Wallabies’ grand slam dream over as Ireland snatch draw
By Darren Walton, 16 Nov 2009 Darren Walton is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Brian O'Driscoll, Grand slam, Ireland, Rugby Union, wallabies
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Wallabies v Ireland, Croke Park November 16, 2009. Wallabies drew with Ireland 20 all. Photo by Pothale
Australia’s grand slam dream is over after a heartbreaking last-minute try to superstar captain Brian O’Driscoll secured Ireland a dramatic 20-20 draw with the Wallabies in Dublin.
Celebrating his 100th Test in spectacular style, O’Driscoll sliced through a huge gap in the Australian midfield to score under the posts.
Referee Jonathan Kaplan blew fulltime immediately after Ireland five-eighth Ronan O’Gara drilled the conversion to shatter the Wallabies’s hopes of emulating Australia’s legendary 1984 tourists who completed the grand slam sweep over England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
After a dream start, with winger Drew Mitchell scoring in the third minute, the Wallabies were never headed and looked like storming Croke Park when inspirational captain Rocky Elsom crashed over in the left-hand corner to break a 13-13 deadlock 18 minutes from time.
The draw, which came on the first anniversary of Ireland’s most recent defeat, snapped the Six Nations champions’s eight-Test winning streak — but would have nevertheless left the Wallabies devastated.
They will head to Edinburgh on Monday gutted at watching their shot at history slip away so cruelly.
The day looked like belonging to Elsom, O’Driscoll’s former Leinster teammate who was back to his devastating best for Australia.
The tireless flanker got through a mountain of work, shifting bodies at the breakdown, securing lineout ball and capping his fine display with his 62nd-minute strike, after he reeled in a pass one-handed from prop Ben Alexander.
Giteau’s sideline conversion gave Australia a 20-13 lead, but the Wallabies were hanging on for grim life in the desperate closing few minutes.
A minute before O’Driscoll crossed, Ireland winger Tommy Bowe had a try disallowed after Will Genia, Peter Hynes, David Pocock and James O’Connor combined to hold him up over the line.
O’Driscoll made a horror start to his milestone match, the brilliant centre unable to take a wayward cut-out pass from Ronan O’Gara as Ireland looked to run the ball from inside their own quarter following a lineout win.
Mitchell gleefully swooped and raced 25 metres to score next to the posts.
Giteau’s conversion made it 7-0 after three minutes.
Ireland replied with two O’Gara penalty goals to reduce the deficit to one point after 22 minutes, before Giteau slotted one shortly after to give the Wallabies a 10-6 halftime advantage.
Giteau went close to extending the lead when he pierced the defence, only to be chopped down two metres out.
But the Wallabies would have been relieved not to have been trailing at the break after the hosts enjoyed their best period while Wycliff Palu sent 10 minutes in the sin bin for what appeared a magnificent hit on Ireland fullback Robert Kearney.
The Irish tried everything to break down Australia’s stonewall defence in the first half, with a saving hand from Giteau denying winger Bowe a five-pointer from a clever crossfield kick from O’Gara.
A second Giteau penalty goal increased Australia’s lead to 13-6, but Bowe put the Irish on level terms with a try in the 56th minute.
In his first match in Dublin since inspiring Leinster’s European Cup triumph earlier this year, Elsom seemed set to break Ireland hearts when he scored just after the hour mark.
Alas, it was O’Driscoll who had the final say.
View a photo gallery of the match, provided by Roarer Pothale.
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- Wallabies v Ireland, Croke Park November 16, 2009. Wallabies drew with Ireland 20 all. Photo by Pothale
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- Ireland backline in flight, Wallabies v Ireland, Photo by Pothale
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- Maul, Wallabies v Ireland, Photo by Pothale
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- Giteau lines up the tackle, Wallabies v Ireland, Photo by Pothale
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- Palu high, Wallabies v Ireland, Photo by Pothale
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- O’Gara clears; Wallabies v Ireland, Photo by Pothale
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- Genia – Wallabies v Ireland, Photo by Pothale
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- Brian O'Driscoll, Grand slam, Ireland, Rugby Union, wallabies
November 16th 2009 @ 8:23am
tropmalk said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:23am | Report comment
The aimless kicking has to stop, Ireland looked far better at running the ball back. Quade Cooper had a shocker in my estimation, he had many opportunities to run the ball back or keep the backline moving but just booted it, his defense is still sus, we cartainly haven’t solved the centre question, O’Driscoll would never have scored with a better centre combination
November 16th 2009 @ 8:59am
Parisien said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:59am | Report comment
Quade left his post on that last Irish try, got suckered in, four gold on one green, leaving a huge hole. Poor backline defence at the end that I doubt we would have seen if Mortlock had been there, keeping them straight.
