Australia and Ireland will go head-to-head in the third and final Test on Saturday the 23rd of June.
With the series locked at 1-1, it will be all to play for this Saturday when Australia and Ireland collide at the Allianz Stadium. The Irish put in a great performance last week and the Australians will need to up their game ten-fold if they are to avoid back-to-back defeats.
Australia v Ireland
Saturday 23 June
Allianz Stadium
12:00
To Win (80 Mins)
Australia 29/20
Draw 20/1
Ireland 11/20
Handicap
Australia (4.5) 9/10
Ireland (-4.5) 9/10
Australia
The hosts put in a quintessential Jekyll and Hyde performance last week as they fell to pieces after an extremely promising start saw them bag a converted try less than five minutes into the piece. It went downhill extremely quickly from there as a dangerous tackle from winger Marika Koroibete saw the Irish gifted a penalty deep inside the Australian half from which they kicked for touch and managed to find their way over the Australian whitewash.
From there on in it was all pretty much Ireland with the world’s number 2 ranked side racking up points through the boot of fly-half Jonathon Sexton and a try from talismanic prop Tadgh Furlong.
The Australian’s did manage to score points in the second stanza but the Irish always had the game in control and had they been slightly more clinical with the opportunities they were presented their the scoreline may have looked a lot more one-sided then 21-26.
Ireland
The Irish will be elated with last week’s five-point victory as it was the first time they’ve managed to win on Australian soil since 1979. The foundation for their win was laid by Ireland’s forward pack who really stepped up to the mark after being dismantled at scrum time in the first Test.
Key to this improvement was the return of prop Tadgh Furlong, who played an absolute blinder. The big man was a rock at the coal face and also carried the ball with aplomb. The Aussies will need to find a way to nullify his threat otherwise the big an is set to have yet another field day this Saturday.
Furlong wasn’t the only returning player to make a big impact as pivot Johnny Sexton showed why he’s by far and away Ireland’s first choice ten as he kicked 16 points.
Verdict: Ireland (-4.5) 9/10
In my series preview, I said that Ireland will take it 2-1 and I’m not diverting from that prediction. It will be tight but the Irish will edge the third and final Test.
Written by Darry Worthington for Hollywoodbets
