It’s now or never.
Ireland have been waiting 39 years to win a Test match in Australia. After losing the First Test to Australia in Brisbane, Joe Schmidt’s side now need to win two matches Down Under in the next seven days.
Schmidt has made eight changes to the side that fell 18-9 to the Wallabies, with outhalf Johnny Sexton, openside Dan Leavy and a whole new front row being the notable alterations.
Big Dev is back in the second row with Ireland, and they'll need a big game from him today.
Australia head coach Michael Cheika was asked about his side targeting Johnny Sexton in the Second Test. He responded:
"When you do have the opportunity to go with line-speed, you all go together. Because he is smart enough to pick you off otherwise. And he is one of the toughest roosters out there. So you’re not going to knock him about."
Morning all,
Jack O'Toole here with SportsJOE to take you through today's second Test from AAMI Park in Melbourne as Ireland look to keep the series alive after going down 18-9 in the first match in Brisbane.
Australia are unchanged as Michael Cheika sticks with the same team that won at Suncorp Stadium while Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has rung in the changes with Garry Ringrose, Dan Leavy, Tadhg Furlong, Cian Healy and Johnny Sexton all returning to the starting side.
Should be another brilliant match.
Ireland
15 Rob Kearney14 Andrew Conway13 Garry Ringrose12 Robbie Henshaw11 Keith Earls10 Johnny Sexton9 Conor Murray.
1 Cian Healy 2 Niall Scannell 3 Tadhg Furlong 4 James Ryan 5 Devin Toner 6 Peter O'Mahony 7 Dan Leavy 8 CJ Stander.
Replacements:
16 Rob Herring 17 Jack McGrath 18 Andrew Porter 19 Tadhg Beirne 20 Jordi Murphy 21 John Cooney 22 Joey Carbery 23 Jordan Larmour.
Australia
15 Israel Folau 14 Dane Haylett-Petty 13 Samu Kerevi 12 Kurtley Beale 11 Marika Koroibete 10 Bernard Foley 9 Will Genia.
1 Scott Sio 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa 3 Sekope Kepu 4 Izack Rodda 5 Adam Coleman 6 David Pocock 7 Michael Hooper 8 Caleb Timu.
Replacements:
16 Silatolu Latu 17 Tom Robertson 18 Taniela Tupou 19 Rob Simmons 20 Lukhan Tui 21Peter Samu 22 Nick Phipps 23 Reece Hodge.
New Zealand won their summer series against France with a 26-13 win in the second Test this morning but the game was marred by this shocking in air tackle from Benjamin Fall on Beauden Barrett.
Former Wallaby full-back Greg Martin feels that Johnnny Sexton and Conor Murray will be able to run the game for Ireland in Melbourne.
Incredible achievement given the injuries he's had
Peter O'Mahony leads Ireland out here at AAMI Park as we get ready for the anthems. The second Test is just minutes away.
Balls goes straight out from kick-off as Paenga-Amosa finds Izack Rodda and the Wallabies have possession in their own half.
2 min - The Wallabies hit immediately as Kurtley Beale scores to give Australia an early lead. Beale sliced through the Irish defence after running a great line to run clear towards the posts.
5 min - Ireland work their way into the Australian half and build possession as they approach the Wallabies 22. A lot of direct runners but the defence is holding strong.
6 min - Marika Koroibete lifts Rob Kearney off the ground and drops him into the ground. Paul Wiliams checks with the TMO and it looks like the winger could be heading to the bin.
Yellow card for Koribete.
6 min - Andrew Conway crosses in the corner after Conor Murray picks him out with a beautiful pass. Great score for Ireland.
Niall Scannell finds his mark in the line-out and Ireland work a few phases to the openside before coming back to the blind and catching the Wallabies defending narrowly.
11 min - After struggling against the Australian scrum last week Ireland hit back and win a penalty in front of the posts as Cian Healy gets at Sekope Kepu with the Wallabies prop dropping to the ground. Sexton converts to put Ireland in the lead.