November 16th 2009 @ 7:02pm
Justin said | November 16th 2009 @ 7:02pm | Report comment
Ioane had the bad read not Cooper. His positioning isnt good enough at 13 in defence. He can tackle but he doesnt make the right choices and is often in the wrong position. Its his speed that closes down his misreads alot of the time.
November 16th 2009 @ 1:44pm
Axel said | November 16th 2009 @ 1:44pm | Report comment
I reckon that the first 8 or maybe more of QCs kicks were caught on the full by wing or full back. Terrible options. Why when they made such good ground when running wouldn’t they keep doing it. They had Ireland struggling when they ran but too quickly dropped the option. Did Ioane ever get the ball from a QC pass ?
November 16th 2009 @ 8:32am
Damo said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:32am | Report comment
Yes it feels like a loss but we are starting to see where the real problems are – essentially when the ball is in the air, line-outs and kicks. AFL training sessions?
November 16th 2009 @ 8:35am
Hoy said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:35am | Report comment
Man I hate Kaplan. I have some sour grapes right now. Whenever we play with him as a Ref, I always feel we have no chance of winning as he will do something to peg us back.
This time, he did it to both teams, but again, I thought we got the worst of it. What was the second O’Gara penalty for? Off their feet? Replays say, no, they clearly weren’t. Why didn’t we get the scrum penalty on the only scrum that wasn’t pulled up at the final play? The Irish prop clearly folded in. It was the only scrum not pulled up for something.
Our scrum was clearly dominant, as was our ruck play finally. Pockock was MOM as he was everywhere, if not tackling, being second in, and stealing ball. The much vaunted Irish backrow was clearly outplayed in this aspect.
Palu played well I thought, and was EXTREMELY unlucky to be sent off for a massive hit on Kearney. It rocked my world to see him smash him like that, only then my world came tumbling down when he was sent off for it. It is always a sticking point on big hits like that when the attacker is hit so hard, that he is sent flying before hands can wrap, but Palu clearly had intent there to tackle. It was no shoulder. And if it was, what about Kearney trying to prevent Elsom’s try with his CLEAR shoulder? No action was taken on that one.
I can’t harp on long enough about the ruck and how Australia finally smashed into it. It was a long time coming.
I felt we kicked far too much, even when we had a two man overlap, we still kicked it away, and a very low percentage of the kicks went out, so just handed the ball back to the Irish. Cooper didn’t play 1st receiver as much in this game as he did against England and when he did, it was only to kick. I would have liked him to play there and get his good long balls going.
I was a bit worried when Digby went down with his shoulder. He was pretty quite this game, but I like his play. He is so strong in contact, and when he runs the ball, he bounces around like a pinball.
For the Irish, it was their first hit out, but man were they rusty. I thought only three of their players had good games. O’Gara, O’Connell, and the winger who was almost a two try hero, Bowe. All the rest really worked into the game slowely. The prop making his debut had a poor scrummaging day, however made a fantastic run, which led to the first Irish try.
One thing I think is a issue for us, is the time we take at the back of the ruck. We seem to sit on the ball and get set up for the next ruck for ages, and the next one is just set up with three runners. Perhaps we need more haste at the breakdown to unlock our backs when the defense is not set rather than keep allowing them time to get set.
I think this was the one that really got away from us. Gits should have kicked those two penalties, but also, we missed a few tries oppurtunites as well. Git’s break should have been converted into a try, but fizzled out.
November 16th 2009 @ 8:43am
Howi said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:43am | Report comment
I get the same pit in my stomach when I see Kaplan walk into the middle of the field. He has way too much influence on the game for one person. There were some marvellous passages of play from both sides that were halted pedantically.
November 16th 2009 @ 9:07am
pothale said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:07am | Report comment
Agreed. couldn’t understand some of the decisions at all against Ireland when we were down in the Aus 22. Very picky ref. I don’t know why think NH refs are so bad or picky – Kaplan is up there with the best of them – or should that be down there with the worst of them?
