It’s somewhat ironic that at a time when rugby is enjoying an unprecedented level of popularity in this country, with the national team ranked in the top two sides in the world, the game itself faces massive challenges.

Australia 16 Ireland 20

Donal Lenihan looks at three areas Ireland need to master to win the series in Australia.

Niall Scannell will be thrust into action from kick-off this morning, as Ireland bid to win a first Test series in Australia since 1979.

Whatever about the short-term objectives of winning a Test series in Australia, Saturday’s decider offers Ireland an excellent dry run for a potential World Cup quarter-final in Japan next year.

If ever there was a microcosm of the battle for hearts and minds in Australian sport, then today’s fare is it.

It is difficult to imagine Ireland’s season being remembered as anything but an unheralded success after a Six Nations Triple Crown, Championship and Grand Slam was secured on the back a 12-Test winning run.

Three key areas Ireland need to address to keep series alive, writes Donal Lenihan

Ireland captain Peter O’Mahony has echoed head coach Joe Schmidt’s calls for better discipline when the Six Nations champions meet Australia.

Cian Healy is relishing the opportunity to get back to basics and exact revenge on the Australians after a sobering night in Brisbane.

Joe Schmidt has turned to Niall Scannell as the hooker to tighten up Ireland’s scrummaging power for the must-win second Test against Australia at AAMI Park tomorrow morning.

When you put in the type of performance David Pocock delivered against Ireland last weekend, it becomes a little difficult to comprehend the Australian back-rower believed taking his one-year sabbatical from the game was something of a career risk.

Ireland boss Joe Schmidt is set to delay finalising his team for Saturday’s second test until early tomorrow morning.

To most rugby fans in Ireland he was the Wallabies’ debutant hooker, an emergency selection for Michael Cheika after the first three in line fell by the wayside.

Andy Farrell is hoping the pain of defeat to Australia will reveal the size of Ireland’s heart for the battles ahead on this tour Down Under.

Joe Schmidt is preparing to welcome his big guns for Saturday’s must-win Test against Australia in Melbourne.

Australia 18 Ireland 9

This time last year, David Pocock was working on a farm in his native Zimbabwe, taking a break from rugby and relying on his cousin to text him with Wallabies updates.

All good things come to an end and for Rob Kearney, losing for the first time in 15 months and 13 Tests may be no bad thing for a core of this Ireland squad so accustomed to winning.

Joe Schmidt was left to rue “skinny” margins as his Ireland side experienced defeat for the first time in 15 months.

Peter O’Mahony will resume the Ireland captaincy for the first time since November 2016 this morning, urging his team to pick up where they left off when beating England at Twickenham to clinch the Grand Slam.

If Ireland were under any illusions about how tough the defensive challenge that awaits them at Suncorp Stadium this morning will be in this opening Test against Australia, then listening to Wallabies captain Michael Hooper yesterday will have removed any doubt.

Michael Cheika saunters into the high school hall at Kelvin State College in the Brisbane suburbs looking wonderfully relaxed in a Wallabies polo shirt and jeans.

Ireland captain Peter O’Mahony has backed fly-half Joey Carbery to take the huge opportunity handed to the 22-year-old when he starts the first Test against Australia on Saturday morning.

Michael Cheika may not have envied Joe Schmidt the task of telling Johnny Sexton he would be watching tomorrow’s kick-off at Suncorp Stadium from the bench but the man who made the call had no hesitation in handing Joey Carbery Ireland’s No. 10 jersey.

The Crusaders got a week off after the Chiefs game up in Hamilton. Some of the squad went off to Fiji for R&R. I’m using the time for a bit of a recharge before heading to Brisbane today ahead of the first test.

There will be no sentiment when Australia fly-half Bernard Foley locks horns once again with Ireland on Saturday bidding for a first victory over the old country at the third attempt.

The perils of having a large extended family are becoming all too apparent to Bundee Aki as he tries to wrangle enough tickets for his Australia-based kinfolk to watch Ireland take on the Wallabies over the next three weeks.

Conor Murray believes it is easy to ignore all the positive noise swirling around a buoyant Ireland squad as they begin their bid to win a first Test in Australia since 1979.

Ireland scrum coach Greg Feek believes there is plenty of leadership within the current squad that can make up for the absence of veteran captain Rory Best.

In a season that keeps on giving for Irish rugby, a series win against a major southern hemisphere superpower for the first time since 1979 would offer the perfect ending.

Will Genia has praised rival scrum-half Conor Murray’s tactical kicking as the best in the business ahead of Australia’s first Test against Ireland in Brisbane on Saturday.

Will Genia has learned to his cost the dangers of underestimating Ireland and the Australia scrum-half believes the next generation of Wallabies are at no risk of making the same mistake as he did at the 2011 World Cup.

Crusaders flanker Peter Samu has been cleared to debut for the Wallabies against Ireland but that good news is offset by the loss of hooker Jordan Uelese to a knee injury, likely for the rest of the season.

As impressive as Leinster’s conveyor belt of homegrown fly-halves is, something always had to give.

Joe Schmidt described choosing the 32 players he will take to Australia next month as the most difficult process of his tenure as Ireland head coach but it is clear he has selected a squad with a series victory over the Wallabies at the top of his priority list.

Joe Schmidt called it their "most difficult selection process" yet.

Michael Conlan knows where his priorities lie and the Belfast native’s personal preparations for three more fights in 2017 will take priority ahead of any other potential distractions following his third paid victory in Brisbane over the weekend.

Manny Pacquiao will take some time before deciding whether to hang up his gloves or take up the option of a rematch with Australian Jeff Horn, according to promoter Bob Arum.

Michael Conlan may be boxing in the shadow of Manny Pacquiao in Brisbane this weekend, but the Belfast man believes it is the ideal chance for him to shine as a pro.

Michael Conlan registered his second stoppage in as many professional contests with a TKO3 of Tijuana journeyman Alfredo Chanez in Chicago.

Michael Cheika has revealed that Australia were unable to persuade Ben Te'o to pledge his allegiance to the Wallabies due to the financial rewards on offer in the Aviva Premiership.

Australia 28 New Zealand 29

A star-studded Wallaby and All Black combined team could face the British and Irish Lions next November.