Ireland Winning Tours of Australia 1967, 1979 AND 2018

First topic message reminder :

Here’s an easy one. Who was the first European rugby union to win all tests in a tour series in the Southern Hemisphere?

Whilst Ireland's playing history - home and away - against South Africa and New Zealand was littered with one failure after another in the amateur days, surprisingly their record against Australia is pockmarked with wins at home and on the road, albeit matches were held less frequently in the BSE - Baggy Shorts Era.

Not many people might know this, but Ireland has had 4 proper rugby tours of Australia - in 1967, 1979, 1994, and 1999. By proper, I mean old-style tours involving matches against provincial union or state teams as well as one or two test matches against the Wallabies. And rather surprisingly, Ireland have won two tours and lost two.

Ireland’s fifth tour of Australia begins with the first of three tests on 9 June and it promises to settle a few scores, mark the overall ledger up in favour of one, and probably create a few bragging and bagging rights along the way for fans and commentators.

Australia won the first two tests between the countries in 1927 and 1947 in Lansdowne Road in Dublin. On the Australian tour of Britain, Ireland and France in 1958, Ireland got their first test win on the board. Over the next 20 years, the teams met 7 times, with Ireland winning six of them, including their first-ever away test in Sydney as part of their first 6-game tour of Australia in 1967.

Ireland's last two test wins in Australia were those of the famous 1979 tour when the Irish team had their most successful winning patch, playing 8 games, including two tests, and losing just once against local representative team, Sydney.

Ollie Campbell, Mike Gibson, Terry Kennedy, Paul McNaughton, Tony Ward, Willie Duggan, Moss Keane, Fergus Slattery were some of the more well-known names on that tour. Tony Ward was the star name playing outhalf for Ireland. He had been named European Player of the Year for the second year running. All the running assumptions were that he’d play in a few of the run-up games and start the first test at the helm. A few days beforehand, the Irish manager and coach thought different and, inexplicably to nearly everyone, picked Campbell to start.

Across the two tests, Ireland scored 36 points with Campbell kicking 28 of them bringing his total to 60 points for the tour. He was named player of the tour. Ward, by his own admission in his autobiography, never played as well again and laid blame squarely at the manager and coach’s door for how they handled what became known in Irish rugby as ‘The Decision’.

Campbell returned home the hero of the hour by helping to claim the first individual tour victory in all tests by a northern team in the Southern Hemisphere. (France had won a test match but drawn the other test on tours of SA in 1958 and Oz 1972.) After the tour, Ireland’s overall win record stood at 6 wins to Australia’s 3.

Campbell and the team were cheered to the rafters. Ireland went on to win the Five Nations in 1982, shared it with France in 1983 and won it outright again in 1985. And then the curtain came down. And the roof started to fall in.

Two further 2-test tours against Australia followed in 1994 and 1999 - Ireland lost all the test matches and most of the midweek games against ACT, Sydney, and New South Wales amongst others.

Those two tours formed part of what is probably the lowest period in Irish rugby. Ireland played 11 tests against Australia, 8 versus New Zealand and 6 against South Africa between 1980 and 2002 - they lost every game. Despite their initial successes in the 1980s, their record in that period against Five/Six Nations opponents was not much better - 3 wins from 24 against France, 7 from 24 vs both England and Scotland, and even losing 3 from 8 against Italy.

From 2001 onwards, when professionalism finally took hold, and Irish provinces entered the Celtic League, the fortunes of the Irish provinces and test side changed - first under Eddie O'Sullivan, winning a test again against Australia in 2002 and for the first time against South Africa (2004). They moved from being regular wooden spooners in the 90's to competing at the top in the new Six Nations. Then they finally achieved a second Grand Slam in 2009 with Declan Kidney, 61 years after their first. They remained unbeaten that year finishing with a 15-10 win against Lions victors and the reigning Tri-Nations champions, South Africa.

Of course, after Ireland finally won again in 2002, Australia promptly won the next four tests. Another Irish win in 2006 was followed by two Wallaby wins and a draw. Then came the RWC pool match in 2011 with both teams meeting on neutral NZ territory. Australia ran into Stephen Ferris and Sean O’Brien for the first time and Will Genia found himself being picked up and carried backwards whilst his team-mates were held up time and again in the famous choke tackle and eventually out of the game. Australia won the next test in 2013, and Ireland won the next one a year later, and the next one again in 2016.

