Crumbs of comfort in short supply

Ireland 14 Australia 30

Redeeming features? For the neutral, the power and skills of Australian full back Chris Latham and winger Drew Mitchell offered respite from the abject mediocrity. For those with green-tinted glasses, nothing so comforting.

Australia were both delighted and relieved; the pressure is temporarily off their coach Eddie Jones. His charges finally brought an end to a depressing run of defeats, but even he must know that this display was not the finished article.