14 min - Andrew Conway's evening comes to an end as he ices up his hip on the sideline. Jordan Larmour replaces him.
16 min - Ireland win a penalty after some great work at the breakdown from Peter O'Mahon who got over the top of the ball to win a turnover. Sexton converts the penalty to give Ireland a six-point advantage while Koroibete returns to the field after spending 10 minutes in the sin bin.
20 min - Australia are ill-disciplined again and cough up another penalty which Sexton ruthlessly punishes once again. Sexton and Murray dictating the game here for Ireland as they starve Australia of possession.
23 min - Ireland press deeper and deeper into the Wallabies half and build presure nicely with some storng carries and excellent clean outs. Ireland work the phases but Tadhg Furlong concedes a penalty after going off his feet at the breakdown.
We knew Ireland would have a lot of the ball but the posssession statistics for the last 10 minutes have been ridiculous. Ireland 82% Australia 18%.
We knew Ireland would have a lot of the ball but the posssession statistics for the last 10 minutes have been ridiculous. Ireland 82% Australia 18%.
26 min - The Wallabies go to the line and maul their way towards the Irish line where they win a penalty try after Cian Healy was judged to have collapsed the maul. Healy receives a yellow card for his indiscretion.
28 min - Australia give away their sixth penalty of the half as Wallabies number eight Caleb Timu nails Johnny Sexton off the ball. Sexton shanks his shot horribly as he drags his kick wide left of the posts.
Meanwhile Will Genia's evening has come to an end as he's been replaced by Nick Phipps. More to follow on Genia.
31 min - Ireland once again work their way through the phases in the Wallabies half before Garry Ringrose juggles a poor pass before eventually knocking it on after a timely tackle from Kurtley Beale.
32 min - Paul Williams goes to the TMO to check for a high tackle but it's deemend to be below the shoulders so the scrum cal stands. Australia win the bal from the scrum and CJ Stander is penaised for being offside.
33 min - Peter O'Mahony has been immense so far and he turns Michael Hooper over at the breakdown. His second big turnover of the half as Ireland kick long to touch from the penalty.
35 min - Garry Ringrose sends Tadhg Furlong crashing through a hole and the Leinster prop charged forward before trying to throw a speculative pass towards the wing. Ringrose was charging beside him on the overlap but Furlong went wide and Ireland ultimately squandered a great opportunity.
Nevertheless, it was a great line and carry from Furlong.
40 min - Ireland and Australia go after each other at the scrum and Ireland are denied just before half-time after a scramble towards the try line.
Henshaw breaks through and powers his way towars the line but David Pocock is there to intervene and the Wallabies are let off the hook as they enter the break.
Half-time - Big half from Ireland as they control the ball and punish the Wallabies for their lack of discipline. Ireland look a lot more controlled and composed than they did last week and the the return of Sexton and Furlong has made a big difference.
Peter O'Mahony has also been phenomenal for Ireland and has been immense at the breakdown with two big turnovers.
The Wallabies were starved of possession but they made the most of their limited opportunities.
40 min - We're back underway in Melbourne and Ireland win possession from the restart.
Half-time susbstitutions - Jordi Murphy on for Dan Leavy.
42 min - Ireland bash their way forward and get right up towards the Australian line before David Pocock gets over the ball and forces the turnover.
He really is something else. One of the best pilferers rugby has ever seen.
Healy returns.
Player substituted - Jack McGrath , Ireland
Substitute on - Jordi Murphy , Ireland
Player substituted - Dan Leavy, Ireland
Substitute on - Silatolu Latu , Australia
Player substituted - Brandon Paenga-Amosa , Australia
Player substituted - Caleb Timu , Australia
Substitute on - Lukhan Tui , Australia
44 min - Ireland win yet another penalty after Silatolu Latu gives away a brainless penalty for tackling off the ball. Second week in a row the Wallabies have conceded that same penalty.