Nonetheless, Australia continue to have the upper hand - 21 wins to Ireland’s 11 (and a sister-smooching draw). But Ireland is determined to close the gap further.

So now it’s the turn of Joe Schmidt to bring the Ireland squad down-under for a three-test series in June. Expectations are high with Ireland’s recent Grand Slam win and recent record against the Wallabies.

Except they haven’t won in Oz for 39 years.

Their last away loss was in Brisbane in June 2010 as part of a NZ/Aus Tour. On that day, newcomer outhalf, Johnny Sexton, kicked all of Ireland’s 15 points in the first half, to Australia’s 16 points. But the Declan Kidney-coached team, off the back of a 97-point shellacking from the All Blacks and NZ Maori in the previous weeks, and down a few key players, couldn’t overtake the Wallabies as Giteau notched another couple of penalties to finish them off - 22-15.

Eight years on from Brisbane, both teams are in different places and ranking. Cheika is hoping to fashion a team that can compete and win in the Rugby Championship. He needs a decent scalp on his belt going into that battle. Schmidt has the 6N in his back pocket and a team that is beginning to hum nicely with a mix of old heads and young hearts running a new 12-match streak. Ireland are the current holders of the Lansdowne Cup - the trophy fought between the two sides since 1999.

England, Scotland & Wales have announced squads with development and player rest on their minds as coaches seek to add depth to their squads for RWC 2019. Irish pundits and fans have been making similar noises querying whether players such as Sexton, Murray, Furlong, Stander should rest up on their summer hols and let the younger Turks get more time and experience. Schmidt has faced this before, imposed through injury rather than selection by choice, when he brought a relatively raw squad to South Africa and gave much needed game time to some new faces including Furlong, Henderson, Roux, Stander, and Marmion.

Schmidt will want to win the series, but he needs to give more time to the newbies. He’s got a few injuries such as Henderson, O’Brien, Farrell, Best but still has plenty of choice this time around and all of them hungry for some tasty wallaby.

Ireland Squad (Summer Tour 2018, Australia)

FORWARDS (18)

Tadhg Beirne (Scarlets) uncapped
Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 7 caps
Sean Cronin (St Mary's College/Leinster) 61 caps
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 23 caps
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 78 caps
Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 38 caps
Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 3 caps
Dan Leavy (UCD/Leinster) 9 caps
Jack McGrath (St Mary's College/Leinster) 47 caps
Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster) 20 caps
Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 47 caps
Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) 7 caps
Quinn Roux (Galwegians/Connacht) 5 caps
James Ryan (UCD/Leinster) 8 caps
John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster) 13 caps
Niall Scannell (Munster) 4 caps
CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster) 23 caps
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 58 caps

BACKS (14)
Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht) 7 caps
Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster) uncapped
Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Leinster) 10 caps
Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster) 6 caps
John Cooney (Terenure College RFC/Ulster) 1 cap
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 67 caps
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 33 caps
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 83 caps
Jordan Larmour (St Mary's College/Leinster) 3 caps
Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) 21 caps
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 64 caps
Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) 13 caps
Johnny Sexton (St Mary's College/Leinster) 73 caps
Jacob Stockdale (Ballynahnch/Ulster) 9 caps

IRELAND SUMMER TOUR 2018 FIXTURES

Saturday 9th June, 2018
Australia v IRELAND
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, KO 20.05 local (11.05 IRL)

Saturday 16th June, 2018
Australia v IRELAND
AAMI Park, Melbourne, KO 20.05 local (11.05 IRL)

Saturday 23rd June, 2018
Australia v IRELAND
Allianz Park, Sydney KO 20.05 local (11.05 IRL)


Ireland win the series 2-1 with the final test in Sydney ending 20-16.

Sin é wrote:I don't know if anyone heard Brian O'Driscoll on Off the Ball talking about the Ireland scrumhalfs. He said that Marmion's pass is too slow for international rugby (and spoke about how Stringer last so long because of his fast pass). He ranked John Cooney 2nd with a fast pass and Luke McGrath 3rd. He also said that Conor Murray is Ireland's move valuable player!

