ANDY FARRELL LIKES a bit of chaos. It’s when he finds out which players he can count on and who shrinks under the spotlight.
Everything this Ireland team do takes place with one eye on next year’s Rugby World Cup. Farrell knows his squad are likely to meet some sort of disruption during their time in France, so this window was a chance to stress test how his players would handle that pressure.
Three Test games later, he certainly knows more about his squad. Stuart McCloskey has confirmed his quality as a Test-level player after a long wait to step back into the ring. Jimmy O’Brien, who entered the month an uncapped squad player, has made himself a viable option at fullback. Or covering centre. Maybe even on the wing.
And how about Jack Crowley? This day three weeks ago, the 22-year-old was an A squad player. Tonight he started at 10 against the Wallabies, bumped up from the bench after Johnny Sexton tweaked his calf in the warm-up. It happened so quickly that Crowley took the field wearing a jersey that had Sexton’s name stitched on it.
Adapt and move forward.
Tonight’s clash with Australia provided an opportunity to sign off a brilliant 2022 on a high, but instead a tight, scrappy encounter brought with it a largely unconvincing performance which should keep any sense of complacency at bay. It was a game in which few players shone but collectively Ireland did enough against an ill-disciplined Wallabies side to extend their winning run.
Let’s get it out of the way early – this was a pig of a game in which moments of quality were few and far between. Australia will feel they left it behind them.
Yet it’s just the second time Ireland have beaten Australia, South Africa and New Zealand in the same calendar year, a notable achievement in any context.
Ireland’s attack has been transformed over the last 12-18 months but tonight they had to be patient against a Wallabies team who brought plenty of physicality, slowed their ball and offered few easy ins. It’s another valuable experience in the bank, just like the win over the Springboks. Play with patience, take your chances when they come.
For large parts of the game it didn’t click, the Ireland half-backs struggling for air in the face of intense Wallaby pressure. When Ireland did manage to piece together those lovely, flowing moves they were quickly chopped down by an Australia team which carried a fierce level of intent in contact. At times Ireland’s breakdown work was, uncharacteristically, a mess.
Their work without the ball was more impressive. Just before the half hour mark, Farrell watched his team deliver an excellent passage of defensive play as the Wallabies rattled through 21 phases with no reward. He saw a similar picture as the Springboks hammered towards the Ireland line at the start of the month. See also the gripping close to the third Test win over the All Blacks in the summer. This is a team that has now repeatedly refused to fold under pressure.
That impressive defensive stand sparked the night’s first rendition of The Fields, the late kick-off playing its role in loosening vocal chords. The tune changed when a questionable decision by winger Mark Nawaqanitawase to run the ball in the Australia 22 ended with the visitors awarded a penalty, leading to a brief coming together and a few strong words. The boos hailed down. A bite in the air, some bite on the pitch. It was badly needed.
A game which carried the promise of a late night cracker had grown into a frustrating, gritty contest. Ireland jogged for the tunnel having seen just 38% of the possession, making 139 tackles to Australia’s 51.
The next 40 would shape the narrative around this squad until the Six Nations rolls around.
The second half started with more disruption. The Wallabies briefly went down to 13, a spell which saw Jamison Gibson-Park denied a try due to a lick of touchline paint on Mack Hansen’s boot.
Bernard Foley kicked the Wallabies level with 25 to play.
Errors crept in. Hansen spilled a high ball. Hugo Keenan let the pill slip up his chest and skip free. Crowley sliced a Garryowen.
Crucially, Ireland didn’t panic.
Another kick to the corner brought the crowd back into the game. Ireland powered forward with a strong carry from the excellent Caelan Doris. The ball was moved inside to Aki, who had the strength to finish the move – a moment he’s been waiting all month for.
A converted Jordan Petaia try moved Australia level with the next passage of play, all Ireland’s hard work undone in an instant.
The hosts went after the winning score with Ross Byrne pulling the strings at 10. A player who has had a difficult time in the green shirt let out a roar of relief after clipping over the winning penalty with three minutes left to survive.
It felt like a strangely appropriate end to a November window which has seen Ireland stretched and stressed in different ways by three very different opponents. This time last week, Byrne wasn’t even in camp. An hour before kickoff, he wasn’t in the matchday squad. How’s that for disruption?
These are the type of choppy waters Ireland must become comfortable navigating if they are to fulfil their potential in France next year. There’s value in learning how to win ugly. Across this window, they’ve done enough to keep building momentum without ever hitting their peak.
A great year for Farrell’s Ireland squad ends with a feeling there’s more to come from this group. There’s worse places to be.
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