Ireland rugby coach Andy Farrell will head into his secondment with the British and Irish Lions on the back of a narrow 22-19 win over the Wallabies, the team he intends to bring down on next year’s tour.
Replacement hooker Gus McCarthy crashed over at the back of a rolling maul for the clinching try in a 22-19 victory in Dublin this morning, ensuring Irish rugby’s 150th birthday party wasn’t spoiled by the Wallabies.
Australia coach Joe Schmidt’s Dublin homecoming ended in a second straight loss to conclude his team’s year-ending European tour.
The Wallabies return home with wins over England and Wales followed by losses to Scotland and Ireland, and plenty of work to do ahead of Farrell’s Lions visiting in June.
Australia led 13-5 at halftime after winger Max Jorgenson’s try and eight points from the boot of flyhalf Noah Lolesio.
Ireland recovered in the second half to post a fourth straight win over the Wallabies, with captain Caelan Doris adding to Josh van der Flier’s first-half try before McCarthy got the winning score in the 73rd.
No. 2-ranked Ireland claimed three wins out of four this autumn, starting with a loss to the All Blacks and rebounding against Argentina, Fiji and finally Australia.
Source: Stuff.co
