Farrell's Ireland grab dramatic win after wild battle with Wallabies
by Murray Kinsella · The42Murray Kinsella Reports from Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Australia 31
Ireland 33
THE CURIOUSLY OUT-of-rhythm rendition of Ireland’s Call seemed to set the tone for this wild battle in Sydney, yet it was a night that ended in Irish delight.
Ireland nearly tasted agony, with Australia’s Ben Donaldson having a tough chance to win it for his team with the very last kick of the game. His penalty effort from out on the right was wide. So this was a true sickener for the Wallabies.
So it was that sub tighthead Thomas Clarkson’s late try allowed out-half Sam Prendergast to land what proved to be the winning conversion, sending Ireland to a two-point win over Australia.
This was a chaotic 10-try clash, with the momentum swinging wildly from side to side in what seemed like a matter of seconds at times.
The bottom line is that Ireland have a bonus-point win in their first-ever Nations Championship game. They’re now heading into games against Japan and the All Blacks with plenty to improve on, but the momentum of a last-gasp win behind them.
They have made it six wins in a row against the Wallabies.
Ireland’s defence was porous in Sydney, with the Wallabies conjuring 11 linebreaks as they scored five tries. The Australian attack was certainly punchy and precise, but Ireland looked disjointed without the ball.
However, Ireland got rolling with ball in hand on several impressive occasions, manufacturing five tries of their own, and Prendergast’s four successful conversions proved to be the difference on the scoreboard.
But Irish fullback Hugo Keenan’s try-saving tackle on Joseph Suaalii in the first half arguably proved to be the real difference between the teams. Keenan was immense throughout.
When push came to shove in the second half, away from home in the southern hemisphere, Ireland had enough to pull through.
Andy Farrell will be pleased that his men showed mettle even when the game was never really in their control.
The big Irish contingent in the crowd of 41,971 celebrated with a lusty rendition of The Fields of Athenry in the closing minutes as Farrell’s side seemingly saw out their win, only for Donaldson to get his late, late shot.
And so, the Irish fans launched into a relieved, raucous version of Zombie.
A draw would perhaps have been fair after both sides played a huge part in this contest, but victory is Ireland’s.
A rather wild first half had left the Wallabies 24-19 to the good and deservedly so.
Their attack caused Ireland concern from the very opening exchanges and fullback Jock Campbell was calm in sending left wing Dylan Pietsch over in the right in just the third minute.
Ireland’s response was strong as Stuart McCloskey made a counter-ruck turnover, then soon delivered an excellent carry after Ireland’s five-metre maul was stopped. Cian Prendergast punched over to score off the back of McCloskey’s surge.
A big linebreak from out-half Carter Gordon out of his own half set the Wallabies on their way to a second try. Off the back of that bust, the chance was beautifully worked by Josh Canham, Gordon and Len Ikitau, with Campbell crossing wide on the right as Ireland’s backfield defence failed to cover.
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The tit-for-tat continued as Josh van der Flier hit back for Ireland in the 20th minute, crossing on a direct line after captain Sheehan tapped a five-metre penalty and lifted a slick no-look pass for his openside to thunder onto.
But again, Ireland’s defence looked disjointed in the ensuing passage and the Wallabies were back in front four minutes later. Rob Valetini broke this time, and though Hugo Keenan did brilliantly to deny Ryan Lonergan, the Wallabies were patient and powerful as lock Josh Canham drove over from close range.
Gordon finally found the target with a conversion and they lead 17-12, an advantage that was strengthened soon after when wing Max Jorgensen intercepted a telegraphed short Sam Prendergast pass. Though McCloskey did well to race back and close in on Jorgensen, he calmly popped inside for Lonergan to score a converted try.
24-12 down, Ireland needed something before the break and they got it. Initially, they had a miss in the Aussie 22 as Jamison Gibson-Park knocked on under ruck pressure from Joey Suaalii.
They needed another stunning Keenan try-saver as well, this time after Suaalii ran through Garry Ringrose and looked destined to score. Keenan chopped him down five metres out.
It proved crucial because Ireland then scored with the last act of the half, starting from a scrum wide on the right and close to their own 22. They swept downfield with intent and sharp passing from Tadhg Furlong and Ringrose put Jack Conan into space.
Conan found an inside offload to the supporting Gibson-Park and he finished, with Prendergast adding the extras to leave Ireland trailing by five points at the break.
