Wallabies end year with 22-19 loss to Ireland in Dublin

The Wallabies have ended their 2024 season with a tight loss to Ireland, going down to the world No.2 side 22-19 at Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Sunday morning (AEDT).

The loss means Australia’s end-of-year tour ends 2-2, with wins over Wales and England but losses to Scotland and Ireland.

Top sports bookmakers expected the visitors to lose heavily, with rugby union odds favouring Ireland by $1.13 to $6, but Joe Schmidt’s men put up a valiant fight in an error-strewn affair.

Australia began well in Dublin, knocking over the first penalty and stringing together some threatening attacking plays.

This was rewarded with the first try of the match midway through the first half, as Max Jorgensen crossed over courtesy of an attacking bomb won by NRL player Joseph Sua’ali’i.

Ireland hit back soon after, kicking to the corner off a penalty and leaning on the lineout drive to secure their first five-pointer of the match through Josh van der Flier.

Another Wallabies’ try went begging when prop Taniela Tupou burst 25 meters up the field off an intercept but failed to feed Sua’ali’i in space.

They did manage to add a penalty, however, meaning the half-time score read 13-5 in favour of Australia: a margin, rugby union bookmakers did not see coming.

Some semblance of normality resumed in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, with Ireland moving ahead 15-13 thanks to a penalty and subsequent lineout drive that ended in Caelan Doris crashing over.

Just as it seemed Ireland would pull away; errors stymied their attack and Australia once again claimed the lead through back-to-back penalties.

Ahead 19-15 with seven minutes to go, an upset of epic proportions was on the cards until the Irish lineout drive once again got them out of trouble.

This time it was Gus McCarthy crossing over off the back of the drive, taking the score to 22-19 after Jack Crowley added the extras.

“I think it was the mountain of possession and territory they had, but the grit that our boys showed was really impressive,” Australian coach Joe Schmidt said after the match.

“I felt they got off the line and defended for long phases and we were perhaps a little unlucky a few times on the ball, but I just admired the way they worked so hard.

“First half I thought we deserved the lead, we made a number of line-breaks and finished one with a try, got a couple of penalties off others.

“So, it was nip and tuck there, but Ireland, boy, they know how to put the squeeze on you and they muscled up in that second half.”

The Wallabies will next be in action against the British and Irish Lions in July 2025.

Despite going 6-7 from their 13 Tests in 2024, Australia is at healthy odds of $2.50 to win the three-Test series against the invitational side at Neds Bookmaker.

The Lions, meanwhile, pay $1.53 to win at Bet365.

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