Australian full-back Israel Folau has said that Ireland did a great job at preventing him from contesting kicks in the Wallabies 26-21 loss to Joe Schmidt’s side in Melbourne last weekend.
Folau was typically excellent in the air in Australia’s first Test win in Brisbane earlier this month and Ireland made a noted effort to try and escort his runs to the ball in AAMI Park to give the Irish outside backs more time to field the Wallabies kicks.
Wallabies assistant coach Stephen Larkham said that it would be an issue that Australia would consider raising with the referees before Saturday’s third Test decider in Sydney.
“I guess it’s in our hands, it’s something that we have to sit down with the referees and discuss,” said Larkham.
“For us, I think it’s two-fold. It’s one, getting the kicks accurate so our chasers aren’t running between two or three guys and then two, bringing it to the referees’ attention just to make sure everything is legal.”
Folau did not appear to be overly worried by the Irish attempts to block him and put his relative ineffectiveness in the air in Melbourne down to the Wallabies poor kicking.
“Obviously, I didn’t get many touches on the weekend, so hopefully I get a few more opportunities to get my hands on the ball as much as I can and just play some footy,” Folau told Australian Associated Press on Tuesday.
“I put it down to the execution on our kicks. It wasn’t where we wanted to place them (in Melbourne).
“They were a little bit further than we’d liked and a bit more infield, which makes it a lot easier for their guys to escort.
“In saying that, they did a great job with their escorting but hopefully our execution on our kicks can be a little bit better where it can give us a free run and a jump at the ball.”
Former Munster utility back Paul Warwick made an appearance on The Hard Yards on Monday and said that Australia must persist with trying to find Folau in the air despite Ireland’s clear attempts to curtail his route to the ball.
“It’s fine margins at the top and it’s two playing three in the world,” said Warwick.
“You’d expect these games to be close and they have been. There’s little inches all over the park, which I think Ireland won in game two and Australia won in game one, so it will be a real test for both coaches going into the third Test as to what adjustments they make.
“Do Ireland have to change anything? Probably not. I’m sure Larkham and [Michael] Cheika will have a few attack plans to try and regain possession.
“I think they have to go aerial again and try and bring Folau into the game more and hope that Kearney has an off night again.”