Ireland started the second half well, with McCloskey making a big break off a James Ryan steal, soon after a classy Sam Prendergast spiral kick to touch.
It was two Australian lineout penalty concessions – one for contact on the arm, the second for jumping across – that gave Ireland the platform to nudge ahead again.
They used the same tap penalty play but van der Flier was stopped this time, only for big Conan, Tom O’Toole and Furlong carries to earn penalty advantage before the backs finished, a slick late front-door pass from Ringrose allowing Keenan to finish.
Furlong’s high tackle penalty meant Ireland were soon back in defence mode, though, and when they were free-kicked at scrum five metres from their line, replacement Wallabies scrum-half Tate McDermott acted quicker than anyone by tapping and burrowing under the Irish defenders to score.
Gordon converted for a 31-26 Wallabies lead with 25 minutes still to go.
With both benches now coming into play, there was a big moment close to the Australian line as Canham picked off the Irish lineout when it looked like they had yet another good chance to hit back.
Barely a minute later, Ireland were back. And this time, they nailed their lineout, with the ensuing maul seemingly creating space for skipper Sheehan to blast over for their fifth try. However, an extended TMO review ended with referee Ben Keeffe ruling it out for obstruction by Ryan ahead of Sheehan.
There was another delay just after when replacement loosehead Jeremy Loughman suffered a nasty head injury, with O’Toole coming back on and the Wallabies winning a penalty at the ensuing scrum.
Ireland’s bench started to impact, with a searing linebreak by Nick Timoney off a clever short Sam Prendergast pass leaving Ireland in position five metres out again, veteran loosehead James Slipper having conceded the penalty.
But the Wallabies held firm in the face of the Irish maul, then fronted up in the tackle before Ryan knocked on Gibson-Park’s pass in the shadow of the posts. A big missed chance with 15 minutes left.
Down the other end, Jimmy O’Brien was pinged for obstruction on the kick-chasing Pietsch, but sub out-half Ben Donaldson was wide with his effort from the right touchline. Respite for Ireland.
They had only nine minutes left to grab this one from the fire, trailing 31-26.
An offside penalty from the Aussies gave Ireland another sniff with seven to go.
Prendergast’s line kick was brilliant, and they had a five-metre lineout chance.
They rolled their sleeves up until their ball-carrying yielded another penalty, then another, which brought with it a yellow card for replacement lock Lachlan Shaw.
Ireland tapped the penalty again and on second phase, Clarkson smashed over.
It all came down to Prendergast’s conversion on the left-hand 15-metre line
He nailed it
Yet there was time for more drama yet. Bundee Aki, on in the Irish midfield, went off his feet at a ruck. Donaldson opted to go for the sticks from the right-hand five-metre line and at least 45 metres from the posts.
He missed. Ireland celebrated.
Australia scorers:
Tries: Dylan Pietsch, Jock Campbell, Josh Canham, Ryan Lonergan, Tate McDermott
Conversions: Carter Gordon [3 from 5]
Penalties: Ben Donaldson [0 from 2]
Ireland scorers:
Tries: Cian Prendergast, Josh van der Flier, Jamison Gibson-Park, Hugo Keenan, Thomas Clarkson
Conversions: Sam Prendergast [4 from 5]
AUSTRALIA: Jock Campbell; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch; Carter Gordon (Ben Donaldson ’57), Ryan Lonergan (Tate McDermott ’34); Angus Bell (James Slipper ’55), Josh Nasser (Brandon Paenga-Amosa ’55), Allan Alaalatoa (Taniela Tupou ’55); Josh Canham (Lachlan Shaw ’59 (yellow card ’76)), Jeremy Williams; Rob Valetini (Tom Hooper ’69), Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (captain).
Replacements: Tom Wright.
IRELAND: Hugo Keenan; Jimmy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose (Bundee Aki ’59), Stuart McCloskey, Jamie Osborne (Ciarán Frawley ’59); Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Tom O’Toole (Jeremy Loughman ’52, reversal ), Dan Sheehan (captain) (Rónan Kelleher ’61), Tadhg Furlong (Thomas Clarkson ’52); Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Cian Prendergast (Tadhg Beirne ‘), Josh van der Flier (Nick Timoney’52), Jack Conan.
Replacements: Craig Casey.
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe [New Zealand].