The match burst into life when Hugo Keenan ran onto a flat, long pass from fly-half Sam Prendergast in the Australian half, only for the fullback to be stripped of the ball by Wallaby wing Andrew Kellaway with the try-line beckoning.
Australia fly-half Noah Lolesio got the scoreboard moving inside ten minutes with a penalty kick straight between the sticks following an unintentional head-on-head between forwards Joe McCarthy and Rob Valetini.
As the first quarter neared its close, Kellaway appeared to have a straight run to the line, but appeared to doubt himself and his legs were taken out from under him with a great cover tackle. The Wallabies soon won a penalty, though, and with their free play passed out to the left wing, where Max Jorgensen showed no such hesitation in sprinting through for a try. Lolesio’s touchline conversion was terrific and gave the visitors a 0-10 lead.
Having just dropped a restart, Valetini dropped the ball under little pressure, and with Ireland wing Mack Hansen fast approaching, pushed his forearm into his former Brumbies teammate’s throat. Penalty Ireland, and soon openside Josh van der Flier took the ball flat from scrum-half Jamison Gibson Park inside Australia’s 5m line to score his third try of this year’s Autumn Nations Series. Fly-half Sam Prendergast failed to convert: 5-10.
Ireland were playing a good pressure game on the visitors inside the Aussie half, but getting nowhere, undone by unforced errors.
Then came the magnificent sight of enormous Wallaby tighthead Taniela Tupou (known as ‘The Tongan Thor’) intercepting and running from inside his own half almost to the Irish 22. It didn’t result in what would have been a memorable try, but no matter for Australia, who had won a penalty. Lolesio made it count to extend his side’s lead to eight points: 5-13.
Prendergast drew first blood for Ireland in the second half with a 43rd minute penalty kick from 40 metres out, in line with the posts, after James Slipper was penalised at a ruck. The young playmaker from Leinster was beginning to grow into the match, and the likes of wing James Lowe were benefiting from his attention.
Ireland, wearing a classic jersey design as part of the IRFU’s 150th anniversary celebrations, only began to show their traditional selves nearing the 50th minute when a quick, attacking 5m lineout manipulated the Australian defence, a floating high pass from Gibson Park enabling captain Caelan Doris to sweep through under the posts. The equalising try was converted by Prendergast, and Ireland now led for the first time in the match: 15-13, and the Aviva Stadium was now in full song.
The lead last barely a couple of minutes before Lolesio reclaimed the scoreboard for Australia after replacement Irish front rower Tom O’Toole failed to release the ball on the ground. Soon after, Lolesio’s influence on the game continued with another good long-range effort from near enough halfway – this time it was Doris pinged for holding on. 15-19.
If there was reason to cheer for the home fans at this point, it was due to 37-year-old loosehead Cian Healy taking to the field for his Irish record-breaking 134th cap – an exceptional achievement for a player in his position. It was a night to celebrate longevity in props, with Australia tighthead James Slipper now the sole occupant of the fourth spot in the list of the world's most-capped players, moving ahead of Sergio Parisse.
Newly arrived Ireland fly-half Jack Crowley made an immediate impact, kicking the ball down the left wing, where Australia fullback Tom Wright had little choice but to run the ball into touch, gifting the hosts a 5m lineout. In the blink of an eye, Ireland won their throw-in and drove over for a Gus McCarthy try, the 21-year-old replacement hooker scoring his second try in as many appearances for Ireland.
Crowley converted for a 22-19 lead, and so the score would remain as the men in green sent their head coach off on his Lions adventure – many hoping they will have done enough to join him in Australia next summer.
