Donal Lenihan and Ronan O'Gara join Tony Leen to preview RWC19.

“New Zealand are not the standout like years gone by. South Africa are now; I think we all had that feeling, it was coming, at the right time. Just because I know (Michael) Cheika, Australia will get their act together but there is only so much they can do and they have a lot of issues.

Having seen a record win over the All Blacks followed by a 36-0 hammering by the same side, you may not be surprised to hear Michael Cheika refuse to read too much into Ireland’s Six Nations rollercoaster.

Dig around through the entrails of Leinster’s last ten years of European triumphs and there are surprisingly few threads connecting them all.

Gordon D’Arcy remembers when angst was the daily diet in Dublin.

A good lock is hard to find.

Question marks may remain over his hamstring ahead of Saturday’s Champions Cup quarter-final against Edinburgh but there is no doubting Joey Carbery’s allegiance to Munster with confirmation yesterday that the out-half has signed a two-year contract extension that will see him remain with the province until June 2022.

South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus had exaggeratedly suggested he could be looking for a new job if his side had lost to the All Blacks on Saturday, instead a 36-34 win showed his team were moving the right way towards next year’s Rugby World Cup.

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

Michael Cheika made two changes to Australia’s starting side for the final game of the series with Ireland as he announced his Wallabies matchday squad on his old stomping ground at Randwick yesterday.

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

Michael Cheika still adores Johnny Sexton and the Leinster veterans he coached to a Heineken Cup victory in 2009 but the love-in with a player he calls “the maestro” will have to go on hold tomorrow as Australia attempt to close out their Test series with Ireland.

Australia 18 Ireland 9

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

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

The ACT Brumbies have defied Australia coach Michael Cheika by naming David Pocock, Scott Sio and Allan Alaalatoa in their team for tomorrow’s Super Rugby match against the Sunwolves.

ACT Brumbies back row Pete Samu is the standout absentee from Michael Cheika’s Wallabies squad — which features five uncapped players — to face Ireland in the forthcoming June Test series

Stuart Lancaster has backed his Leinster double winners to lay down a big marker for Ireland’s World Cup hopes next year when they take on Australia over three Tests this summer.

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.

“It’s not going to be an issue, because it’s not going to be ongoing. You can interpret it how you like.”

Eddie Jones was the one Australian everyone wanted to hear from after Ireland dispensed with his England side so seamlessly at Twickenham last week, but it would have been interesting to mine the thoughts of his compatriot Michael Cheika, who was among the 82,062 souls looking on from the stands, writes Brendan O’Brien.

Ulster are making no official comment on speculation in New Zealand and Australia that their newly appointed head man Jono Gibbes is being hunted by Wallaby coach Michael Cheika.

Eddie Jones has criticised Australia for seeking to influence referee Ben O’Keeffe through the media.

Two years ago Scott Fardy was at the pinnacle of rugby; one of 30 players starting the World Cup final in Twickenham.

The All Blacks juggernaut hit a road bump in the British and Irish Lions series but it should be back to business as usual for the world champions when they take on South Africa, Australia and Argentina in the Rugby Championship.

New Zealand assistant coach Ian Foster says he would not like to be a victim of the newspaper clown treatment given to British and Irish Lions boss Warren Gatland.

Eddie Jones will send England out against Australia with orders to “break them mentally and physically” in Saturday’s climax to the autumn at Twickenham.

Eddie Jones has responded to Michael Cheika’s claim he has damaged his legacy in Australia by declaring opinions mean nothing to him.

With three wins, including a first over New Zealand, November has been a hugely encouraging month for Joe Schmidt and Irish rugby in general. So what were the major discussion points?

Michael Cheika believes Eddie Jones has tarnished his legacy with Australia, claiming his compatriot unloaded “vitriol” on the Wallabies in June’s Test series with England.

World Rugby’s head of referees Alain Rolland can expect a busy inbox this morning when he logs on for work after another weekend of concerns about the standards of Test officiating.

Joe Schmidt believes the intervention of World Rugby referees’ chief Alain Rolland will help prevent a repeat of the controversies that marred Ireland’s rematch with New Zealand last weekend.

Ireland aim to right the wrongs of their losing performance against the All Blacks when Australia roll into the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.