Murray is IMO our most important player by some distance. The drop off in quality to the next best contenders is steep but that's more the mark of the player Murray is than what the others players lack.

Sin é wrote:I don't know if anyone heard Brian O'Driscoll on Off the Ball talking about the Ireland scrumhalfs. He said that Marmion's pass is too slow for international rugby (and spoke about how Stringer last so long because of his fast pass). He ranked John Cooney 2nd with a fast pass and Luke McGrath 3rd. He also said that Conor Murray is Ireland's move valuable player!

Agree with most of that. I'd have Cooney and McGrath ahead of Marmion but I suppose experience is a factor and they have catching up to do.

I'd say Murray and Sexton are both vital but I suppose BOD can't be seen to doubt Carbury...

Here is the clip from Off the Ball. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iSJnqsXRZI

BOD also said that SOB comes straight in when fit.

Sin é wrote:Here is the clip from Off the Ball.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iSJnqsXRZI

BOD also said that SOB comes straight in when fit.

He does but Leavy is really pushing him. Leavy also adds a bit more balance to the back row.

Who is BOD?

Oh yeah, that chirpy, cheeky chappie typle pundit that seems to be on every voice-box platform in recent years.  A lot of air mileage on that fella.

But what do Pundits know in the end, huh?  Zilch really.
I mean he even says Murray shouldn't play for Ireland because of the speed of his passing?  Rubbish.  We all know Murray is not there for his speed but for his bulk and horseplay around the tryline.  

Though I gotta say...hats off to him, he's speeded up plenty in his passing.  Finally listening to his coaches!  It took a lot of bloody time.  I think it must be Farrell who got the message through eventually.

And on SOB.  Yes, he'll be back in for a day when fit.  Then he'll walk off again half way through a game - unfit again.

I think unfortunately that's the stage he's at in his career.  I don't think we'll have him back for any extended era of glory again.  And that's the balancing act that will now control Schmidt's thinking on him.  How much time does he devote to trying to keep a player that he might feel like wrapping in cotton wool verses giving genuine A grade time to more robust (now) alternatives.

Farrell has really added something to the Ireland set up.

I've said many times that Schmidt is the best coach in world rugby for his attention to detail, technical knowledge and standards he demands but Farrell I think is a real motivator, a great speaker and again really drives high standard and intensity.

I don't it is coincidental that Ireland have stepped up a gear physically since he's come on board.

We are blessed with a really good pool of players right now but the coaches need to take a lot of credit for the consistency they are producing.

Yep..Joe needed an enforcer of his plans.  He allegedly can shout and cuss with the best of them but nope, I still think he needed a genuine dark and brooding intensity guy on his panel to get his overview across with teeth on.  Farrell does seem to be the addition needed.  The plan needed passion and...perhaps a tad sprinkle of actual 'arrogance' to get it purring better.
Here's hoping the wheels don't come off in the final test.

What a match to come on Saturday. It could be a close call.


Ireland dominated last weekend but only won by 5 points. That's the team's Achilles heel. It was looking like the Australian dam would break but it never did. If that was NZ with that level of dominance they would have put 40 points on Aus.


So plenty of questions about this match. It could cap off a great season for us or be a disappointing end. Still the world cup squad is taking shape. This past year we've see the likes of J Ryan, Leavy, Stockdale, Larmour, Conway, Aki, Porter, Farrell push their way into the squad and plenty of other fringe players like Herring, Carbery building up their experience. Jackson is a loss and so is SOB (assuming he won't be back but if he does it's a bonus).


So the world cup squad is taking shape. There isn't too many chances to blood new players anymore but there could be one or two more. Caelan Doris is one to watch and I think James Cronin could potentially force his way into the squad (big) if he cuts out the silly errors.

Interesting back row selection.
Bit of a shame not to see cooney on the bench.
And Ross Byrne may get his first cap

15. Rob Kearney
14. Keith Earls
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Bundee Aki
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Conor Murray

1. Jack McGrath
2. Sean Cronin
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Devin Toner
5. James Ryan
6. CJ Stander
7. Peter O’Mahony (captain)
8. Jack Conan

Replacements:

16. Niall Scannell
17. Cian Healy
18. John Ryan
19. Tadhg Beirne
20. Jordi Murphy
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Ross Byrne
23. Jordan Larmour

Pretty shocking treatment of Cooney to give him 90 seconds on the wing then drop him entirely. I also can't see the value in bringing Aki straight back in when he was one of the weakest performers in the first test, and given that Ringrose is our best centre. Is Henderson still carrying a knock?

