Sean O’Donnell
With the advent of the Festive Season coinciding with the Ireland v Australia match at Lansdowne Road on Saturday which represents Australia Present, it is timely to have a look back at some of the meetings of the last few decades, those which have had positive outcomes for Ireland. Admittedly the pickings are fairly thin but we’ll have a go.
Ireland had their first win over the Wallabies at Lansdowne Road in November 1958. This writer was settling into the junior infants class in primary school at that time so he is short of detail on the game. The score was 9-6 and the game was marked by an outstanding contribution from Ireland’s Noel Henderson.
January 1967 at Lansdowne Road :Ireland 15 Australia 8. The first match since the 1958 win, it was my second time attending an international, as a 14 year old. I remember being on the Lansdowne Road end terraceand positioning myself at the corner by the East Stand to try and maximise my view of the game as the terrace was less densely packed there. Ireland started well with an early try by flying winger Alan “Dixie” Duggan. A drop goal followed by the great Mike Gibson and a penalty goal by Tom Kiernan. In the second, Gibson added a second drop goal and scored an opportunist try in the fallout from a line out. A good win against a Wallaby side that included the legendary half backs Hawthorne and Catchpole.
May 1967: At Sydney Cricket Ground Australia 5 Ireland 11. Ireland’s first win in the Southern Hemisphere and, indeed the first by any Northern Hemisphere side. Featured tries by wing Paddy McGrath and centre Jerry Walsh. Tom Kiernan dropped a goal. Following triumphs over Scotland and Wales (5-3 and 3-nil respectively) in the previous 5 Nations, this win was Ireland’s third away win (100%) in the 1967 calendar year.
Footage from the above 2 games is on the 1967 edition of “Reeling in the Years”.
November 1968 at Lansdowne Road: Ireland 10 Australia 3. This was Ireland’s 3rd win over Australia in under 2 years. A poor match the stand-outs from which were the 2 Ireland tries by back rowers Tommy Doyle (brother of Mick) and Ken Goodall, one of the best No 8s of the amateur era and among the candidates along with the best of today for the all time accolade. Sadly we probably never saw the best of him as 2 years later he was “lost” to Rugby League, then seen as the devil incarnate. His career in that sport was cut short by injury.
June 3rd 1979 at Ballymore Oval Brisbane: Australia 12 Ireland 27. This game is probably best remembered for Ireland’s most controversial selectorial decision, the “bombshell dropping of Tony Ward for first Test”, as the headline over the article by celebrated Rugby journalist Edmund van Esbeck in the Irish Times had it. Ward had been the pundits and supporters favourite and had been chosen as European Player of the Year. His displays in the no 10 shirt over 2 seasons had been dazzling. He had also been a promising Soccer player with Shamrock Rovers which added, along with his good looks, to his cult status among a certain cohort of the fans. There were rumours before and since of an animosity towards him by Irish coach Noel Murphy who was said to be suspicious of the following he commanded beyond the Rugby family. It was a pity that that was allowed to overshadow the performance of the Ireland side and the stellar performance of the man selected in Ward’s stead, Ollie Campbell who kicked a then record for an individual Irish player in a match of 19 from 2 conversions, 2 drop goals and 3 penalties. Our other scores came from 2 tries by scrum-half Colin Patterson renowned for his break and who could squeeze through a gap unmolested even in a game of touch Rugby. Ireland’s haul of 27 points on that day was a record at the time which stood until 1986 when we put 60 on Romania.
June 16th at Sydney Cricket Ground: Australia 3 Ireland 9. Ireland doubling down on the win in Brisbane with a decisive follow up victory to claim the series 2-0. A tryless game in which Campbell was again to the fore contributing all Ireland’s points from 2 drop goals and a penalty. It is worth noting that this Wallaby side had sent Grand Slam winning Wales home the previous season with a bloody nose whereas Ireland were in the throes of rebuilding.
October 20th 1991 World Cup Quarter Final at Lansdowne Road: Ireland 18 Australia 19. Ireland went into this game as no hopers, having been cast into outer darkness by a big defeat in Twickenham in 1988 with very little sight of light in the tunnel. A Sunday lunchtime kick off drew a capacity crowd in good cheer and an atmosphere we would kill for in these more profitable times. Oh for the Rickety old Havelock Square terrace! On the back foot from early on with a score from the masterful Campese, Ireland played with spirit and resolution and stayed in touch until a fortuitous but delightfully taken try by flanker Gordon Hamilton converted by Ralph Keyes to give us a dizzying 3 point lead. But for a rush of blood to the head of young scrum-half Rob Saunders who attempted to play a ball which belonged in the upper tier of the East Stand who knows what might have transpired but the ball was inevitably turned over resulting in a clinching try by Michael Lynagh for the eventual Champions. Would we have beaten the All Blacks a week later or England in the Final at Twickenham? One for the historians to mull over!
November 9th 2002 at Lansdowne Road: Ireland 18 Australia 9. Ireland’s first win in 23 years and first home win in 34 years. A kicking tour de force by Ronan O Gara in a game bereft of tries in conditions one would hesitate to ask one’s canine companion to step out in.
November 1st 2003 World Cup pool match at the Telstra Dome, Melbourne: Australia 17 Ireland16: Another close World Cup call against the Australians featuring a try and Drop Goal by the magical Brian O Driscoll. Ended in tears in the quarter final against France at the same venue a week later.
September 17th 2011 World Cup pool match at Eden Park Auckland: Ireland’s only World Cup win against Australia who nonetheless went on to take the Bronze Medal with Ireland making a familiar Quarter Final exit. Another game with no tries won with the place kicking of Johnny Sexton. Heroic defence of our lead in the second half.
June 16th 2018 at AAMI Stadium Melbourne: Australia 21 Ireland 26. A defeat in the 1st of 3 tests had terminated a run of 12 victories for Grand Slam winners Ireland. This exciting win was our first away to Australia since the iconic series win in 1979.
June 23rd 2018 at Allianz Stadium, Sydney: Australia 16 Ireland 20. A gritty win saw Ireland win the series 2-1, first series win since 1979.
November 27th 2022 at Lansdowne Road: Ireland 13 Australia 10. A poor performance by fancied Ireland who had earlier that year won an historic series in New Zealand , against Australia whose form had been poor coming into the match. A late penalty by substitute Jack Crowley to win the match rescued the game.
GHOST OF AUSTRALIA FUTURE: To be continued………