Ireland were without doubt rusty. They will get better. Should make for a good match with South Africa. I suspect that Kidney will want to keep as many of the team together to build up coherence. Expectations that youngters may get a run out against Fiji could be wide of the mark.
Croke Park was very quiet today for some reason. The crowd didn;t get into the game until the second half as a lot of the first half was quite aimless. Australia were gifted a try in the first few minutes, and the rest of the half was three penalties from Kaplan’s incessant whistling.
Ireland finished the stronger, and my regret is that O’Gara didn’t take one of the kicks earlier and put three points on the board. They would have had time to come back again.
November 16th 2009 @ 9:45am
stuff happens said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:45am | Report comment
Pothale I was surprised by the Irish tactics. They ran the ball from the ko which is always a risky strategy against Australia. O’Gara’s best feature ( only?) is that he can kick beautifully.But he didn’t kick for position and even didn’t take take a couple of penalties.If these are the tactics why not play Sexton who’s a better all round player anyway? Eventually it paid off in part with Ireland’s relentless pressure at the end producing O’Driscoll’s try.
Australia should have won the game because as others have pointed out the Irish forwards were off the pace of the game until the last 20.The looked jaded after their lay off.The Irish scrum was terrible, the equal of Australia’s lineout.The Australians will take a lot of confidence from the way they competed at the b’down,but overall they will see it as a lost opportunity.Why oh why do the Australians kick the ball away so much?
November 16th 2009 @ 8:43am
Jerry said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:43am | Report comment
That Palu hit reminded of a fewe penalties I’ve seen given against Sione Lauaki. When someone is that big and hits that hard, sometimes the guy goes down before they have a chance to get wrapped up by the arms. The law doesn’t say you have to grasp the guy in the tackle, it says you have to try. Palu had his arms up to grasp, it was a poor call.
November 16th 2009 @ 8:52am
Parisien said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:52am | Report comment
It was a great tackle! even better in slow motion. it was simply too good.
November 16th 2009 @ 8:49am
Bay35Pablo said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:49am | Report comment
“what about Kearney trying to prevent Elsom’s try with his CLEAR shoulder”
Agreed Hoy, I thought it looked like a gridiron blitz. If palu went so should Kearney. Ref too busy blowing his whistle for the try ….
November 16th 2009 @ 8:53am
BennO said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:53am | Report comment
Sour grapes I know but man I agree with you about Kaplan. I reckon he always looks smug and extra pleased with himself when he awards a penalty against the wallabies. Like he’s forever repaying some vendetta.
Sour grapes aside, isn’t our record woeful when he referees? Surely that suggests there’s something more than the wallabies not understaning his interpretation of the breakdown, or whatever the IRB line would be.
November 16th 2009 @ 10:55am
Working Class Rugger said | November 16th 2009 @ 10:55am | Report comment
Try being a Tahs fan and seeing him run out in the middle. I shudder every time. Just before I change the channel because I cannot stand to watch the carnage.
November 16th 2009 @ 8:36am
True Tah said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:36am | Report comment
Was not too impressed with Quade Cooper, in particular his defence.
Tommy Bowe scored his first try carrying Quade over the line, and when he was held up later, he used Quade as a speed bump. I was surprised they didnt attack Coopers channel more often.
November 16th 2009 @ 7:05pm
Justin said | November 16th 2009 @ 7:05pm | Report comment
Fair go, a two year old could have scored that first try, Cooper almost stopped it.
November 16th 2009 @ 8:37am
The way it is! said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:37am | Report comment
I agree with stillmissit, I’m still not convinced that the wallabies played that well as just too many silly errors came into play such a Coopers fumbles just before half time. They must learn to excute properly in order to put the nail in the coffin of the oppostion. It is just not happening and we must remember that the Irish were rusty. I must say that the ref had a shocker as I really don’t like to bag out the ref at all but that sin binning was a joke and were those offside penalties really just?
I’m still not sure that our centre pairing are working, as the defensive error at the end proved costly and Quade Cooper might as well play 5/8 as he seemed to be there most of the time. Any way the game was there to be won if they were good enough but yet again they were not.
November 16th 2009 @ 8:51am
Bay35Pablo said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:51am | Report comment
If beating all Home Nations is a Grand Slam, does that make going through undefeated a plain old Slam? Or a mini-Slam?
I’m having flashbacks to when Tiger was looking at winning 4 majors in a row, but not in the same calendar year, and the US commentators started coming up with new names to try to cover it.
November 16th 2009 @ 8:55am
BennO said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:55am | Report comment
I think the Serena Slam is an example in tennis too!
November 16th 2009 @ 8:58am
stillmissit said | November 16th 2009 @ 8:58am | Report comment
Maybe after the way the Wallabies butchered that opportunity it should be referred to as the The Grand Back Slam.
Can anyone knock the arrogance out of Quade Cooper? As soon as he gets that sneer on his face you know he is going to have a poor game. His ego runs one way and he goes the other.
Guys Kaplan is what Kaplan is – he has been the same for about 5 years we should know and be prepared for his histrionics.
I didn’t realise that Ireland hadn’t played for 6 months, I thought they were going to be up against a hard drilled side. After hearing that after the game was over I am even more depressed.
Great work Ireland to work a draw after such a break.
November 16th 2009 @ 9:14am
pothale said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:14am | Report comment
Stillmissit – I’m surprised you didn’t know that. The 6 Nations finished in March this year, and because of the Lions tour, it’s 7 months before they play again.
France and Italy were the only ones to tour in June.
But it’s the same with the SH teams – after November, the next SH tests are in June, right?
November 16th 2009 @ 9:32am
stillmissit said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:32am | Report comment
Yes Pothale – just goes to show how out of touch we get with what is happening in the NH. None of the commentatrs I listened to mentioned it as a factor. They were all spouting the same old stuff ‘this one will be hard’ ‘if they beat Ireland they can win the Grand Slam’ ‘Wet weather could mean Aust struggle’ etc etc Nobody said this Ireland team hasn’t played for 6 months we should put them away.
Yes after this tour June is the next games.
Sort of hollow feeling after a drawisn’t it Pothale? Your team did very well to get a draw and could have won had they taken their points earlier.
November 16th 2009 @ 11:39am
CraigB said | November 16th 2009 @ 11:39am | Report comment
i find it interesting that the media refer to the NH teams as ‘ring rusty’ this time of year and the SH teams as ‘test hardened’. When the June tests arrive the SH teams are ‘fresh’ and the NH teams are ‘coming off a long season’. Can we please have some consitency rather than built in excuses.
November 17th 2009 @ 12:42am
Knives Out said | November 17th 2009 @ 12:42am | Report comment
We’ve been over this: Pocock will have played roughly 22 games at this point in the season whereas when France travels down under Lionel Nallet will have played 45+. Can you use some consistency please.
November 17th 2009 @ 1:06am
pothale said | November 17th 2009 @ 1:06am | Report comment
Craig – would you prefer that the SH media described the SH teams as being ring rusty in June? They certainly were this year.
November 17th 2009 @ 4:36am
Parisien said | November 17th 2009 @ 4:36am | Report comment
Knives out, how do get the figure of 45+ games for Nallet? I get to about 38 total by the end of November, or 34 prior to the november tour games. Contingent on how many Heineken cup games he would/will he have played?
November 17th 2009 @ 5:44am
pothale said | November 17th 2009 @ 5:44am | Report comment
I think it’s based on something like:
Top 14 = 26 games
Top 14 Playoff finals = 2 games
H Cup 6 Pool matches minimum plus 3 play offs finals in H Cup
5 Six nations tests
3/4 Autumn Internationals
3 Summer Tests
43-49 games depending on Autumn tests and progression in cup/league
Guinness Premiership would two less league games, but they participate in the Anglo-Welsh Cup instead which is a pool and playoff format.
Magners teams only have 18 league games (to go up this year with intro of play-off finals, and again when Italian teams join the league in 2011/12.)
November 17th 2009 @ 10:31am
Parisien said | November 17th 2009 @ 10:31am | Report comment
Thanks for the breakdown of 45+ games pothale.
Still, it assumes that a star player is in a star team that competes in Top 14 and the Heineken Cup, gets through to the playoffs and finals and plays every conceivable match and that the said player would never be rested, rotated or even out due to injury. I actually don’t know how many matches Nallet has played and is yet to play, but if he does play in every single possible match and ends up playing 43 to 49 he is either a freak with superb conditioning, never injured, taking it too easy (!) or just (un)lucky… he might be the exception but most French players don’t play that many games in one year even if they potentially could.
Another thought worth considering is that the intensity of championship games is lower than that of Super 14 (which are more like the H Cup games in terms of level of clubs, players, intensity, and rhythm … )
Kelleher, Mcalister and several other SH players now in the NH say its a marathon season with almost weekly matches but not the same level. Kelleher is not the type who shirks either.
Anyway, I think NH and SH fans could come up with any number of excuses about freshness, time of year/month, injury lists, games played, wet grass, the referee but in the end they are excuses and are best left unmade. Hey, the teams I feel for who have some legitimate excuses are Fiji, Argentina, Samoa, but they just get on and play, and punch above their weight regularly … Most admirable.
November 17th 2009 @ 1:03am
pothale said | November 17th 2009 @ 1:03am | Report comment
Stillmissit – Hollow is a good summary.
There’s a few positive things to take from it – from Ireland’s point of view.
I think the satisfaction on Irish faces was due to them staying in the game, and keeping the pressure on to earn a draw. Having that self-belief and doing something with it, was just as important to the team and Kidney said so in his interviews yesterday.
O’Driscoll seems as driven as ever this year – he wanted to make up for his/O’Gara’s error earlier that gifted Australia a try. He’s forever on the watch for a weakness or opportunity. The training-ground move at the end, which they’d practised for some time, but hadn’t had an opportunity to execute, was simply done, but required lots of practise to get it right.
(Elsom learned something from playing alongside O’Driscoll last year – he leads by example, and his try for Australia demonstrated that, in my view.)
Ireland also found out that Hayes and Flannery are much the poorer without game time. No surprises there. They’ll definitely benefit from playing again in the RDS next Saturday.
Healy had a torrid time in the scrum, but was an eye-opener in the loose, and I think will keep Horan out permanently. (If Horan isn’t already permanently damaged which I think he is. (Munster have brought in du Preez the S African prop as cover.)
O’Gara actually had a good game and talk of his demise – including by me – was premature. I was looking at his stats on the planet rugby site that someone helpfully put the link up here.
The fact that Ireland turned down some very kickable penalties in the hope of scoring tries was an indicator of where Kidney is going with this time. 9.5 times out of 10, O’Gara would have lined up for the kick (and probably got it).
Paddy Wallace had an okay game, but jeez the guy attracts head injuries like honey does with bees. He became ragged after his second clatter, like during the 6N. I just wonder would shifting BOD to 12 and bring in someone like Bowe at 13 make a difference? Earls would slot into the wing position.
November 17th 2009 @ 7:44am
stillmissit said | November 17th 2009 @ 7:44am | Report comment
Pothale – The replacement Ireland winger #22? was very good indeed and I thought he was good enough to start in your team.
BoD – was excellent and when you look at his stats it goes to show that a great player doesn’t need stats that are in outer space. They do things that change games at critical times, that’s what makes them great.
O’Connell was a little quiet I thought. I was looking forward to his game as he is (in my view) one of the best locks in the world.
Our team has been done to death and back so I don’t need to go over that aspect.
November 17th 2009 @ 9:02am
pothale said | November 17th 2009 @ 9:02am | Report comment
Stillmissit – the guy was Keith Earls. I agree with you and he’s going to have to step up to the plate now in the match against SA from the kick-off. New just out that Luke Fitzgerald has damged his knee badly in the game and requires surgery. Out for 4-6 months.
Very disappointing news for Ireland and Leinster.
He’s young so he’ll come back from it – but he may not even make the Summer tests which will leave him out for some time.
November 16th 2009 @ 9:27am
Robbo said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:27am | Report comment
Hang on! We still have to beat Wales. Next week (Scotland) should be a good game though – Australia by 40.
November 16th 2009 @ 11:35am
Colin N said | November 16th 2009 @ 11:35am | Report comment
“Next week (Scotland) should be a good game though – Australia by 40.”
A very bold prediction. Scotland are a decent side, with a good pack and some exciting backs. The problem Scotland have is at centre, Morrison isn’t good enough and Grove is inexperienced (Max Evans is still injured I believe). Ben Cairns is always an option though, despite not taking his club form into the international scene previously.
