Pocock reveals picture taken with Conor Murray 13 years previously in Limerick

Wallaby flanker David Pocock has revealed a stunning picture taken with Conor Murray thirteen years when stayed with the Irish scrumhalf’s family in Limerick while on a rugby tour of Ireland.

Ireland completed an outstanding 2017-18 season with a series win in Australia, edging the third and final Test 20-16 at Allianz Stadium.

Joe Schmidt’s side claimed a Six Nations Grand Slam earlier this year, with their only defeat of the campaign coming in the opening match of this tour.

And Ireland turned the series on its head with victory in Sydney on Saturday, as they followed up a first away win over the Wallabies since 1979 by scraping through a tough contest decided again by the influential boot of Johnny Sexton.

Pocock met with Murray in the changing rooms afterwards, before tweeting a picture from the first time the pair met in Ireland in 2005.

Pocock wrote: “In 2005 on the Australian Schoolboys tour of UK and Ireland we were billeted out with families in Limerick. The family I was billeted with: the Murrays.

“I don’t think @ConorMurray_9 or I were thinking we’d go on to face each other in test rugby. Great to catch up after the game.”

In 2005 on the Australian Schoolboys tour of UK and Ireland we were billeted out with families in Limerick. The family I was billeted with: the Murrays. I don't think @ConorMurray_9 or I were thinking we'd go on to face each other in test rugby. Great to catch up after the game. pic.twitter.com/MRF9BRsQY0

— David Pocock (@DavidPocock) June 24, 2018

Australia coach Michael Cheika revealed referee Pascal Gauzere declined an invitation to his media conference after the Wallabies suffered a series defeat to Ireland.

Cheika took issue with a decision that went against Tolu Latu, which enabled Johnny Sexton to give Ireland an ultimately decisive four-point cushion with a 79th-minute penalty.

“I invited him [Gauzere] to come to the presser [news conference] but he didn’t want to,” Cheika said.

“You guys have seen what happened out there, you saw the decisions, the only people who can answer the questions are the referees, not me. I’ll say something and you’ll say it’s a biased view.

“I don’t want to be the guy who looks like: ‘oh, he’s a moaner’. That’s how it always ends up. They can answer it themselves to be honest.

“Across the series we’ve been talking about really trying to build a good rapport and have clarity around decisions and have a no excuses mentality, which I really want to maintain.”

On the Latu penalty, he added: “I think you guys saw what happened. Tolu is first there with no ruck formed and he gets a penalty awarded against him. Like I said, that’s the fact.

“The only people who can answer the questions are the referees or the referees’ boss, if we’re fair dinkum. I’ll keep it to myself.”