Failure to cope with Wallaby wonders costs Ireland dear

This group of Irish players has made a habit of rewriting history over the course of the last few seasons, whether it has been beating New Zealand for the first time or recording a rare Grand Slam as they did in Twickenham back in March.

If they wish to continue in that vein by winning a test series down under for the first time since 1979, they will now have to do it the hard way. The second test in Melbourne next Saturday becomes a must-win game for Ireland if they want to keep this series alive into the final week in Sydney.

That will prove challenging, given the momentum the Wallabies have generated from Saturday’s impressive opening win, but it’s by no means beyond the capacity of this Irish team.