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Ireland Rugby
O’Driscoll blocks the Australia Grand Slam 20-20!
A last minute try by Brian O’Driscoll foiled Australia’s plan for a Grand Slam of the home nations and leaves Ireland unbeaten under Declan Kidney.
Australia had stepped up a gear after their defeat of England last week and delivered a much more polished performance with Rocky Elsom at the helm. O’Driscoll’s first touch (fumble) gifted Australia a lead, but if there was ever a time for O’Driscoll magic it was in the last minute to level the game (with the help of O’Gara’s conversion) in his 100th test!
Ireland haven’t played together for six months and will now know how much work they need to do before they meet the Springboks in a fortnight. The scrum was dismantled and John Hayes had a terrible time in what proved to be a very tight game mastered in some ways by Quade Cooper who looked like he’d played Test rugby for years! Ireland’s kicks were rarely as perfect!
The game ran in bits and bobs with Giteau and Elsom making good breaks, O’Gara’s unorthodox chip penalty just couldn’t reach Tommy Bowe in the wing.
By half time the score was 10-6, Matt Giteau landing one penalty to O’Gara’s two and adding it to Mitchell’s try from the early O’Driscoll mistake.
The second half was even better for Australia, ironing out the early mistakes in the forwards leaving little for Ireland to play off. Giteau missed one penalty and landed the other after 55 minutes – with Australia having 70% second half territory and possession.
Cian Healy wasn’t having the best of debuts in the tight, but in the loose really pushed himself winning the restart and heading straight for the 22. Eight phases culminated in a double pass move for Bowe to go over the line.
At thirteen all, Australia simply carried straight on. Healy again in the thick of it was turned over and Wallabies moved side to side before Elsom powered into the corner. Converted by Giteau and it looked like it was all over.
Australia running on empty were besieged by Ireland in the last ten (a time of the game Ireland are used to fighting from), two penalties given away by Australia in the corner resulting in a team warning. From the next phase Tommy Bowe was held up in the corner, the scrum was solid and Tomas O’Leary delayed his pass perfectly to find the right one of the three runners. The Australian centres parted and O’Driscoll waltzed over the line!
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