The only positive change I'm glad to see is Byrne on the bench.

In other news it looks like the hooker situation that everyone was up in arms about was just straight-up rotation, go figure.

Ringtones and Henderson both injured. Gary's foot and hendos knee

But yes think it's a waste not to give cooney more of a run out. Just hope in November be gets at least one start

carpet baboon wrote:But yes think it's a waste not to give cooney more of a run out. Just hope in November be gets at least one start

Cooney will be in camp just picking things up and getting used to the environment. I think it was bold enough to send him on last week and will have been good experience. I expect he will get game time in the Autumn if he keeps his form up and he's only an injury away from the RWC squad and they will be keeping their options open.

Overall not as confident looking at the team but can't do much about the injuries.

Don't like the balance in that backrow, Murphy hasn't had great tour but O'Mahoney is a bit slow on the openside - I can see us struggling at the breakdown unfortunately but hope I'm wrong.

Henshaw needs to be a lot better defensively at 13 tahn he was last time, he's another guy who's looked a bit off the pace.

Not too confident of winning it now.

Looks like match fixing to me, I want to see these medical reports published.

We're dooooooomed

JmD wrote:Pretty shocking treatment of Cooney to give him 90 seconds on the wing then drop him entirely. I also can't see the value in bringing Aki straight back in when he was one of the weakest performers in the first test, and given that Ringrose is our best centre. Is Henderson still carrying a knock?

The only positive change I'm glad to see is Byrne on the bench.

In other news it looks like the hooker situation that everyone was up in arms about was just straight-up rotation, go figure.

Its a squad, you cant pick everyone just because they are in the squad. The time in camp will stand to him. People are never happy.

Lots of people whinging previously that Cronin was mistreated, Cooney now the latest victim it seems. Refreshing I suppose that it isnt someone from Munster for once.

Needless to say this is by far the biggest game of Poms career. Not only is he captain he will be in the key 7 position against two of the best breakdown nuisances in the world and going for a rare series win. If he plays well and Ireland dominate the breakdown and win he will have proven himself a top captain and key Ireland player. It will go a long way to shake off the quesion mark around his on off form in big games.

Collapse2005 wrote:Needless to say this is by far the biggest game of Poms career. Not only is he captain he will be in the key 7 position against two of the best breakdown nuisances in the world and going for a rare series win. If he plays well and Ireland dominate the breakdown and win he will have proven himself a top captain and key Ireland player. It will go a long way to shake off the quesion mark around his on off form in big games.

Thats a fairly high bar for POM you keep resetting I'd say its Conan's biggest game of his career. POM, SOB (when fit), CJ are nailed on starters. The rest of the pecking order seems to be Leavy, VdeF, Ruddock, Jordi & Conan (in that order at the moment). Conan needs a good game to move up the pecking order.

Oh, and there is no doubt who will be Ireland next captain. Its just a matter of time.

Collapse2005 wrote:

JmD wrote:Pretty shocking treatment of Cooney to give him 90 seconds on the wing then drop him entirely. I also can't see the value in bringing Aki straight back in when he was one of the weakest performers in the first test, and given that Ringrose is our best centre. Is Henderson still carrying a knock?

The only positive change I'm glad to see is Byrne on the bench.

In other news it looks like the hooker situation that everyone was up in arms about was just straight-up rotation, go figure.

Its a squad, you cant pick everyone just because they are in the squad. The time in camp will stand to him. People are never happy.

Lots of people whinging previously that Cronin was mistreated, Cooney now the latest victim it seems. Refreshing I suppose that it isnt someone from Munster for once.

Cronin is from Munster

Sin é wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:Needless to say this is by far the biggest game of Poms career. Not only is he captain he will be in the key 7 position against two of the best breakdown nuisances in the world and going for a rare series win. If he plays well and Ireland dominate the breakdown and win he will have proven himself a top captain and key Ireland player. It will go a long way to shake off the quesion mark around his on off form in big games.

