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:
Scotland 7-8 Argentina, 18 minutes
Scotlan dgo back to work inside the Argentina half. Chris Harris biffs Pablo Matera out of the way, before Jack Dempsey niftily gets back to his feet to carry again after the tackler fails to hold him.
Argentina sniff a turnover but can’t quite snatch it. Finn Russell shows his array of handling skills as Scotland keep continuity and return to the opposition 22.
TRY! Scotland 7-8 ARGENTINA (Jeronimo de la Fuente try, 16 minutes)
But Argentina reload and Jeronimo de la Fuente is over in the corner!
Finn Russell raises his arms in complaint but there is nothing wrong with Argentina’s efforts to impede him after the grubber’s ricochet. Darcy Graham holds his focus to make a strong hit on Gonzalo Bertranou as the Pumas play wide to the left, but Tomas Lavanini wisely steps in for his tackled scrum-half, ensuring the ball is swift.
Two sharp transfers put De la Fuente over.
Scotland 7-3 Argentina, 15 minutes
Santiago Carreras tries his own Lionel Messi-esque thread through, but Scottish legs block it.
Scotland 7-3 Argentina, 14 minutes
Cultured from Pablo Matera! There is little on as the number eight collects in a wide channel but Matera is wise to space in behind, dropping the ball on to a prodded left toe, and forcing Duhan van der Merwe to carry back over his own line.
Scotland 7-3 Argentina, 13 minutes
How do Argentina respond? For the first time their forwards start to make dents in the Scottish defensive line, before the slighter Juan Cruz Mallia pinballs between a couple of would-be tacklers.
TRY! SCOTLAND 7-3 Argentina (Sione Tuipulotu try, 12 minutes)
Brilliant from Russell and Tuipulotu!
Classic Finn Russell, that. The fly-half lets the defence come to him, the line fracturing slightly and allowing Russell enough space to get an arm free. A flat offload out the side door sends Tuipulotu through.
There’s still plenty to do for the centre, with Argentine tacklers circling as he canters into the 22, but a vicious right-foot step and burly finish ensure he capitalises on Russell’s deft piece of handling.
Over goes the conversion, too.
Scotland 0-3 Argentina, 10 minutes
Lovely from Finn Russell! A fend, an offload, and Sione Tuipulotu hurries through the hole...
Scotland 0-3 Argentina, 9 minutes
Not quite! Scotland play away from the maul and there’s a hint of an overlap as Finn Russell fizzes a miss ball to Stuart Hogg. Hogg initially appears to have got space on the outside arc, but Emiliano Boffelli’s fleet feet close the space superbly.
Hogg attempts an extraordinarily ambitious offload from the floor which ends up in Row A rather than Duhan van der Merwe’s hopeful hands.
Scotland 0-3 Argentina, 8 minutes
That’s a promising start in attack from Scotland. Two dummy runners create space out the back as Argentina narrow slightly too easily, Darcy Graham charging on up the right. Matias Orlando takes him down, but fails to roll away - into the corner kick Scotland.
Scotland 0-3 Argentina, 7 minutes
Schoeman makes amends! The Argentina maul initially gets a march on, but is soon halted almost singlehandedly by the loosehead prop, long locks bouncing off his back as he grips tightly on to Julian Montoya and the ball. Scotland scrum feed.
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