November 16th 2009 @ 4:55pm
Robbo said | November 16th 2009 @ 4:55pm | Report comment
Well, maybe 40 was overstating it. But I expect Australia will not be troubled. Revised prediction – Australia by 15+.
November 16th 2009 @ 9:04am
MM Fike said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:04am | Report comment
I thought it was a pretty good test match.
Everyone knew this would be a tough game. Playing a side with many quality players iin front of 80,000 of their passionate fans was always going to be difficult.
It isn’t nice seeing a win go begging in the last minute of play but hey give the opposition some credit.
Like most supporters I get brassed off when we lose games. But this wasn’t a loss it was an honourable draw.
Our boys gave it their best shot and were done in the dying seconds. I reckon they did us proud.
Why some people have to nitpick and criticise all the time has got me beat.
November 16th 2009 @ 9:05am
Parisien said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:05am | Report comment
If ever a draw felt like a defeat!
I bet the players feel gutted too. Did you see Rocky’s post match interview? He looked like he wanted to be physically ill and could barely speak with the disappointment.
November 16th 2009 @ 10:51pm
TommyM said | November 16th 2009 @ 10:51pm | Report comment
It’s good to see.
November 16th 2009 @ 9:06am
Sam Taulelei said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:06am | Report comment
It’s official, 2009 will go down in the record books as the worst year in Australian rugby since the game went professional. No Super 14 semifinalists, unconvincing performances in the June tests, losing 4 nil to NZ, Aus U20 not making the semifinals, finishing bottom of Tri Nations and now the Grand Slam is gone. Only good thing this year for the Wallabies is the good win in Brisbane against the Boks and that 2009 is drawing to a close.
As a development tour for the younger players, the benefits won’t be realised until next year’s final Super 14 competition with expectation that some individuals will improve as well as teams overall.
2009 won’t be remembered fondly for NZ rugby either and their performance against Italy was patchy at best. No offence to the Azzurri who were good enough to at least have earned a famous draw.
November 16th 2009 @ 9:20am
stillmissit said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:20am | Report comment
Sam T – this has been a horror year for the Wallabies crowned by the white flag of Wellington. There are signs but watching smoke signals on the hills whilst the real Indians are creeping round the back of your tent may not be useful.
November 16th 2009 @ 9:21am
Parisien said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:21am | Report comment
Gee Sam, you sound as disappointed as me! Its not that bad. Lets focus on the “development tour” aspect, and there’s always next weekend to look forward to!
November 16th 2009 @ 9:25am
Pete said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:25am | Report comment
Thanks for the positive ray of sunshine Sam. The season isn”t over yet.. the boys can still redeem themselves by finishing undefeated.
November 16th 2009 @ 9:13am
Worlds Biggest said | November 16th 2009 @ 9:13am | Report comment
My initial reaction at the end like most others was disappointment we didn’t hang on to win. Before the game I would have taken the draw any day of the week. I wasn’t confident the Wallabies could continue there 2nd half performance against England into this game but I was proved wrong. Aside from the first half lineout shambles and aimless kicking at times I thought the Wallabies played very well. I haven’t seen a Wallaby team dominate a quality team at the breakdown for a long time and there was COUNTER RUCKING, YES COUNTER RUCKING !. The scrum was excellent and may have turned the corner. Pocock delivered a performance everyone has been waiting for and was outstanding with Rocky not far behind him. In saying all this Ireland were rusty and we didn’t put them away in the first 20 minutes of the 2nd half when we were all over them. As Spiro pointed out, a drop goal at that point was the option but Giteau never entertained that idea, Berrick Barnes would have nailed it. Again the game was there to be put away and again we didn’t put points in the bank when we needed them as Kaf said in commentary. Giteau did miss one very kickable penalty however the other one was out on the sideline. Remembering also that we were gifted a soft opening try after O’Gara’s wayward pass. In the 71st min we had a lineout on our own 22 which we lost ( POC scopped on loose ball ) which lead to Ireland camping in our 22 for final 10. That was a critical turning point for me. Some fresh legs may have helped as under the pump. We couldn’t get out and Ireland kept mounting the pressure with BOD scoring from a nicely worked move. Overall I thought the Wallabies were a bit unlucky but Ireland showed what a team they are by salvaging a draw. Dingo needs to break the shackles against Scotland and let the backs loose, no aimless kicking & get lineout fixed. Let’s go on and finish tour undefeated.