Ireland stumble home with an improved second half
- Updated: 30/11/2024
ANDY Farrell got a deserved temporary leave of absence today in the Aviva Stadium but it was far off a performance to remember. They struggled in the first half and with the errors rising, they just about deserved their three point victory. Cian Healy became the most capped Ireland player when he took the field in the last quarter.
Not for the first time, it was a messy start by the Irish and it was Australia who opened the scoring thanks to a penalty byNoah Lolesio on nine minutes. The visitors also put the second score on the board this time Max Jorgansen getting over and Noah Lolesio again found the target. Ireland needed a score and it came 22 minutes when Josh van der Fleur touched down but Sam Prendergast muffed the conversion.
Andy Farrell must have been wondering what was going on out there with the stats telling us that Ireland had eight spills in 29 minutes and eight minutes before Noah Lolesio added a penalty that saw his side go in at the break with a 5-13 lead. Thr Irish needed a good start to the second half and they cut the lead thanks to a penalty from Sam Prendergast two minutes after the re-start. Six minutes later it was 15-13 to the homce side thanks to a try by Caelan Doris, converted by Prendergast. Australia were not giving up and they took the lead on 54 minute thanks to a brace of penalties from Noah Lolesio that pushed them into a 15-19 advantage. The arrival of the Munster half-back duo upped the pace of the Irish and a try by Gus McCarthy was converted by Jsck Crowley to give Ireland a deserved, if not imressive, victory.
Ireland: Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki; James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Finlay Bealham; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt).
Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Cian Healy, Tom O’Toole, Iain Henderson, Peter O’Mahony, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Garry Ringrose.
Australia: Tom Wright; Andrew Kellaway, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Max Jorgensen; Noah Lolesio, Jake Gordon; James Slipper, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Taniela Tupou, Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams; Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (capt)
Replacements: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Allan Alaalatoa, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Tane Edmed, Harry Potter.
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)
AR1: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
AR2: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
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