Short winners of the Scots (15-16) and beaten by France (30-29) then Italy (28-27), the Australians did not manage to surprise Ireland, who won 13-10, Saturday night in Dublin. Dominating but sterile, without offensive imagination except in the 71st (try by Jordan Petaia), they continue their sluggish tour in the Northern Hemisphere and will finish next Saturday in Cardiff (4:15 p.m.) against Wales, beaten (12-13) by Georgia this Saturday.
We will not remember much from the laborious first period except for the try refused to Nick White (4th) for antiplay beforehand, a penalty goal scored by Jack Crowley (10th), the replacement for Jonathan Sexton, a long period of sterile Australian domination (21st-34th) and a yellow card collected by the Australian Colby Fainga’a (37th) for dangerous clearing. At the break, Ireland led sluggishly, 3-0.
Byrne handed victory to Ireland
In the second half, the Irish in turn had a try refused (47th) at Gibson-Park for passing into touch before the Wallabies continued to occupy the opposing field and keep the ball in hand. But it was not until the 56th minute that they scored their first points (3-3). Defenses taking precedence over attacks, the score did not pay tribute to the excess of energy of the two teams.
On a penalty, the Irish pack smashed everything in its path and the substitute center Bundee Aki rushed into the in-goal (66th). The Australians responded immediately with a capital percussion from Rochelais Will Skelton – six defenders eliminated – concluded with a decisive breakthrough from Petaia (71st). But with an off-center penalty, the substitute opener for Sexton’s substitute, Ross Byrne, allowed his team to win on the wire with four minutes remaining. This victory allows Ireland to finish the year in first place in the world.