Late Clarkson try seals epic Ireland comeback win

Ireland's Nations Championship campaign is up and running with a bonus-point win against Australia, after Andy Farrell’s side pulled off a sensational comeback in Sydney.

Ireland edged out the Wallabies 33-31 after a remarkable and chaotic 80 minutes in front of a record 41,970 people at Allianz Stadium with Thomas Clarkson’s late try, converted by Sam Prendergast, sealing a sixth successive win over Australia.

At times, it looked like Ireland were dead and buried. Approaching half-time, Farrell’s side were 24-12 down and heading for a sobering defeat before Jamison Gibson-Park’s try right before the break changed the complexion of the contest.

It was far from straightforward after that, with Ireland falling 31-26 behind heading into the last 10 minutes, while Australia were left to rue two missed conversions and two missed penalties, as they left 10 points behind them from the tee.

Australia struck for the first try on four minutes, and from there the lead changed hands six times, with both sides scoring five tries apiece.

Cian Prendergast, Josh van der Flier, Gibson-Park and Hugo Keenan scored Ireland’s earlier tries, with Sam Prendergast converting four of them, but while their attack was sharp their defence was a mess, particularly in the opening half, as they struggled to contain Len Ikitau and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.

Dylan Pietsch, Jock Campbell, Josh Canham, Ryan Lonergan and Tate McDermott all scored for Joe Schmidt's side as they came with minutes of ending their eight year wait for a win in this fixture.

The Irish accuracy was off in the early exchanges, with Sam Prendergast hitting a couple of kicks too far to reward a chase, while a lost lineout in their own half saw the visitors come under some early pressure.

That opportunity was quickly finished for the opening try, Suaalii finding a gap and getting Max Jorgensen into space, and after a succession of phases the hosts worked an overlap for Campbell to play Pietsch into space for a 5-0 lead after just four minutes.

Ireland didn’t take long to respond, Stuart McCloskey winning a turnover and Jamie Osborne kicking for territory, before a penalty allowed Ireland a chance deep into the 22, where a huge McCloskey carry was followed up by Cian Prendergast for a try, and his brother Sam converted to give Ireland a 10-5 lead after 10 minutes.

The Irish lead lasted only three minutes as Carter Gordon broke from deep to get the Wallabies moving forward, with 10 phases bringing them to the 22. A penalty advantage came their way, but they didn't need to cash it in, as Len Ikitau rounded Cian Prendergast and passed right to Campbell, who dived over for a second Australian try.

Gordon pulled his conversion left and wide for the second time, and he was made to rue that shortly after as Ireland won back-to-back penalties to get within five metres of the Wallabies line on 18 minutes, and a clever tap-penalty move between Dan Sheehan and Van der Flier saw the Ireland flanker plough over for a try, sending Ireland back in front, 12-10.

There was no questioning the Irish attack, but their interior defence was floundering, and once again, on 23 minutes, Australia cut them open through the middle, this time Rob Valetini ghosting inside Gibson-Park and Dan Sheehan to get them close, before Canham forced his way over the line from close range, Gordon finally landing a conversion for 19-12.

Three minutes later, things would get even better for the home side when Jorgensen picked off a short pass from Sam Prendergast, and while the winger was chased down by McCloskey, he was able to flick a pass back inside for Lonergan, as the scrum-half jogged in for a fourth Australian try and a dream 24-12 lead.

Schmidt’s side should have been out of sight by half-time, Suaalii piercing Gibson-Park and Tadhg Furlong on 36 minutes, only for a miracle tackle by Keenan denying him.

And then, with the final play of the half, Ireland decided to run the ball off a scrum at the edge of their own 22, and after working their way up into the Australian half, a lovely pull-back from Furlong created space for Jack Conan to find a gap, offloading to Gibson-Park for a try under the posts, leaving just five between the sides at the break.

Five minutes into the second half, the game took a further swing as Ireland edged back in front with their bonus-point try; a pair of penalties against Australia at the lineout gave Ireland another five-metre penalty, and Australia were wise to the move they had tried earlier between Sheehan and Van der Flier, a few more phases saw Keenan punch onto a flat pass from Ringrose and score, as Prendergast’s conversion made it 26-24.

Once again, the lead didn't last long, as the Wallabies marched back down the pitch to win a penalty deep in the Irish 22 on 51 minutes, and while they elected to scrum, an early shove by the replacement Irish front row gave the hosts a free-kick, which McDermott tapped quickly and just about made it to the line for an Australian try, converted for a 31-26 lead.

Ireland missed a golden opportunity for another score on 55 minutes when they lost a lineout deep in the Australian 22, and two minutes later they thought they had scored when Sheehan dived over from the back of a rolling maul, but the score was chalked off by the TMO after obstruction from James Ryan (below).

Farrell had seven of his eight replacements made by the hour mark, and there was a step-up in energy, particularly with some noticeable carries from Bundee Aki and Nick Timoney, but once again the end product was missing, as Ryan spilled a bullet-pass from Gibson-Park with 15 minutes left, as Ireland were laying siege to the Australian 22.

With nine minutes remaining, replacement out-half Ben Donaldson had the chance to make it a two-score game with a long-range penalty from the right touchline, but he curled it left and wide.

It meant there would be plenty of time for Ireland to find a potential winning score, and as the Australian discipline fell to pieces, and Lachlan Shaw picked up a yellow card for the team, the pressure told as Clarkson charged over for a try to level it, and Sam Prendergast was ice-cold to land the conversion for a 33-31 lead, and just two minutes to play.

There would be one more twist though, a penalty against Aki with the final play of the game gave Donaldson a chance to win it, but once again his difficult kick fell wide and right, as Ireland completed their great escape.

Scorers

Australia: Tries: Dylan Pietsch, Jock Campbell, Josh Canham, Ryan Lonergan, Tate McDermott

Cons: Carter Gordon (3)

Ireland: Tries: Cian Prendergast, Josh van der Flier, Jamison Gibson-Park, Hugo Keenan, Thomas Clarkson

Cons: Sam Prendergast (4)

Australia: Jock Campbell; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch; Carter Gordon, Ryan Lonergan; Angus Bell, Josh Nasser, Allan Ala’alatoa; Jeremy Williams, Josh Canham; Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (capt).

Replacements: Brandon Paenga-Amosa (for Nasser, 54), James Slipper, (for Bell, 54) Taniela Tupou (for Ala’alatoa, 54), Lachlan Shaw (for Canham, 59), Tom Hooper (for Valetini, 68), Tate McDermott (for Lonergan, 33), Ben Donaldson (for Gordon, 57), Tom Wright (for Campbell, 77).

Ireland: Hugo Keenan; Jimmy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey, Jamie Osborne; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Tom O'Toole, Dan Sheehan (capt), Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Cian Prendergast, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.

Replacements: Rónan Kelleher (for Sheehan, 60), Jeremy Loughman (for O’Toole, 51-60), Thomas Clarkson (for Furlong, 51), Tadhg Beirne (for C Prendergast), Nick Timoney (for Van der Flier, 51), Craig Casey, Ciarán Frawley (for Osborne, 59), Bundee Aki (for Ringrose, 58).

Referee: Ben O'Keefe (NZRU)