Thats a fairly high bar for POM you keep resetting  I'd say its Conan's biggest game of his career. POM, SOB (when fit), CJ are nailed on starters. The rest of the pecking order seems to be Leavy, VdeF, Ruddock, Jordi & Conan (in that order at the moment). Conan needs a good game to move up the pecking order.

Oh, and there is no doubt who will be Ireland next captain. Its just a matter of time.

It isnt really a high bar at consistently high performances is the least you would expect from Irish captains. We got that from Bod, Poc and Best but not yet from Pom.

cowpat. All of those you mention have had less than brilliant games for Ireland. I recall plenty of calls for all of those players you mention to be dropped at one stage or another.

POM & Jack McGrath are winning their 50th cap tomorrow. It will be Keith Earls 70th Cap (which will be one more than what Tommy Bowe won at 69 caps for Ireland). Bearing in mind Earls missed about 2 years through injury, that is some record to have at this stage of his career. He should earn at least another 30 caps in the next 2 years or so if he keeps playing like he is now.

Collapse2005 wrote:It isnt really a high bar at consistently high performances is the least you would expect from Irish captains. We got that from Bod, Poc and Best but not yet from Pom.

POM is unlucky in that he isn't a cast iron starter, because the backrow is so competitive. He can be great such as the last Test, or anonymous such as the first Lions Test or the first Oz Test. That inconsistency is exacerbated because his partners in the backrow are changing unlike the positions of the other captains mentioned who were all in fairly settled units.

Cronin's out with a hamstring injury. Scannell to start, Herring to bench.

The Great Aukster wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:It isnt really a high bar at consistently high performances is the least you would expect from Irish captains. We got that from Bod, Poc and Best but not yet from Pom.

POM is unlucky in that he isn't a cast iron starter, because the backrow is so competitive. He can be great such as the last Test, or anonymous such as the first Lions Test or the first Oz Test. That inconsistency is exacerbated because his partners in the backrow are changing unlike the positions of the other captains mentioned who were all in fairly settled units.

So his inconsistency is not his fault. Other back row players like Leavy and JdF manage to be consistent. I don't buy it.

I hope Pom has a great game today because we won't win if he doesn't.

Well I hope Ireland get the win here today but that is a very savage looking Aussie side and I am not overly convinced by the Irish back row set up and Aki at 12.

Ireland should win this, they are very good, uber controlled

And thank heavens the ARU shelled out on a decent singer for Ireland’s Call after last weeks debacle

This French referee is going to be the motm

That is now twice that POM has landed very awkwardly from the kick offs.

Stockdale could be in trouble here...

Usual slow Irish ball struggling to penetrate the Australian defence.

Story of the series.

YC, bit soft but fair enough

If they are going to card Stockdale, they should also card the Aussie who tackled Henshaw off the ball in the same play... Its in the same replay as well.

This game will be a pedant’s paradise I’m guessing. That’s the problem with nit-picky referees like this guy appears to be. Every decision or non-decision will be queried to the nth degree.

The only thing I can say about the ref is that his wrong decisions are probably balancing out at the moment

POM landing awkwardly for the 3rd time from the kick off. Why is that one not being looked at, Falou took his arms out and forced him to go down head first...

Only a yellow? WTF...

Lifted him and left him hanging

That should be a penalty try no?

WR says referee got the decision to YC Folau wrong. It was a ‘contest’. Precedent being WR hanging Gardner out to dry.

ebop wrote:WR says referee got the decision to YC Folau wrong. It was a ‘contest’. President being WR hanging Gardner out to dry.

What are you rabbiting on about

Where you been mate

Living under a rock?

Tight game. Real arm wrestle. Officials dominating.

The initial contest was fine but when Folau lost it he dragged POM down with his left hand, clear as day. What was Stander to do? Clear Red Card for me.

Think it is a decision made after the Red Card for the French 15 was over turned.

At least I haven’t been trapped alive along with five million people in the south seas. Help is on the way

Actually, WR says not red. Probably a YC and they got it right. The lifter offered feck all and like you say they’ve been average all game. It was ‘contested’ and WR loves that.

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:At least I haven’t been trapped alive along with five million people in the south seas. Help is on the way

Ease up on the LSD mate