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'Fall back in love': Former Wallabies react to tight defeat to Ireland

Players of Australia look dejected following defeat to Ireland during the Autumn Nations Series 2024 match between Ireland and Australia at Aviva Stadium on November 30, 2024 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

The Wallabies ended their end-of-year Northern tour campaign with a narrow 22-19 defeat at the hands of world number two-ranked Ireland in Dublin.

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For large parts of Australia’s 2024 campaign, they have showcased improvement under Joe Schmidt, and signs of hope ahead of the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour.

A late Gus McCarthy try ended Joe Schmidt’s return to Aviva Stadium in Dublin where he coached Ireland for six years.

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Former Wallabies Tim Horan and Justin Harrison were both impressed with Australia’s performance at the Aviva Stadium, despite leading the game with just under eight minutes to go.

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“We should be so proud of this Wallabies team, and what they’ve done in the last four weeks, especially in the first two weeks, winning against England, win against Wales, they have re-engaged not everyone, but they’ve re-engaged a lot of people to fall back in love with rugby,said Horan on the Stan Sport panel after Ireland’s victory.

 “I think the way that the Wallabies started that first half, they’d be really proud and excited how they bend the defensive line on this Irish team, Max Jorgensen scoring the try after sort of 19 minutes, and then they’ve got a couple of penalty goals. They probably needed a bit more of a lead at the half-time break.”

Harrison, the 34-Test former Wallabies forward was proud of the way the Wallabies held their own on the end-of-year tour.

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There’s pride at least in seeing the way the Wallabies performed today. When you see the Wallabies team take the field, you want to see some ingredients. You imagine what you would do if you wore that gold jersey, honesty, intelligence, toughness, hard work for your teammates,said Harrison. 

“All of those ingredients were on display for the Wallaby team that pushed this Irish side.”

Former Wallabies midfielder Horan, highlighted Ireland’s grit and determination as to why they are one of the best international teams in the world.

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“It was a cracking test match, and that second half from Ireland was outstanding. That’s why they’re the number two ranked nation in the world, just the way they have composure and are very well coached,said Horan on Ireland’s performance at Aviva Stadium.

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Harrison also gave credit to Andy Farrell’s side, who dominated the possession and territory throughout the 80 minutes.

“This Irish side is a very, very good side in Dublin. At the end of a long tour for the Wallabies, that is an outstanding performance from them. We are bitterly disappointed by the loss so close to just the weight of possession.”

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Comments

2 Comments
L
Lulu 115 days ago

Great to see a good foundation being built here. Team is really starting to fight for each other and not to just roll over. Wallabies will start closing out these close games shortly.

C
Cantab 115 days ago

The luck of the Irish comes through again. I wonder how this Irish side would now fare against SA, NZ, Argies & even OZ without home advantage.

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EllenMoody 3 hours ago
Great moments in Lions tour history – JPR’s drop goal and the All Blacks' brutal revenge

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JWH 5 hours ago
'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Do you hear yourself? Do you have any concept of world view? Have you tried looking into why people call Ireland ‘arrogant’? Obviously not.


We started calling you arrogant when you called our captain a ‘shit Richie McCaw’. In New Zealand. On our turf. Don’t think that kind of behaviour really calls for respect, does it.


NZ don’t really talk ourselves up, if anything the rugby does it for us. No kiwi goes in the media and says: ‘We are gonna win the RWC’. However, I have found many instance of IRISH media saying that the Irish should win, without a doubt. THAT is disrespectful.


The All Blacks have played good rugby, even some of the best rugby ever, at many points in history, but I don’t think you could find a single instance of one of those players, or the NZ media, saying that they should whitewash their opponents. Ever.


Now, onto your analysis. Ireland DID choke the QF. They beat the champions, they were ranked first coming into it, a lot of players at the peaks of their powers. Its hard to say that they didn’t choke. Obviously, their preparation was just not as good as NZ, and thats all there really is to it.


If Ireland had repsected that ABs team and that QF more, maybe they would’ve prepared properly for it and won. But they didn’t.


Maybe if Ireland had won their QF last RWC, they wouldn’t have to be in the same pool as SA and Scotland. I mean, its called a draw for a reason. NZ got third last RWC, so of course they should get a reasonable pool, and they were ranked pretty highly too. If you want to talk about easy pools, look no further than Pool 3 with England, Australia, Fiji, and Georgia I think?


Now, obviously you don’t remember how that QF ended, so I’ll go ahead and rectify that. Ireland reclaimed the ball off kickoff and marched for 20ish phases into the opposition half. Savea then won a turnover, but the referee refused to give it, so play went on. Finally, at the NZ 22, after not giving up a single penatly in 25 phases of hard defense, Sam Whitelock, the most capped All Black of all time, wins the game with an incredible steal.


Now, NZ players having a go at Ireland. Do you cry when you get hit after making the first swing? We all know Sexton is a prick on the field, its just the truth. And Ioane never backs down from a clash, so he thought he should humble a player who has never won an international knockout game who thought he was all that. Don’t really see the issue, its poetic justice really.

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