Elsewhere Adam Coleman has departed after taking a heavy knock to the head while McGrath is back on for Healy after he picks up a knock.
46 min - Ireland go wide through phase play and Robbie Henshaw does an excellent job at releasing the ball to Keith Earls with a great offload.
Ireland keep possession but the Wallabies give away yet another penalty as Kurtley Beale catches Rob Kearney around the neck. Needless again from the hosts.
48 min - Sexton declines to go to the posts and instead kicks for the corner. Rob Herring comes in for Nial Scannell and misses his mark as Rodda steals the ball.
49 min - Keith Earls slices through the Wallabies defence after picking a great line. Ireland recycle the ball and edge closer to the line before Jack McGrath reaches over and scores.
Williams penalises the Leinster prop for a double movement but Ireland go back to the scrum after playing advantage.
52 min - Ireland win the scrum and go right back to the well as they press forward towards the line. Australian defending very bravely. Keith Earls goes over in the corner but they're going to the TMO.
Earls' boot looks to have grazed the touchline but this is razor close.
53 min - The TMO rules that Earls did not have control and it's a no try. Williams goes back for a penalty advantage and Ireland go to the corner.
53 min - Tadhg Furlong barrels towards the line and crashes over to scorer. Great pop pass from Murray and he obliterates Australian scrum-half Nick Phipps to score. The Jukebox with another hit.
Sexton converts as Ireland take a nine-point lead.
62 min - Ireland still very much in control here as Sexton continues to marshal the Irish attack.
Ireland doing a nice job of mixing the attack between forward and wide runners but just as Ireland make their way towards the 22 they cough it up and knock the ball on.
Meanwhile subs on both sides.
Reece Hodge replaces Kurtley Beale while Tadhg Beirne makes his international debut as he comes on for Peter O'Mahony.
64 min - Jordi Murphy does an excellent job at following Peter O'Mahony's lead and forces the turnover.
Great body position from Murphy at the ruck as Sexton has the chance to make this a 12-point game.
66 min - Ireland concede a penalty from the restart after Devin Toner tackles in the air. The Wallabies go to the line-out but Taniela Tupou is pinned for blocking in the line-out. Elementary errors killing the Wallabies here.
68 min - Robbie Henshaw jumps into first-receiver and goes wide to Johnny Sexton who tries to go wide again only for Bernard Foley to try and intercept.
Foley gets a hand to the pass but can't corral Sexton's pass as he concedes the penalty. Alan Quinlan calling for a yellow card in commentary.
70 min - The Wallabies attack wide but they lack cohesion and ultimately cough up the ball quite easily. They trail by 12 with nine minutes to go but they're really going to have to score soon if they stand any chance of getting back into this game.
72 min - Williams has a quick word with replacement prop Andrew Porter but Ireland are penalised from the ensuing scrum as the Wallabies kick for the corner.
74 min - Nick Phipps hits Rob Simmons as the Wallabies throw the kitchen sink at this Irish defence. Ireland defending bravely but this is now or never for the hosts.
75 min - Australia press deeper and deeper into the Irish 22 but they cough up possession cheaply as Nick Phipps knocks the ball on from the scrum. Williams is going to the TMO to check for potential foul play and a potential delberate knock on in the ruck.
76 min - The TMO and Williams rule that Jack McGrath deliberately knocked the ball on at the breakdown and he receives a yellow card for the infringement. Ireland will finish the match with 14 men.
78 min - Taniela Tupou crashes over the Irish line and we've got a five-point game on our hand with two to go.
80 min - Australia go wide but they knock the ball on down the sideline as Ireland tie the series up at 1-1. Fantastic game but discipline and basic errors cost the Wallabies. Ireland much improved. Clinical. Composed. Class.
Full-time: Australia 21-26 Ireland
That's all for today's coverage. Thanks for joining us and for full analysis and post-match reaction stay with SportsJOE.ie.
