Wallabies win over the Irish

The Australian Wallabies have retained the Lansdowne Cup with an entertaining 37-15 victory over Ireland at Subiaco Oval tonight.

The Wallabies ran away with the game late, scoring their last three tries relatively easily after Ireland had snuck ahead briefly in the 50th minute.

Ireland came to Australia this week eager to end their Southern Tour with a victory. They gave New Zealand a serious contest twice in the last fortnight, sending a stern message that they were no pushovers.

Best for the home side were scrumhalf George Gregan, returning to the starting line-up after last week being on the reserve bench, flyhalf Stephen Larkham and lock-forward Nathan Sharpe.

Ireland was served well by the performance of flyhalf Ronan O’Gara, centre Brian O’Driscoll, lock-forward Paul O’Connell and scrumhalf Peter Stringer.

These two nations have clashed in Perth twice before tonight, with Australia winning both encounters – 32-26 (1999) and 45-16 (2003). Unlike that last match, the Irish put up a solid fight before a late fade-out saw the Wallabies run in three relatively easy tries.

Ireland was first to attack and ventured into the Australian 22 after four minutes. However, O’Driscoll failed to release the ball, and the Wallabies were spared.

The Wallabies then went agonisingly close, in the eighth minute, through a cross-field kick from Larkham, denied by Irish fullback Girvan Dempsey, who took the catch and held on with winger Lote Tuqiri nearby.

Wallaby Centre Mat Rogers had the crowd cheering, in the ninth minute, only for referee Kelvin Deaker to call play back for a forward pass. Ireland immediately cleared through O’Gara, only to have his team under pressure again a few seconds later as the Wallabies found holes in the defence.

Stirling Mortlock got the scoring underway with a 14th minute penalty goal after several Irishmen were ruled offside.

The Irish pulverised the Australian defence, and in the 16th minute, looked certain to get on the board until the ball spilled from the grasp of lock-forward Donncha O’Callaghan.

The Irish defence was stretched, in the 21st minute, and the Wallabies quick hands eventually gave fullback Chris Latham a clear passage over the try-line for the first of the game.

Ireland’s first points came from the boot of O’Gara, in the 25th minute, from an offside penalty kick. Tensions between the teams became heated, four minutes later, when several players tangled close to the Australian line, moments after Gregan had tip-toed his way down the sideline.

Wallaby hearts skipped a beat with Mat Rogers assisted from the field with a serious leg injury.

Australia went a further three points ahead (11-3) when Mortlock kicked his second penalty goal from offside play. In the shadows of half time the Irish burrowed in search for a hole in the Wallaby defence, however, O’Driscoll lost the ball forward.

The second forty had barely begun and Ireland was on the board through O’Gara. The tourists hit the front (15-11), in the 50th minute, when flanker Neil Best touched down from hooker Jerry Flannery’s blindside play.

Eager to remain unbeaten under the tutelage of John Connolly, the Wallabies charged over through winger Mark Gerrard, in the 53rd minute.

Mortlock’s conversion attempt was successful as Australia moved ahead again by three points (18-15).

The Wallabies crossed again for their third try, against the run of play three minutes later, through prop forward Greg Holmes, who ran 60 metres with Irish chasers hot on his heels.

A fierce tackle from winger Lote Tuqiri saw the ball dislodged from Andrew Trimble’s grasp.

Australia wrapped the game up with 10 minutes to play when Gregan crossed after great lead-up play by Larkham. Mortlock missed the conversion but the 15-point lead was too big for Ireland to reel in.

Gordon D’Arcy looked to have scored for Ireland, in the 71st minute, but play was called back for the infringing forward pass he had received from Trimble.

Cameron Shepherd rounded out proceedings with the Wallabies fifth and final try, four minutes from full time. Larkham sent the replacement fullback over under the post with a clever blindside offload.

The Wallabies are ready for a tilt at claiming the Tri-Nations trophy, New Zealand await the Australians on July 8, while Ireland head home, awaiting the Australians return match in Dublin this November.

•  Have a view on this story? Send us your feedback!