Ireland have levelled their June series with the Wallabies at 1-all and set up a deciding match at Allianz Stadium next week with a five-point win over the Australians in Melbourne on Saturday night.
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Final score
Wallabies 14
Ireland 26
The Wallabies have a chance to secure the series win against world No.2 Ireland when they tackle the green machine in Melbourne tonight. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 8pm AEST.
Last week, Australia did an Ireland to Ireland, to beat Ireland.
With David Pocock leading the way, ably assisted by his throng of loose forwards and ball hungry front row – Australia were immense at the breakdown in an 80-minute performance that would have had Michael Cheika mighty pleased.
Indeed, at times, the Irish looked shell-shocked and unsure how to deal with the threat posed by Pocock and co.
In reality, it was a punch-for-punch affair that lays the foundation for a tasty narrative for game two tonight.
In team news, it’s a case of polar opposites.
Michael Cheika has named an unchanged 23 for the first time in his coaching tenure with the Wallabies. Speaking to Fox Sports earlier today, Michael Hooper said he was “excited at the opportunity” for his side to continue “growing and tightening up their combinations.”
Conversely, Irish head coach Joe Schmidt has rung in the changes to the side that was defeated in Brisbane last start.
The big-in is flyhalf Johnny Sexton, who will no doubt rudder his side’s attack in a much-needed boost to what was a relatively spluttering offensive outfit last week.
In other changes, Cian Healy comes into the starting XV alongside Devin Toner, Tadhg Furlong and Dan Leavy. Andrew Conway starts on the right win.
Where the game will be won
Who adapts the best?
Ireland need to find a way to get quicker ball at the breakdown, and to dispel the aerial threat of one Israel Folau. If they don’t do those things, they’ll lose this game, and the series. Sexton being back is a big, big boost – and they should be better for their extra week in the country.
I think it will be a belter. Don’t be surprised if it comes down to the last two minutes.
Prediction
The odds have reversed from last week, but it’s still a bit of a coin-toss scenario. I like the confidence that Australia is playing with, though, and should just scrape home.
Australia by 3
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Intotouch
Roar Rookie
Can anyone explain why the tests this week and next are being played in small stadia? Is it because of the time of year? Too much competition with other sports for crowds to attend the matches? Or is Ireland not a big draw? Next week I think Schmidt will have to give the second choice 9 and 10 more game time as part of preparation for the world cup and if so I think that it will be a closer game.
Fionn
Guest
Yes, I made a mistake and it was 2 class games. Still, 3 points off winning the Bledisloe looks like a close series to me. Not sure I ever said the Wallabies were perfect under him? Please direct me to that comment.
Fionn
Guest
Yes, I made a mistake and it was 2 class games. Still, 3 points off winning the Bledisloe looks like a close series to me. Not sure I ever said the Wallabies were perfect under him? Please direct me to that comment.
Pinetree
Guest
Considering Ireland's record of wins in Aus, I would say that it was a brilliant win.Congrats Derm on the win on Aus soil after a 39 year drought. Ireland certainly showed a fine display in controlling the match with their full strength team back, Pure guts from the Irish pack. Hard to call next week, as Aus do look more dangerous with ball in hand, but without the ball it makes it very hard to score. Ireland may improve their ball in hand game next week though perhaps? A real battle of 2 opposing styles is making this series very interesting...who will come out on top?
adam smith
Guest
I think some of you Wallabies supporters are being a bit harsh on the team. The Irish are second in the rankings, & have been for a while. Ireland are a very smart, well coached, & settled team, with a lot of experience. Same can’t be said of the Wallabies in regards to experience. There is a lot of young inexperienced players, learning their craft at international level in the Wallabies, & I think a close loss is far from a disgrace. Wallabies have a lot of room for improvement, I’ll be backing them for the win next weekend.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
So, just a few days ago you were claiming 2014 was 3 close games against NZ and I'm the one that needs to go back and watch again? Rightio. Link is perfect. Wallabies were perfect under him. Never played a bad game...
riddler
Roar Rookie
there u go mate.. i told u my memory was bad..!! i feel for you with those lads.. every second word phu ck .. even with my limited vocab that would get tedious..
