Ireland secured a tough three-point victory over Australia at Aviva Stadium, but the performance was far from impressive, leading to concerns about the team's future under new leadership.
Ciarán Kennedy Reports from Aviva Stadium WONDERWALL RANG OUT after a relieved Irish side somehow ground out a three-point win against Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies. It felt fitting, Andy Farrell ’s favourite band soundtracking his final act as Ireland boss before he heads off to take charge of the Lions .
The bottom line is that it just has not happened for Ireland this month. Farrell’s men never really got going against New Zealand. They were excellent for 40 minutes against Argentina but saw their performance slide in the second half. A much-changed Ireland team were markedly better in putting eight tries on Fiji, but the Pacific Islanders were poor on the day.
Farrell will have been utterly frustrated with the opening quarter in particular, a period where Ireland spent most of the game in the Australia half while failing to get the scoreboard moving. The ball kept dropping to ground. Ireland repeatedly messed up at the lineout. Time and again they got into the right positions before their execution failed them.
Many of this team will be frustrated with how the last few weeks have played out but Prendergast will be happy with his early work in the green jersey.Josh van der Flier can also be pleased with his lot and has been Ireland’s standout player across this window. The flanker was excellent again today and provided Ireland’s only points of the first half, powering through two Wallaby tacklers to score from close range. It started with an Ireland lineout.
Prendergast led the charge after the break. He wasn’t long back on the pitch before he was picking himself off it again, another delayed pass inviting a thumping hit on halfway. He lifted himself from the grass and looked to the skies, sending an aerial bomb out for Keenan to chase. The fullback gathered in the Australia 22 and a penalty allowed Prendergast go the corner.
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