Wallabies lose to Ireland in Dublin in brave performance that promises hope for Lions

Australian rugby’s history books may record a 22-19 defeat in Dublin to end 2024, but it will not tell the full story of an extremely brave Wallabies performance that has shown just how much pride has been restored in the team ahead of the arrival of the British and Irish Lions next year.

The Wallabies gave the second-ranked team in the world nightmares in Dublin, inspired by breakaway Fraser McReight and his refusal to be bullied at the breakdown.

Coach Joe Schmidt almost succeeded in ruining Ireland’s carefully planned celebrations for 150 years of rugby and spoke of his pride at the progress the Wallabies had made and their renewed hopes of challenging the British and Irish Lions.

“I was proud of the team, I thought they demonstrated a level of grit that you need if you’re going to be competitive with the Lions and be competitive with Ireland, the No.2 team in the world, and I think we made them work pretty hard tonight to get the win,” Schmidt said.

“We’d love to have got into the mix and got the W [win] ourselves, but at the same time, I think from where we started at the end of last November, when the boys came back after their break, post a World Cup, to where we are now, I think there’s a bit more confidence in what they’re delivering, they’re a little bit more connected, and there’s still a bit of growth to go.”

After a cagey opening between both sides, the Wallabies raced into a 10-0 lead after an early Noah Lolesio penalty and superbly taken Max Jorgensen try, built on some outstanding aerial work from Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii challenging a high-kick from halfback Jake Gordon.

Wallabies defenders swarm Ireland’s Caelan Doris.Credit: Getty Images

Indeed, every time Suaalii touched the ball, he attracted multiple Irish defenders, providing space for his backline to exploit and showing his increased confidence in the No.13 Wallabies jersey.

Ireland’s response was quick and fierce, stretching the Wallabies’ drift defence to its limit, with winger Andrew Kellaway constantly having to mop up danger with last-ditch tackles around the edges of the field.

Ireland’s former world player of the year and potential candidate for the Lions’ starting team at breakaway, Josh van der Flier, crashed over for a try that hinted at further difficulties for the Wallabies.

The inclusion of McReight allowed the Wallabies to nullify Ireland’s world-class back row, winning two crucial turnovers in the opening stages, reminding his opponents of his quality ahead of next year’s Lions tour.

Fraser McReight runs with the ball whilst under pressure from James Lowe.Credit: Getty Images

Taniela Tupou gave the Wallabies desperately needed stability in the scrum after the late loss of Angus Bell to illness and rampaged up the field with the ball after an interception, which could have led to a try if the prop had looked up to see Suaalii on his left shoulder.

Both Ireland and the Wallabies enjoyed intricate attacking phases, and it felt like watching Schmidt and Farrell exchanging moves at the card table. After the defeat to Scotland the week before, it was clear that Schmidt had left some aces on his attacking deck up his sleeve for Dublin late in November.

A penalty from Lolesio helped the Wallabies end the half with an eight-point lead, belying the team’s expected fatigue after three gruelling Tests and their short six-day turnaround.

Aviva Stadium was largely silenced by the Wallabies’ impressive first-half efforts, but the crowd found its voice with an early penalty and a converted try for Ireland captain Caelan Doris who crashed over to give the home side a two-point lead for the first time in the game, after the Wallabies were unable to keep absorbing the sustained pressure.

Wallabies’ players console each other after losing to Ireland.Credit: AP

Lolesio was exceptional off the kicking tee, responding with two valuable penalties to put the Wallabies back into the lead, after the continual disruption of the Irish breakdown by McReight.

Entering the last 10 minutes and defending a slim four-point lead, the Wallabies defended desperately, with Kellaway holding up the ball over the try line. But minutes later – after fullback Tom Wright took the ball over the line – Ireland’s rookie hooker Gus McCarthy scored from a rolling maul from an attacking lineout metres out from the line to put the game beyond reach.

For Schmidt, the Wallabies’ inability to close out the game after playing so much entertaining rugby was a slight frustration, mixed in with a day of so much pride in Dublin.

“I already knew that this group of young men, they had that [performance] in them, and it was just for them to find it and galvanise each other and then deliver it,” Schmidt said.

“In the second half, probably my one disappointment around the game is that I felt we got quite conservative, and when you do that against Ireland, and you’re hanging on and you’ve got a four-point lead, and you’re hoping that’s enough, but I just think we tried to do that from too far out ... we were having to work very, very hard.”

Last Sunday against Scotland, the Wallabies had taken a slight step backward after bounding forward with victories against England and Wales on the Spring tour. In Ireland, momentum has been well and truly restored.

The Wallabies’ in-tray for 2025 is headlined by the arrival of the British and Irish Lions. Schmidt hopes that the Wallabies’ performances in November have set up a significant series, not just for Australian fans but also for those who will travel from the United Kingdom and Ireland.

“I hope our supporters and supporters of the Lions can see enough of what we’ve delivered in these last four weeks to think that they’re going to be entertained and that it’s going to be a contest and so that’s what I’d love to see and maybe not yet, we’ve still got some work to do for sure.”

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