Baz
Guest
Ireland were impressive and thoroughly deserved the win. Their forward pack dominated the breakdowns with the Pooper having little impact. That's where the game was won and lost. Ireland thoroughly deserve their rating of 2 in the world and I understand exactly why they are 6 nation champions. I would have preferred to see them play the AB's this year rather than the Wallabies. That would have been a great test series. Australia seemed to lack any sort of organisation and spark without Genia on the field. Our forward pack looked out sized and out muscled and out enthused. We also seemed incapable of adapting a game plan based on what the opposition does. The kicking for Izzy was not working. The Irish had obviously done their homework. But we didn't adapt and change the game plan. Our match IQ is letting us down. I can't see us winning next week. The Irish at full strength are a defensive juggernaut who I think even the ABs would have difficulty with.
riddler
Roar Rookie
thugby.. i know it is a huge left field call.. but i have big wraps on moses.. i think he has the goods.. could well be wrong.. as i am on many, many things.. in back only changing kervei who i am not a fan of..atleast not a lot like others.. rona could be good.. timu i so wanted to be the next keft.. but maybe he won't be. but we need to compete at the breakdown and ruck.. so maybe samu has to come in.. the irish won't get worse next week.. as for frisby.. have a soft spot for the kid as he is a good galloper.. he got a rough call when qld had all the injuries and he had to play 10.. he probably wasn't good enough for oz.. but still is fine player.. and a gps boy.. so that is me!! bias!!
Fionn
Guest
Agree Bledisloes 2 and 3 were great, but there was 6 weeks between them! How about we agree never to mention that first Bledisloe Test again? I went up to Sydney for it and it was the most miserable I have ever felt watching live sport despite hanging out with the lads from the Rugby Report Card that evening. It is what it is. Just have to be better next week. A win next week would still seal a fantastic series victory against a very good Irish side.
riddler
Roar Rookie
fionn last part of history what if.. i would have preferred white after link.. then cheika after the wc.. but that is just my personal preference.. the tahs win was great.. but i think alot of that could be put down to the saffa who was playing.. he was immense in that team..
riddler
Roar Rookie
my memory is bad .. but i would suggest second half of 1st game, 2nd and 3rd game of bledisloe last year was very good..
Fionn
Guest
Yeah, I'm sure it'll be fine mate. Anyway, we can agree to disagree on Link. Arguing about the past doesn't do any good. As you say, all we can do is look to the future. The decider is next week and we know based on last week that the team is capable of playing better than they showed tonight. Big week for the coaches.
riddler
Roar Rookie
fionn very sorry to hear that mate.. had no idea.. hope u are on the road to recovery.. sorry u have missed the game but health is always the number 1 priority.. as for link.. he is a victorian who played for act and coached act, oz, tahs, stade france and qld.. not a regional issue for me.. whereever some comes from is irrelvant.. it is their heart and character that i support.. in regards to qld he did a great job, maximisng what mooney, mckay and taylor paved with.. but his favouritism showed up in one particular thing he did with cooper.. he took the kicking off harris and gave to cooper who was about 10% less than harris.. for the purpose of strengthening his bow for oz selection.. when he started the oz gig he didn't select a few qlder's for one or two tests. but he then put cooper in.. tokenism.. like his staying on the field at halftime.. its not schoolboy rugby.. there was a lot about mckenzie for mckenzie.. a wee bit like both joneses.. he split a shed.. didn't bring it together.. for whatever reason.. a bit of perspective when looking backwards is needed..
Fionn
Guest
The 'pool of death' was predicated on England being a top contender. Very good win over England and then a dour match against Wales in which neither team scored a try, when Wales was suffering an injury crisis too from memory. We got the win, but I don't remember anyone talking about how good that performance was at the time, aside from defence. Regardless, Link isn't an option now, but it doesn't change the fact that Cheika has been in charge since 2014 and I don't think we have had good back to back performances under him once. Or, rather, if we have the only time was in 2015 in the RWC. I hope he turns it around, but I still wonder about what might have been had things done differently in 2014.
riddler
Roar Rookie
wales was our best ever defensive effort for donkeys years.. brilliant performance..
eagleJack
Roar Guru
I’m saying we haven’t put in consistent “awesome” performances since Macqueen. And maybe a few times under Jones. We went through what most called the pool of death of RWC15 undeafeated. That’s putting in good, consistent performances.
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Exactly right RT, the better team won and tbh they won easily, the score flatters the WB a bit. I think Ireland might be a mite worried of the ineffectiveness of their backs but wow, their piggies controlled the match so well. Not to worry, my Irish mate and I are attending next week's match in Sydney which will be a corker now. Loser buys the beers after the match so come on you WB mongrels, win me that bl00dy beer! LoL
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Fair call riddler but Sorovi has only just cracked the XV. Prior to that Lucas was struggling for the Reds. I’d like to see more of Sorovi playing from the 1st minute, but right now Ruru is ahead of him. But Sorovi was certainly very good starting against the Tahs.
Fionn
Guest
What two good did we put in in a row at the RWC? One awesome performance against England, one decent performance against Argentina in the semis and we were just comprehensively outplayed in the final until Ben Smith's yellow card. Certainly wouldn't call Wales and/or Scotland 'awesome' or even necessarily 'very good' performances (definitely not Scotland), and they came after England and before Argentina. That's even if you would call the Argentina performance awesome or very good.