Ireland hit the front, gave up three tries and still bounced back to beat Australia 26-23 in a nail-gnawer at the Aviva Stadium
Here are our ratings for the Irish players after a thriller in Dublin. Join us on Twitter and Facebook to debate the ratings and offer us your thoughts on the game.
Rob Kearney 9
Back on top form and mixing it with the very best again. Lost out to Israel Folau in the air on a couple of occasions but no shame in that. Sparked countless attacks from fullback. His enthusiasm saw him isolated, causing turnovers, twice in the first half. Clattered the post with an almost amazing drop goal.
Tommy Bowe 8
Stunning intercept on Nick Phipp’s low-slung pass and had the gas to race home a try to remember. Irish kicks often pushed too far, ruling him out of kick-chases but shut down Adam Ashley Cooper whenever he threatened to kick free.
Robbie Henshaw 8
What a kick to the line on 77 minutes! The Irish midfield was once again targeted but the 21-year-old was not found wanting. Made a couple of early crash-ball bursts and had the fans of their feet for a great aerial take. Unfortunately the attack it sparked eventually led to Australia’s counter-attack try. Lovely offload to Zebo that set up an attack that won a penalty.
Gordon D’Arcy 5
Australia were all over D’Arcy and gave him no room to breathe. Drawn towards the ball early in the piece to offer Tevita Kuridrani a line-break. The inside centre’s leg strength saw him pile forward for one and two-metre gains but this was not one of his better outings. Lasted 60 minutes.
Simon Zebo 7
Set the tone on 60 seconds with a nice hit on Kuridrani. Kicked off his evening’s work with a fantastic try as he hared after Johnny Sexton’s chip through to score. Failed to shut Henry Speight down before Phipp’s first try but few defenders would have expected that out-the-back-door reverse offload. All-action.
Johnny Sexton 6
Peach of a chip over the top for Zebo’s try. Kicking out of hand was extremely patchy and he fell off a tackle in the lead-up to Phipps racing over for his first try. Missed a make-able penalty in the first half after stalling too long over the ball amid heckles. Nailed his kicks with the second-half pressure well and truly on.
Conor Murray 7
His physicality was needed as Ireland got stretched and needed tackles to be made to prevent overlaps. Threw a stinker of a pass to Sexton, under pressure, leading to a rushed clearance kick in the moments before Bernard Foley’s throw. Threw himself at the Aussies as Ireland nipped ahead and held on.
Jack McGrath 6
Kept his side of the scrum ticking over but muted for long spells in the loose. Rarely used as a carrying option, as Cian Healy would often be. Will be disappointed that he did not put himself about the pitch more. Saved the day at creaking 71st minute scrum by picking and going mid-wheel.
Rory Best 8
The hooker was brilliant in the loose and a breakdowns, while hitting his line-out marks with, until a 52nd minute overthrow, little bother. Secured the crucial turnover that left the Wallabies exposed for the Zebo try. 14 tackles landed in a whole-hearted 67-minute shift.
Mike Ross 6
Made one tackle in the first half as his team-mates were going gung-ho for anything in gold that moved. The Irish scrum had no more than parity and were fortunate not to concede a couple of penalties. Wallabies went after Ross in the scrum as the game ticked on and it paid dividends. A worrying November for the tight-head mainstay.
Devin Toner 5
Somehow listed in the official match stats as only missing one tackle in a frantic first half. I counted three. Solid in the line-out and at maul time but he failed to connect with Wallabies when Ireland were leaking points and needed him. Replaced on 61 minutes.
Paul O’Connell 8
Huge hit at the death proved the match-winner. Connected with a couple of meaty blows in the opening forays and offered himself up for the hard-yard carries. Directed a forceful maul that Australia could only stop by foul means.
Peter O’Mahony 6
Struggled to give his team any forward momentum with ball in hand. Missed a tackle in the lead up to a Phipps try but upped the ante after a below-par first half. Held up in the Aussie 22 after a fine Bowe break and turned over the ball.
Rhys Ruddock 7
Landed a good hit on Foley that looked, for all the world, to have prevented a try before the TMO said otherwise. Not in the same ball-carrying class as Stephen Ferris or Sean O’Brien but tackled gamely. His lack of openside experience may not have helped Ross at scrum time. Connected with 14 tackles.
Jamie Heaslip 6
One of the quietest matches I have seen from the Leinster captain in at least two years. Struggled to impose himself on the game and match the Australian back-row’s for physicality and impishness. Outshone by opposite number Ben McCalman.
Replacements
Sean Cronin 6
(For Rory Best ’67) Unleashed off the bench for the closing stages and to provide a viable ball-carrying option. Won the plaudits and head-pats for the Oz scrum Ireland won a 74th minute penalty on.
Dave Foley 6
(For Toner ’61) Deserves a medal for standing in the way of a barreling Will Skelton and halting his monster truck momentum. Twice! Big tackles as clock ticked down.
Eoin Reddan N/A
(For Murray ’71 blood sub) Only on for four minutes and provided one box-kick clearance. Backed on for final two minutes after Sexton concussion.
Ian Madigan 6
(For D’Arcy ’58) Raced onto an aerial duel involving Zebo and set up an Irish attack up the left. Looked a decent inside centre option in the final 20 minutes. Might have been wise to hoof the ball out (on 76 minutes) when Sexton and Kearney were flat-out.
Felix Jones N/A
(For Kearney ’77) Not on long enough to rate.
