Lions tours of Australia come around once every 12 years and Australia one the last series by two Tests to one.

This time they will warm up against the Barbarians in Hong Kong on June 1st, before taking on Western Force in Perth on June 5th. They’ll also play Australia other Super 15 teams:

• Queensland Reds in Brisbane on June 8,
• the New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney on June 15,
• ACT Brumbies in Canberra on June 18 and
• Melbourne Rebels in Melbourne on June 25.

There will also be a match against a combined NSW-Queensland Country lineup in Newcastle on June 12.

Horan has claimed he was told about the tactic by Alan Gaffney, but Kidney denies the allegations describing them as:

 ”incredulous and slightly scandalous”

Horan criticised Bryce Lawrence as well, but conceded:

“Ireland deserved to win and always would have won”

Read more at IrishRugby.ie….

Ireland now sit in prime position to take control of Pool C and avoid South Africa and the All Blacks in the knockout stages, instead if they manage to head up Pool C they’ll more than likely create a quarter final clash against the Welsh with all the memories of that try in the back of their heads that has to be a good thing right?

From the very beginning it was clear that Ireland were up for it, just 50 seconds in Ireland won their first penalty through holding up Pat McCabe in the tackle and forcing a turnover.

Every Irishman in Eden Park (and every Kiwi in an Irish shirt!) was screaming as O’Brien and Heaslip rumbled forward.

An Irish lineout four minutes in was disrupted by the Wallabies, and Quade Cooper found space outside the 22 from the resulting scrum. Rob Kearney’s high tackle on Kurtley Beale gave James O’Connor his first chance to open the scoring – which he put wide.

Australia were on the up, Beale gathering a high ball right in front of Kearney and the former Leinster flanker Rocky Elsom started a strong phase of play in the Irish 22, inching their way to the try-line.

A scrum had to be reset and eventually collapsed allowing O’Connor to make up for his earlier miss at close range and open the scoring for Australia.

O’Connell tackled Horwill and allowed Healy to force a penalty near the 10 metre line. Sexton’s kick had the legs but not the accuracy putting it wide.

Ireland were finding momentum, Sexton putting it high for Kearney to make a great collection. O’Driscoll pushed his team up into the 22 and Elsom gave away a penalty, Sexton was on hand to level the points.

Tommy Bowe gained metres after Coopers restart as the backs and forwards combined to create fantastic rugby, gain the advantage and allow Sexton to drop a goal.

Australia pushed the Irish defence hard, but Keith Earls fought back with a thumping tackle on McCabe. Bryce Lawrence was playing penalty advantage though and O’Connor kicked the Wallabies level in the 24th minute.

O’Driscoll and D’Arcy tackled Cooper as he tried to unlock the Irish defence at over the halfway, Heaslip gave away penalty at the ruck and O’Connor again missed the target.

Pressure from the Irish scrum forced Kepu to infringe and Sexton suffered his second miss from a penalty. Ireland kept going forward as a Ferris drive shunted Genia back into the Australia 22.

Half Time 6-6

A half time score of 6 all was nothing to get excited about given that’s where Australia were with Italy only to go on and tidy the game up in the second half… 

48 minutes gone and the Australian captain Horwill went offside at the ruck as the pick and go of Ireland drove forward. Sexton found range and accuracy this time to make the score 9-6.

D’Arcy pulled up with a tight hamstring, introducing Ronan O’Gara to the fray with Sexton moving to inside centre. Another scrum yielded another penalty as Ireland’s pack exerted their pressure again.

Sexton was millimetres off this time hitting the woodwork, and had O’Driscoll have been 6 foot 4 it would have been a try to Ireland, it was left for Healy to hit Cooper to stop a long range counter.

Defence after defence kept the Australians out on the hour mark, O’Connell’s challenge eventually forcing Cooper to throw a forward pass.

With O’Driscoll blood subbed a centre partnership of Earls and Trimble lined out. Conor Murray came on to win his fourth cap, and fantastic scrum work from Healy, Best, and Ross led to O’Gara extending the Ireland lead to 12-6.

Australia could not deal with O’Gara pulling the strings at 10 as Ireland and Ross were stopped three metres short of the line.

The heavens opened in Auckland and massive Irish scrummaging gave O’Gara another penalty close to their posts. Pushing Ireland out of reach by more than a converted try.

Australia pushed hard with Ashley-Cooper out wide and an amazing diving tackle from O’Brien prevented Genia from scoring. Australia continued to look dangerous with a quick-tap penalty, Cooper’s backhanded pass was grabbed by Bowe who raced the length of the field to within metres of the try line, only for O’Connor to tackle him into touch.

Conor Murray had another go and crossed the line, only for it to be ruled out for an earlier offside.

All in all, a return to form for an Irish side that has so much experience and promise…..

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!

Highlights:

The Irish were keen to redeem themselves after they lost their opening game to Samoa yesterday and when the half time whistle went they were 17-7 up against Australia. But it is important to never underestimate the Australians and they came back guns blazing in the second half.

The game was a try fest with seven tries scored all together and there was a good rate of conversion which meant that the points were added up thick and fast. Eventually the Irish managed to outclass Australia with some tenacious play and determination. This is a great victory for the Sevens team and perhaps a sign of things to come from them during the next season.

IRELAND: Eoghan Grace (Shannon – Munster), James Coughlan (Dolphin – Munster), Paul Marshall (Belfast Harlequins – Ulster), Felix Jones (Old Belvedere – Leinster), Brian Carney (Clonakilty – Munster), Brian Tuohy (Cornish Pirates), Tom Gleeson (Cork Constitution – Munster).

Replacements: Kyle Tonetti (Blackrock College – Leinster), Kieran Campbell (Galwegians – Connacht), Conan Doyle (Garryowen – Munster), Daniel Riordan (Buccaneers – Connacht), Gary Brown (Blackrock College – Leinster).

AUSTRALIA: Henry Vanderglas, Damon Murphy, Luke Morahan, Richard Kingi, Jono Jenkins, Afusipa Taumoepeau, Ed Jenkins.

Replacements: William Brock, Ben Coridas, Brian Sefanaia, Shaun Foley, William Bishop.

Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)