Ireland showed character to deny former coach Joe Schmidt a winning return to Lansdowne Road on Saturday by edging Australia 22-19 in a scrappy encounter in their one-off rugby Test.
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The hosts outscored the Wallabies three tries to one to give head coach Andy Farrell a victorious farewell before he takes charge of the British & Irish Lions next year.
It also crowned a memorable day for Cian Healy, who became Ireland’s most capped player with 134 when he came on as a replacement in what was also a match commemorating Irish Rugby’s 150th anniversary.
“There’s relief, but there’s also enjoyment there, too,” Ireland captain Caelan Doris told TNT Sports.
“It’s a quality side, they are Joe Schmidt-coached and we knew it was going to be top class.”
Superstar cross-code recruit Joseph Suaalii also overcame what as first considered a serious wrist injury, making his third start for Australia since making his switch.
The Wallabies took the lead when Joe McCarthy was penalised — but spared a sin-binning — and Noah Lolesio slotted over the penalty.
The Irish were making elementary handling errors, Australia-born prop Finlay Bealham guilty of two sloppy knock ons.
A scrappy opening 20 minutes was brightened somewhat by a superb Australian try.
Sam Prendergast produced a brilliant try-saving tackle on Andrew Kellaway but the Wallabies kept possession and spread it out to the other wing where Max Jorgensen was free to touch down.
Lolesio converted brilliantly from the touchline for 10-0.
The score appeared to wake the hosts up and they got back into it as Josh van der Flier crashed over for his 13th Test try in the 23rd minute.
Prendergast’s conversion attempt was a wild one leaving the Wallabies 10-5 up.
The Irish enjoyed their best spell of the match since the opening minutes but a loose pass into touch by James Lowe and then an Aussie turnover by Tom Wright prevented them adding to their tally.
The handling errors were mounting for the Irish, Lowe’s knock on their eighth in the first half-hour.
This allowed the Wallabies to clear and cut through the Irish defence, Robbie Henshaw did very well to get to touch the ball down over their tryline ahead of Kellaway.
Prendergast saved the Irish from conceding another try after a pass from captain Caelan Doris was picked off by prop Taniela Tupou.
Tupou showed remarkable pace before an over the shoulder pass was gratefully snaffled by Prendergast, but he was penalised for not releasing the ball.
Lolesio converted the penalty for 13-5.
Again Irish sloppiness cost them as a lost lineout — their second of the half — metres from the Wallabies line allowed the visitors to clear their line.
Schmidt went for his halftime talk the happier man with his one-time apprentice Farrell needing some sharp words for his players after an underwhelming display.
The Irish got the first score of the second period, Prendergast landing a long range penalty for 13-8.
This was a vastly-improved Irish team, Doris going over under the posts as the clock ticked towards the half-hour to go mark.
Prendergast converted Doris’s eighth Test try to put the hosts ahead, 15-13, for the first time in the match.
Lolesio restored the Wallabies lead with a penalty in front of the posts and added another just after the hour mark for 19-15.
The Irish had lost their early vim of the second-half and Farrell threw on the Munster halfback pairing of Jack Crowley and Craig Casey with 14 minutes to go.
A minute later Healy came on to raise the biggest roar of the game as the 37-year-old prop became Ireland’s most capped player, edging ahead of the retired Brian O’Driscoll.
Crowley and Casey injected some much-needed momentum into the Irish attack. Crowley’s delightful grubber kick gained the Irish a lineout close to the Australian line and was rounded off with replacement hooker Gus McCarthy touching down.
Crowley converted to put the hosts 22-19 ahead.
The Aussies pressed but a knock on by the previously excellent Wright had Farrell roaring with a mix of relief and joy in the coaches’ box.
The Irish held on just to record their fourth successive victory over the Wallabies — a feat they last achieved back in the 1960s.
Suaalii overcomes injury to make best 15 | 01:36
Schmidt for his part was “proud” of his side which he has guided to six wins and seven defeats in his first year in charge.
It is a considerable improvement on the disjointed and demoralised Wallabies side he took over from Eddie Jones after they failed to advance from the pool stage of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
“I thought they demonstrated a level of grit that you need if you’re going to be competitive with the Lions and competitive with Ireland, number two team in the world,” said Schmidt.
“I think we made them work pretty hard tonight to get the win. “We’d love to have got into the mix and got the ‘W’ ourselves.” Schmidt, who played a pivotal role in New Zealand’s World Cup quarter-final victory over the Irish last year, conceded there was a bit of disappointment, too.
“We were talking about you can’t beat them with a sledgehammer, you’ve got to get the scalpel out and you’ve got to be accurate,” said the 59-year-old New Zealander.
“That’s the best way to open them up.”
Schmidt added: “We probably opened them up enough times to get scoreboard separation. When you get to 13-5 that’s a nice separation.
“If we could have scored first after half time and it’s our kick-off, kick it deep and then suddenly give up a penalty, yeah, that was disappointment.”