What’s happening?
Ireland play Australia in their last game of the Autumn Nations Series. It’s a stand-alone, landmark fixture at the Aviva Stadium designed to celebrate the IRFU’s 150th anniversary.
Where & when?
The game will again take place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday with a 3.10pm kick-off.
Have we any team news?
Jamie Osborne, Ryan Baird, Tadhg Furlong and Jacob Stockdale are out for Ireland’s final match of the Autumn Nations Series against Australia on Saturday. Fullback Osborne came off after 27 minutes of Ireland’s game against Fiji last weekend with a head injury.
On the flipside, “Hugo Keenan, Garry Ringrose, James Lowe, Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park and James Ryan all come back into the reckoning,” Gerry Thornley writes, “although in their absence some of the performances against Fiji have clouded selection calls”.
Are Ireland back to their best after thrashing Fiji?
Matt Faessler and Jeremy Williams are expected to be back fighting fit for the Wallabies having made early exits against Scotland, but a wrist injury for Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is likely to rule him out of Saturday’s game.
Both teams will be announced on Thursday, Ireland’s coming at 2pm.
What’s our history?
Australia is always an exciting encounter, but this fixture has the added flavour of the return of an old friend.
Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt needs no introduction around these parts having shepherded Ireland into an era of unprecedented success during his six years in charge, coming after three seasons with Leinster. During Schmidt’s tenure with Ireland, Andy Farrell was defence coach and the latter’s succession as head coach offered real continuity. Ireland have evolved under Farrell, but some of Schmidt’s hallmarks remain.
Overall head-to-head: 37 played – Ireland 14, Australia 22, Draw 1.
Last five games: IRE 27 AUS 24 (2016 Autumn Internationals), AUS 18 IRE 9 (2018 Summer Tour), AUS 21 IRE 26 (2018 Summer Tour), AUS 16 IRE 20 (2018 Summer Tour), IRE 13 AUS 10 (2022 Autumn Internationals).
How has the series been so far?
Despite taking two wins from three games Ireland’s series has felt a bit flat. Much of that can be put down to the sucker-punch defeat to the All Blacks in their opener, the hangover from which seemed to linger for their three-point win over Argentina a week later.
The manner in which they dispatched Fiji on Saturday silenced some rumbling fears but, slippery as the Flying Fijians can be, they’re far off Ireland’s pace and therefore a big win was the only acceptable result from an Irish standpoint.
Australia enjoyed a successful start to their trip north, kicking it off with a 42-37 win over England before making Warren Gatland’s crumbling Wales look like a Tier Two nation at the Principality Stadium the following week.
But Scotland proved to be the Aussies’ unlikely party-poopers at Murrayfield on Sunday, beating the visitors convincingly 27-13.
For both teams Saturday’s result is the difference between their series campaign being chalked down as a success or merely meh.
Are there any tickets left?
Tickets for Saturday’s game have sold out.
How can I watch?
Virgin Media One will show the game live with coverage starting at 2pm. For those in the North, TNT Sports 1 will also have live coverage from the Aviva.
What are the conditions looking like?
Thankfully, Storm Bert has gone on his merry way, but this weekend is still likely to be on the unsettled side. Cloudy and blustery conditions are expected to preside over Saturday afternoon’s game with temperatures of around 13 degrees.
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