Michael Cheika’s Australia side came out with a simple gameplan for the opening game of their three-test series against Ireland – physicality, physicality, physicality.
The Wallabies asserted their physical dominance in the opening 20 minutes with Marika Koroibete smashing Conor Murray on a kick chase, Adam Coleman nailing Jacob Stockdale on the sideline and Michael Hooper flying out of the line to blitz Ireland fly-half Joey Carbery.
Murray was hammered again just a few minutes later by Wallabies inside centre Kurtley Beale as the Munster scrum-half battled through a first-half onslaught to help guide Ireland around the Suncorp Stadium pitch.
The Ireland scrum-half looks to be forming a promising partnership with fly-half Joey Carbery as the future clubmates are already showing a great understanding of each other’s game.
Murray has been able to effectively hit his forward runners and maintain his boxkicking but when he does go to Carbery the young playmaker is flat and is taking the ball to the line and mixing his passing between short runners and his outside backs.
Ireland trail 8-6 heading into half-time after a late Bernard Foley try put the Wallabies in front heading into the break.
