the best team Ireland have had in their rugby history”; and “They believe they are coming here to win 3-0, no doubt about it from what I’ve read and seen.”
Connoisseurs of pre-match talk might remember how successful Cheika’s ‘mind games’ went against former sparring partner Eddie Jones when England came down under in June 2016 so let’s hope his chargers aren’t relying on that particular “one-per-center” to get them across the line tonight.
We’ll have more pre-game news here shortly, but in the meantime, here’s more from Cheika, as reported by Paul Rees:
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