Ireland on Saturday fought back from a halftime deficit to mark a 150th anniversary with a scruffy 22-19 victory over Australia, sealing the victory in the last eight minutes and denying their former coach Joe Schmidt a winning return.
The home side, celebrating Irish rugby’s birthday, were 13-5 down at the break, but rallied back from an error-filled first half to post a narrow success.
Ireland’s points came from tries by Josh van der Flier, captain Caelan Doris and substitute Gus McCarthy, with new flyhalf Sam Prendergast contributing a penalty and conversion and his replacement Jack Crowley a conversion.
Photo: Reuters
Max Jorgensen scored Australia’s lone try, with Noah Lolesio kicking over four penalties and a conversion, as they lost for a second straight week after Scotland beat them on Nov. 24.
Ireland lost their 20-match unbeaten home record to New Zealand in a lackluster display last month and looked off form again on Saturday in a scrappy first half against the Wallabies, where Schmidt has been trying to build a winning team in much the same way he did when he was in charge of Ireland.
Australia got the first try in the 19th minute from 20-year-old winger Jorgensen at the end of an expansive sweep down the line after a kick into the 22, which Ireland never dealt with. Jorgensen beat Jamison Gibson-Park in a foot race to slide over in the corner.
Photo: Reuters
However, Ireland replied four minutes later as Van der Flier punched over the line, following a lineout. Captain Doris carried the ball close to the line before Gibson-Park played a short ball for Van der Flier to power over.
Australia’s eight-point lead at the interval was wiped out within the first five minutes of the second half as first Prendergast put over a penalty and then Doris scored a try under the post and the conversion had Ireland 15-13 ahead.
Ill discipline threatened to cost the Irish when substitute Tom O’Toole was penalized for not releasing after the tackle, allowing Lolesio to put over his third penalty of the game and have Australia one point up in the 56th minute. Doris gave away another penalty seven minutes later and Lolesio put his side 19-15 ahead.
However, with eight minutes left, Ireland’s increasing pressure paid dividends when they won a penalty for a late hit on Hugo Keenan and kicked into the corner, with McCarthy carrying it over from the subsequent lineout maul to win the game.
“It’s always going to be tough against a side coached by Joe Schmidt. We dominated possession and territory in first half, but lack accuracy in their 22, but it was better in the second half,” Doris said.
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