Milestones aside, Wallabies visit will define Ireland's autumn

Ireland mark 150 years of rugby heritage and Cian Healy's record, but winning still number one.

CENTRE STAGE: Cian Healy (middle) at the Ireland Captain's Run at Aviva Stadium with (L-R) Caelan Doris, IRFU President Declan Madden Joe McCarthy, Garry Ringrose, Finlay Bealham and Andrew Porter. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Amid all the intriguing plotlines surrounding this IRFU 150th Anniversary match between Ireland and Australia at Aviva Stadium on Saturday afternoon, Caelan Doris went straight to the crux of the matter as he looked forward to an afternoon of milestones.

As important as it is to recognise Ireland’s rich rugby past and to celebrate Cian Healy’s record-breaking Irish-record 134th Test cap; as pleasing as it will be to afford former head coach Joe Schmidt the warmest of welcomes on his return to Dublin as Wallabies boss, Doris acknowledged on the eve of the match that this is a match that will define his side’s Autumn Nations Series campaign.

Beat a revitalised Aussie outfit which Schmidt has rescued from the doldrums of a disastrous World Cup campaign under predecessor Eddie Jones 13 months ago and Ireland can look back on a month of continual improvement since a less than illustrious opening defeat to New Zealand.

Lose it and it will be a sorry bookend to accompany that below-par performance in the 23-13 week one loss to the All Blacks that undermines the positives seen in victories over Argentina and Fiji.

Whatever about the Wallabies' upward trajectory towards next summer’s Test series against Farrell’s British & Irish Lions, the head coach has demanded the best performance of November from Doris and co.

The skipper fully understands why that is being asked of them as Ireland bid to carry some momentum into the 2025 Six Nations and a championship to be overseen in Farrell’s absence by Simon Easterby.

“Yeah, it’s huge. Like the first meeting when we came in this autumn was about continual growth and improvement and players trying to take it to another level.

“Other teams are getting better. We’re not playing South Africa but you can see their improvements over the year and we need to be doing the same. I think the first half against Argentina we maybe showed that, showed that at times last week but we definitely need to show it again this week.

“We're definitely aware what's at stake. It's a big game for us as well. We've the chance to go three from four and improve our performance. I think a lot lies on this weekend in terms of the success of the autumn for us and how that's viewed in terms of how we get our performance right because last week was good, the first half was good against Argentina, we weren't where we needed to be against the All Blacks. If we can show the progression in our performance this week, I think there's a lot on the line there.” 

For Farrell it is also a chance to fire a final shot across predecessor and former boss Schmidt’s bows ahead of his Lions tour Down Under but for now the current Ireland head coach is looking forward to a poignant reunion between the Kiwi and a full house in Dublin.

"I love it, it's a great story,” Farrell said. “Joe deserves all the accolades and probably more so when he comes back to Ireland because what he did for Irish rugby, not just here at the IRFU but over the road there at the RDS, was phenomenal.

“He's the most successful coach in Irish rugby when you look at his time overall in Dublin. We've got a lot to thank him about and I think it's a nice story that we get to celebrate this game alongside him.” 

Farrell was not shy at acknowledging the role Schmidt played in his own coaching career, appointing him to the Ireland coaching ticket in 2016 after a deeply disappointing home World Cup campaign with Stuart Lancaster’s England the previous year.

"One hundred per cent,” the former defence coach said. "Firstly, I'm very grateful for that opportunity from Joe and David Nucifora bringing me over here.

"On top of that, that experience that I've gained under Joe, seeing how he does it on the inside is invaluable... not just to me, but to everyone who has coached by him. That's a privilege.

"Then, obviously, coaching against him for New Zealand. It's not as high profile because he wasn't head coach, but it was because you could see his DNA all over that anyway.

"We've been here a little bit before, but when he comes back to these shores he should be celebrated for everything that he's done to Irish rugby."

Schmidt will be given the spotlight and rightly so, but Ireland need to put in a performance against his Wallabies that will put them firmly centre stage. Their gradual improvement form a fairly low base suggests they have what it takes to end November on a high to let Farrell sign off with some celebrations of his own.

IRELAND: H Keenan; M Hansen, R Henshaw, B Aki, J Lowe; S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, R Kelleher, F Bealham; J McCarthy, J Ryan; T Beirne, J Van der Flier, C Doris – captain.

Replacements: G McCarthy, C Healy, T O’Toole, I Henderson, P O’Mahony, C Casey, J Crowley, G Ringrose.

AUSTRALIA: T Wright; A Kellaway, J Suaalii, L Ikitau, M Jorgensen; N Lolesio, J Gordon; J Slipper, B Paenga-Amosa, T Tupou; N Frost, J Williams; ⁠R Valetini, F McReight, H Wilson – captain.

Replacements: B Pollard, A Bell, A Alaalatoa, L Salakaia-Loto, L Gleeson , T McDermott, T Edmed, H Potter.

Referee: Andrea Pirardi (Italy)