Ireland have beaten Australia, 27-24 and capped off an amazing year for the Irish rugby team. It is the first time that Ireland have beaten all three of the Southern Hemisphere giants in the same calendar year.
Ireland have also become only the second European team to beat South Africa, Australia and New Zealand in the same year, after England beat the trio in 2003. That England team went on to win the World Cup.
It was an incredible win for Ireland, against Australia. The Irish team went into the match struggling with injuries to key players. Jonny Sexton and Robbie Henshaw had been ruled out of the game and Sean O’Brien was declared unfit just before the contest.
These injuries were compounded during the match itself, when Rob Kearney, Andrew Trimble and Jared Payne (Payne will now be out for three months and miss the start of the Six Nations) were forced to leave the field. This created a very makeshift back-line.
Simon Zebo came on for Kearney but moved to the wing when Joey Carbery replaced Trimble. Kieran Marmion replaced Payne, with Earls moving to centre and Marmion taking Earls’ place on the wing.
The switch meant that Ireland had the replacement out-half playing at full-back and the reserve scrum-half appearing on the wing. All three players took to their roles brilliantly, though, and had great games.
Josh Van der Flier also had a great game. Der Flier was the last-minute replacement for Sean OBrien. There was an unsavoury incident in the first-half, with Dean Mummbeen sin-binned for dropping Tadhg Furlong on his head.
Despite the injury problems, Ireland went into the break with a 17-7 lead, tries coming from Iain Henderson and Gary Ringrose. Paddy Jackson converted both scores and added a penalty. Dane Haylett-Petty touched down for the Wallabies, with Bernard Foley adding the two points.
Australia also scored first in the second-half, with Foley converting Tevita Kuridrani’s great try. The score was now 17-14, to Ireland. From being 17-0 down, Australia had managed to close the gap to three points in only ten minutes.
Jackson extended the lead with a penalty (20-14) but Australia took the lead for the first time in the match, when Sefanaia Naivalu, who had just come on, dotted down. Australia now led, 21-20.
Foley added a penalty (24-20) but Ireland refused to lay down, with Earls crossing for what would prove to be the winning try, 15 minutes before the end. The Wallabies were reduced to 14 men when Foley was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle on Devin Toner.
Australia kept on attacking but Ireland managed to keep them out. won a great game of rugby and capped off an historic year which must go down as one of the best in the country’s playing history.
All the players deserve credit but here are some special mentions:
Rory Best finishes a year of great personal achievement, where he led Ireland to victories over all three of the Southern Hemisphere giants and became a Test centurion! Best must now take his place among the greatest Irish captains.
Gary Ringrose, Joey Carbery and Tadhg Furlong will also take their place among the legends of Irish rugby, in the fullness of time. Ringrose and Carbery made their debuts in the November Series and have played like seasoned pros, while Furlong has become one of the best props in Europe, since debuting in last year’s World Cup.
davSA
Guest
Thanks Jerry ,doesn't happen often. Votes for my team of the year should of course go to the All Blacks for breaking the world record of consecutive wins and rightfully so. However a real case can also be made for Ireland . I'm factoring in a number of firsts for them. First win against Boks on home soil. First win against All Blacks (no mean achievement considering the quality of NZ) and first N/hemisphere team in 13-14 years to achieve the treble against Aus/SA and NZ . They also deserve kudos for the way they are playing the game . I haven't considered England simply because they did not play the AB's. Lets wait and see on that one. . As for the booby prize of the year well I'm afraid I am gonna have to take it on the chin for my own side the Boks.
Jerry
Guest
I know England did it in 02 and 03 which is probably the last time as the only NH sides NZ has lost to since then are Fra in 07 & 09 and England in 12. France didn't play Aus or SA in 07 and in 09 they beat SA but lost to Aus. England didn't beat Aus or SA in 2012.
davSA
Guest
They impressed me throughout the season. I would be interested to know when last any Northern Hemisphere side beat SA , Aus and NZ in the same season. Can anyone help .
Coconut
Guest
I just want to congratulate Ireland for their achievement. It is no small feat to beat all three major Southern Hemisphere teams. Not only that, but doing it convincingly and playing positive rugby. It bodes well for the game, and I think that is something we can all agree on. Well done Ireland, look forward to the next time you meet the ABs!
Harry Jones
Expert
Doubt it. Stander was red-carded early in the Newlands test. Irish didn't miss a beat. But he's a good player, and a prime example of SARU wastefulness....
Derm
Roar Guru
Do you think that without Payne and Stander they wouldn't beat these teams? Both of them had to go off through injury in matches. Their replacements did ok.
Timbo
Guest
Unless I'm reading it wrong, the only certain starter in the Ireland team from 'down under' is Payne. CJ Stander is currently the starting blind-side, but will have to fight to keep his place. Not sure that's a massive 'down under' contingent.
Colin
Guest
How much of a factor are Ireland's "down under" players? Are we only managing to finally beat these teams because we're employing their players?
Harry Jones
Expert
Great season indeed. I admired the commitment and accuracy of the Irish in the contact zone, whether it was slowing the ball, ruling the breakdown or at least gaining parity, dominant tackles, choke tackles, team rucking, etc. They seemed very well coached to approach contact zones at the right height and knew their roles well. Interesting to see how Munster is going. Rassie Erasmus and his lockbox of Bok trade secrets, including a defensive guru, and solid leadership from CJ Stander, along with young talents Kleyn, du Toit, and others. They are accurate at the breakdown. Connacht is also getting an increasingly Saffa flavour. Maybe we'll cope with the Bok demise by becoming Celtic Saffas.
Stephen
Guest
Will be interesting to see the result of England v Australia tomorrow... my money is on Australia for a comeback
Daire Thornton
Guest
Yes it was a great year. Its encouraging that our three biggest wins came when we had lost key players: Test win in South Africa - Sexton injured, Stander red card. New Zealand win - Sean O'Brien injured, Sexton went off injured. Australia - half the team injured. The two games we lost this year were against England and France so for next year we will need to get wins against them and challenge for the six nations. We play them both at home so should be do able.