Wallabies and Ireland both chasing the same thing in Dublin showdown

3 months ago 6

A week in the ancient Italian city of Udine should be a highlight of any European holiday. It turned into a nightmare for the Wallabies.

The Wallabies have arrived in Dublin to take on Ireland on Saturday (Sunday, 7am, AEDT). On Monday, James O’Connor and Will Skelton will join the squad and be medically assessed, given Skelton injured his ankle against Toulon on Sunday. Both players will bring new energy to a team that has looked sluggish in defeats to England and the Azzurri.

Carter Gordon and Angus Bell will also be monitored following the 26-19 loss to Italy, but it is hoped both players will be fit to face Ireland.

The Wallabies will run into familiar faces on Saturday. Coach Andy Farrell is back in charge of Ireland after leading the British and Irish Lions to a series win in Australia. He took 18 players from the Emerald Isle with him for the 2-1 series win.

In the Lions series, Farrell predominantly used players from Leinster, as he does with Ireland, to maintain cohesion. Ultimately, it worked, with fullback Hugo Keenan popping up to score the series-winning try in the second Test in Melbourne.

The time and effort that goes into winning a Lions series is significant. Ireland lost their best players and assistant coaches John Fogarty, Simon Easterby and Andrew Goodman to the tour.

France-based Wallabies star Will Skelton is back with the team in Dublin.

If the Wallabies are struggling to find positives after a poor performance in Italy, they can take some comfort from the fact Ireland have a post-Lions hangover. The team in green has struggled to find its rhythm.

This statement needs context: a full-strength Ireland played their first Test together against New Zealand in Chicago, losing by 13 points. However, in the windy city, Ireland’s normally strong lineout struggled spectacularly.

Farrell then added new faces to take on Japan in Dublin, including 32-year-old centre Tom Farrell, and they won by 31 points after a poor first half, despite their attack not clicking. Ultimately, nobody put their hand up to dislodge the tried and trusted players who have taken Ireland to unprecedented success.

Farrell is at a critical juncture ahead of the 2027 World Cup: he needs to decide very soon whether to stick with loyal servants who will be in their mid-thirties by the time the tournament starts in Australia – such as breakaway Josh Van der Flier, utility forward Tadhg Beirne, prop Tadhg Furlong, halfback Jamison Gibson-Park and winger James Lowe – or make changes. Centre Bundee Aki played in all three Tests for the Lions against the Wallabies, but will be 37 by the World Cup.

Australia come to terms with the shock loss to Italy in Udine.

Against the Wallabies, Ireland’s line-up, to be named on Thursday, will be a reflection of where Farrell sees his team ahead of the World Cup. Ireland are also without two options at fullback with Lions Jamie Osborne and Keenan injured, opening the door potentially for Canberra-raised Mack Hansen to fill in.

Building depth in Test rugby is a tricky task: a player cannot learn unless given the chance, but while serving an apprenticeship, there will be errors that can cost a team dearly.Given Ireland’s traditional success in the Six Nations has never been carried into a World Cup – they’ve failed to make it beyond the quarter-finals – Farrell knows he will need to make plans for the tournament in Australia very soon.

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has taken a different tack from Farrell in selection, largely through necessity. He has had to explore new options and combinations. Injuries to Tate McDermott, Noah Lolesio, Tom Wright and Langi Gleeson, and the unavailability of Len Ikitau, Will Skelton and Tom Hooper for the England game due to club commitments have proved costly.

It was a tough night for the Wallabies in Udine.

In their place, players such as Nick Champion de Crespigny, Ryan Lonergan, Corey Toole, Tane Edmed and Gordon have all got their opportunities. Young Reds halfback Kalani Thomas has also been able to learn in camp under veteran Jake Gordon.

Schmidt has spoken consistently about the Wallabies’ need for depth ahead of the World Cup. The New Zealander is preparing to hand over the team to Les Kiss for a tournament on which he will not be judged. There is also the need for the Wallabies to perform in Tests before the World Cup. Conceding 13 penalties in each of the games against England and Italy is almost unheard of in Schmidt-led teams.

Farrell and Schmidt faced off in the Lions series, and four months later, they meet again under different circumstances in Dublin. Both men have to balance the need to win Test matches to provide vital momentum for their countries, while building a wide range of experience in a squad that can win the World Cup in two short years.

The Wallabies await a grinding week under the grey skies of Dublin, preparing to face an Ireland team desperate to prove they still belong at the top of world rugby.