The Wallabies are fronting up against Ireland this week. I think injuries in key positions, retirements, and fatigue have played a major part in their performance on this spring tour. Can the front up against a very strong side from Ireland? With only one more game after this week, my hope is for a strong performance.
The Match
Ireland immediately looked dangerous! The Wallabies couldn’t get out of their own half, and the Irish applied constant pressure. Jeremy Williams took just one step a moment early and was caught off side. Gibson-Parks spotted a weakness in Australia’s defence and took a quick tap. It only took a few phases for Mac Hanson to stroll over under the posts.
Key errors were cruelling any chance for the Wallabies. Dropped ball, bad passes, knock ons and overthrown line outs were common. In the lead up to Ireland’s next try, Australia Gave a free kick at a scrum in Ireland’s half, Ireland quickly booting the ball 80 metres down field where the ball was knocked on and taken into touch. Ireland ran a simple play to set up Mac Hanson’s second try.
Len Ikitau scored next after what has become a typical brute force build up for the Wallabies. At about the 20 minute mark, Ireland led 14-7.
Mac Hanson scored his third try off an amazing cross field chip from the Irish flyhalf Sam Prendergast! I don’t think Hanson has been touched for any of his tries. Fraser McReight scored another brute force try right on half time to make the score 19-14 to Ireland.
Ireland were controlling the game well. They hit a drop goal and a penalty in the first 20 minutes of the second half to lead 25-14. The wallabies were within striking range, but in reality it was all Ireland.
Ireland then showed that they can use brute force to score as well, with Doris eventually scoring to stretch their lead to 32-14. Australia score late to bring it back to 32-19, but Ireland ran a play of a lineout deep in the Wallabies 22 to make the score 39-19.
But they weren’t finished scoring after the hooter and converting from the sideline to win 46-19.
I don’t know where Australia goes from here. In the backs, Jorgenson and Potter had forgettable matches, O’Connor was hit and miss and their general play was uninspiring. In the forwards, the lineout misfired, and the scrum was hit and miss. In general there were too many mistakes, bad passes, dropped ball, missed tackles and general sloppiness handed the ball back to Ireland again and again. Looking at Ireland it was clear as day that they weren’t making the same mistakes and the weight of that low error rate eventually overpowered Australia.
For me, this was one of their most disappointing performances in a while.
