Ireland vs Australia LIVE: Rugby result and reaction from autumn international as Ireland edge to tight win
Ireland 13-10 Australia: Ross Byrne’s late pressure penalty was enough for the hosts to edge to victory after Bundee Aki got their only try
Ross Byrne landed a dramatic late penalty as Ireland overcame the loss of captain Johnny Sexton to cap a stellar year with a disjointed 13-10 win over Australia. Replacement fly-half Byrne nailed a difficult kick from wide on the right with just three minutes remaining in Dublin to earn Ireland a record-equalling 12th successive home victory.
Andy Farrell’s men struggled for large parts of a disappointing contest and could easily have ended 2022 with a serious reality check against opponents beaten by Italy just last weekend.
Ireland centre Bundee Aki marked his return from an eight-game ban with the opening try but the game remained in the balance in the closing stages after Jordan Petaia crossed for the Wallabies.
A difficult evening for the Irish began with talisman Sexton withdrawing through injury, with his deputy Jack Crowley booting five points on his maiden Test start before Byrne, who was elevated to the bench at the 11th hour, proving to be the match-winner.
Relive the action from the autumn international between Ireland and Australia below:
The second half is underway!
Finn Russell gets things restarted.
Scotland 19-15 Argentina
The two sets of players trot back out there. “It was a good first half for us,” says Scottish squad member Ross Thompson to Amazon Prime. “They are definitely not out of it. We’ve still got to make sure we are clinical.”
H/T: SCOTLAND 19-15 ARGENTINA
That Matias Alemanno score means it is a rather more even half-time picture than it looked likely to be when Scotland surged ahead after Marcos Kremer’s sending off. The hosts have produced some fine attacking play, with Finn Russell and Darcy Graham particularly impressive, and will be strong favourites to swell their lead if a 14-man Argentina begin to tire.
But this a gritty, tough Argentine side, and they showed a lot of character at the end of that half. Far from done, this.
TRY! Scotland 19-15 ARGENTINA (Matias Alemanno try, 39 minutes)
A first international try in more than five years for Matias Alemanno!
Argentina don’t bother with the lineout, Pablo Matera taking on the challenge head on with a tap and carry. In pile the rest of the heavy hauliers in support, Scotland struggling to combat their might. Alemanno tucks the ball under his armpit and bashes over.
Emiliano Boffelli converts.
Scotland 19-8 Argentina, 37 minutes
Argentina need a try before half-time, you feel. Karl Dickson’s whistle halts them as they punch around the corner on the five-metre - there has been a knock-on, but not before a no-arms tackle from Scotland.
Scotland 19-8 Argentina, 35 minutes
Argentina hammer against another firmly constructed Scottish defensive wall, but Jonny Gray is penalised for affecting the speed of the ball as his thigh locks inadvertendly around the ball at a ruck. To the right corner, this time.
Scotland 19-8 Argentina, 35 minutes
Scotland just about stall the maul. Argentina keep things tight, both props carrying. A through-kick is the option, again - Santiago Carreras’s poke uses the full depth of the Murrayfield in-goal but a Scottish hand grounds it.
Scotland 19-8 Argentina, 34 minutes
That’s more pleasing for Argentina, bringing down Graham after another menacing weave, and earning a holding o penalty. Into the corner...
Scotland 19-8 Argentina, 32 minutes
Ooh so close to an astonishing, 95-metre score!
Scotland fancy this. Stuart Hogg plays from deep isnide his own 22, drawing two and lasering a pass to Darcy Graham, who had retreated to support his full-back.
Graham evades three defenders and offloads, and there are bodies sprinting through as Chris Harris tries to collect...but the centre can’t hang on!
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments