Hansen hat-trick helps Farrell's Ireland to impressive win over Wallabies

Murray Kinsella Reports from the Aviva Stadium

Ireland 46

Australia 19

JOE SCHMIDT FLASHED up on the big screens at the Aviva Stadium after 12 minutes and he was looking pensive. His Wallabies were already 14-0 down after a rampant start from Ireland.

Schmidt might have been fearing a hammering and though his men showed some grit in the first half, Ireland ended up delivering exactly that. 

Andy Farrell looked composed when he popped up soon after, but there must have been a blend of giddiness and relief behind his poker face. That opening flurry was everything he and his players have been looking for this autumn. Accurate, aggressive, clinical and fluid.

It’s unlikely that Farrell thought his side would keep going in that fashion for the full 80, but he will be pleased that his men stuck to the task even after playing a part in the Wallabies coming back into the contest before half time. Ireland dominated the second half, finishing over the top of Schmidt’s men with another flurry of excellent rugby.

This tees them up nicely for next weekend’s showdown with the best team in the world, Rassie Erasmus’ Springboks. It promises to be another battle royale. 

Although Storm Claudia had subsided, it was still a wet night with drizzle settling in for kick-off and one particularly heavy downpour during the first half. That couldn’t quell the home support, who were very lively under the Saturday Night Lights.

It was Ireland’s best performance of the autumn so far and that opening 12-minute surge will stick in the memory most. Brilliant fullback Mack Hansen finished both of their early tries on his return from injury, crossing under the posts on both occasions, before completing his hat-trick later in the first half.

Out-half Sam Prendergast played a central role in both of those early scores, with his quick hands allowing Stuart McCloskey to show similarly quick hands to free Hansen for his first, before slick handling from Robbie Henshaw allowed Prendergast to send the number 15 over for his second.

Prendergast impressed at out-half for 60 minutes, landing the first drop goal of his professional career, kicking from hand very well, and even coming up with a turnover tackle on opposite number James O’Connor at one stage.

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Jack Crowley then came off the bench and helped Ireland to finish with another outstanding passage of rugby in the closing 10 minutes.

They both benefited from an improved performance from the pack, with Paul O’Connell’s lineout operating at 100% and the scrum similarly successful. Ryan Baird also laid siege on the Australian lineout, making three steals.

Yet there will be plenty of frustrations for Ireland, who will feel they played a part in Schmidt’s gritty Wallabies sticking in the game into the second half. 

Having started so well, Ireland were a little timid in the lead-up to Len Ikitau’s try soon after Hansen’s second score. It was a fight in the trenches of the Irish 22 and the Wallabies outmusled them. 

And after Hansen’s third score – laid on by some superb Irish kicking, including a Jamison Gibson-Park 50:22 – it was Ireland’s indiscipline that invited the Aussies back in repeatedly. Initially, it looked like Schmidt’s men wouldn’t take advantage as Baird made two big steals in the lineout, but eventually they battered over in direct fashion, this time through Fraser McReight.

That left things in the balance at half time with Ireland leading 19-14, but Farrell’s men handled the second half better.

Baird’s third lineout poach and captain Caelan Doris’ breakdown turnover gave them momentum, but there was another frustrating moment in the 50th minute as hooker Dan Sheehan was held up over the tyrline by Harry Potter and Ikitau after breaking from a close-range maul.

After Prendergast had smartly taken his drop goal from 37 metres out with penalty advantage playing, there was another annoying moment when Tommy O’Brien’s possible score off a Prendergast cross kick was chalked off for James Lowe’s knock on in the build-up.

But Ireland kept rolling, with Crowley – just on for Prendergast – knocking over a penalty for 25-14.

And finally, with 10 minutes to go Ireland broke the last bit of Aussie resistance when Hansen soared to take another high ball in the visitors’ 22 and after some punchy phases, skipper Doris barged over to the left of the posts, Crowley converting smartly.

The Wallabies had one last spurt left in them as they built towards a consolation try from replacement hooker Billy Pollard, but they had left themselves with far too much to do.

To the delight of the Irish crowd, their team finished powerfully, with replacement centre Bundee Aki thundering forward off a lineout in the Australia 22, then the outstanding Baird smashing over the line for his side’s fifth try.

And then Gibson-Park, now playing at fullback after Craig Casey replaced Hansen, launched an inch-perfect cross kick for Robbie Henshaw to put the icing on a very satisfying cake.

Just before Crowley converted, Farrell flashed up on the big screen. He was punching the air in delight by now.

Ireland scorers:

Tries: Mack Hansen [3], Caelan Doris, Ryan Baird, Robbie Henshaw

Conversions: Sam Prendergast [2 from 3], Jack Crowley [3 from 3]

Drop goal: Sam Prendergast

Penalty: Jack Crowley [1 from 1]

Australia scorers:

Tries: Len Ikitau, Fraser McReight, Billy Pollard

Conversions: James O’Connor [2 from 2], Tane Edmed [0 from 1]

IRELAND: Mack Hansen (Craig Casey ’71); Tommy O’Brien, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart McCloskey (Bundee Aki ’27), James Lowe; Sam Prendergast (Jack Crowley ’61), Jamison Gibson-Park; Paddy McCarthy (Andrew Porter ’48), Dan Sheehan (Rónan Kelleher ’57, Tadhg Furlong (Thomas Clarkson ’57, reversal ’71); James Ryan (Cian Prendergast ’57), Tadhg Beirne; Ryan Baird, Caelan Doris (captain), Jack Conan (Nick Timoney ’48).

AUSTRALIA: Max Jorgensen; Filipo Daugunu (Andrew Kellaway ’59), Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Harry Potter; James O’Connor (Tane Edmed ’71), Jake Gordon (Ryan Lonergan ‘); Angus Bell (Tom Robertson ’54), Matt Faessler (Billy Pollard ’54), Allan Alaalatoa (Zane Nonggorr ’61); Jeremy Williams (Nick Frost ’54 (yellow card ’71)), Tom Hooper; Rob Valetini (Carlo Tizzano ’63), Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (captain).

Referee: Karl Dickson [RFU].