It’s the only game remaining in what has been a fairly compelling 2024 Autumn Nations Series.
It’s a stand-alone, landmark fixture at the Aviva Stadium next Saturday between Ireland and Australia, designed to celebrate the IRFU’s 150th anniversary, as Joe Schmidt returns to the country where he left an indelible mark in his trophy-laden, near decade at Leinster and then Ireland.
He’s been a busy boy since, helping to end Ireland’s World Cup dream with New Zealand and then resuscitating the ailing Wallabies, although their hopes of completing a first Grand Slam tour since the famed Australian side of Mark Ella et al 40 years ago were dashed by their 27-13 defeat against Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday.
Are Ireland back to their best after thrashing Fiji?
Previously though, the Wallabies had kick-started their end-of-year tour with a thrilling 42-37 win over England and added another eight tries in their 52-20 win over Wales.
In the meantime, after spluttering a little rustily in an opening loss to New Zealand, Ireland accelerated off the grid against Argentina only to run out of gas, before a slightly refreshed, reconfigured team delivered the most fluent and well-oiled performance of the series so far in beating Fiji 52-17 last Saturday.
Hugo Keenan, Garry Ringrose, James Lowe, Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park and James Ryan all come back into the reckoning, although in their absence some of the performances against Fiji have clouded selection calls, as Andy Farrell happily stated ahead of his last game before his sabbatical with the Lions.
“Yeah, yeah, it’s good. It’s exactly what we want. We’ve got a big game coming up, and it’s what you’d hope for. If it [selection] was easy with a big game coming up, then it would probably mean your squad’s not in good health.”
It’s a pity that the classy Jamie Osborne will be sidelined with the adductor injury which cut short his third Test start at full-back after 28 minutes (10 of which had been negotiated adroitly at outhalf), albeit Ciarán Frawley banished some of his demons from the All Blacks game by dovetailing smoothly with Sam Prendergast as dual playmakers.
Keenan would probably have returned anyway, as would Lowe, although it was cruel that Jacob Stockdale also suffered a hamstring injury on his return, after looking stronger and fitter than ever.
“I’m gutted for him,” said Farrell.
Despite Bundee Aki’s barnstorming man of the match display, that Robbie Henshaw was called ashore along with Andrew Porter and Finlay Bealham, suggests he has been earmarked to start alongside Ringrose next week. The other close call, perhaps the closest, is at outhalf given Prendergast’s assured full Ireland debut has put him in contention to start.
“Yeah, but we’ll do what’s right for the team,” said Farrell. “That’s what we have to do. He played really well. Jack [Crowley] did as well, didn’t he, the other day, so we’ve a few selection headaches, that’s for sure.”
Farrell has used 33 players in this series and he lauded the latest debutants, Gus McCarthy and Cormac Izuchukwu. But as much as he loves giving out first caps, the Irish head coach also loves celebrating landmarks.
It remains to be seen whether Cian Healy will be picked to break Brian O’Driscoll’s record as Ireland’s most capped player and whether it will be a farewell or not to two more centurions in Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray.
But Farrell wasn’t just paying lip service to a number when saying next Saturday’s game to mark the Union’s 150th anniversary would be a special one for his chosen players.
“It is because we do a lot of work on understanding our history and what it means and for us to have a flow of 150 years, it’s a special moment for all of us involved who love Irish rugby.
“On top of that, the shirt’s lovely as well. The shirt’s great,” said Farrell with regard to the IRFU commemorative jersey which will go on sale later this week in advance of Ireland wearing it against the Wallabies next Saturday.
“There’s a few things going on within the week and we’re looking forward to all of that.”
Then there’s the Schmidt factor, and Farrell is not remotely surprised that his former boss has revived the Wallabies, who were at their lowest of ebbs after their World Cup pool exit last year.
“I think it’s progressing exactly how we thought it would do. He’s took his team by playing a good few players first and foremost and took a little bit of pain but he’s done the right thing for the squad so he’s got a good opinion and they’re reaping their reward for that at this moment in time.
![Andy Farrell: 'It’s [my departure to Lions] not been a distraction for me or the squad. The only thing that matters is this week.' Photograph: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images](https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/XKQWKYEOWMZC74Y5GPPWKPKNDY.jpg?auth=e43cf941c290bb9fee02da7d8bf6762091f69a1a44de3acdd982ace9af01422b&width=800&height=533)
“They’ve always got the athletes. He’s trying to find out about them more personally I would have thought over the last six months. He’s got that now and he’s got them playing really good rugby.”
This being Farrell’s last game before his sabbatical, he’ll desperately want to sign off with a win and help lay firmer foundations for when he’s observing a watching brief in the Six Nations.
“Of course, all the time. It’s not been a distraction for me or the squad. The only thing that matters is this week.”
Next Saturday will be a precursor to Farrell and Schmidt locking horns again next summer, as well as the anniversary adding spice to a tasty mix.
“I won’t be shying away from it,” said Farrell, who believes the best is yet to come from his team next weekend. “We’ll use everything that we’ve got, obviously. So will they, there’s no doubt. It’s an exciting last game for everyone.”
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