Australia and Ireland will get their three-match Test series underway at the Suncorp Stadium on Saturday the 9th of June 2018.
Australia will be out for revenge when they take on an Irish side that has beaten them in three of their last four Test encounters. The visitors head into Saturday’s game as odds-on favourites with the ‘books, but will they be able to live up to their billing?
Saturday 9 June
Suncorp Stadium
12:05
To Win (80 Mins)
Australia 12/10
Draw 20/1
Ireland 7/10
Handicap
Australia (+2.5) 9/10
Ireland (-2.5) 9/10
Australia
Michael Cheika knows the pressure is on his side to deliver the goods after they endured a pathetic End of Year tour that saw them hammered by the ‘Scots and the English. Things do look slightly brighter for the Australians heading into the international window as their Super Rugby teams have been much better in 2018, with the Waratahs finally ending Australia’s long-running losing streak to New Zealand franchises by beating the Highlanders.
The Wallabies also possess some form players heading into this one with Israel Folau picking up where he left off last year, Michael Hooper is back to his best and Waratahs backs Kurtley Beale and Bernard Foley have linked extremely well during the Super Rugby campaign. The Wallabies are also boosted by the return of David Pocock, as well as Crusaders man Pete Samu, who has been released by the New Zealand Rugby Union and is now able to represent Australia.
Ireland
2018 seems to be the year of the Irish who captured a Grand Slam and Six Nations crown back in March. The men from the ‘Emerald Isle’ will now be looking to conquer the Southern Hemisphere having seen off the biggest threats up North.
The Irish side head ‘Down Under’ without veteran hooker, Rory Best, who has been ruled out of the tour with a hamstring injury. With Best out of the tour, the captaincy role is likely to be shared between Johnny Sexton and Peter O’Mahony, while his hooking berth will be taken by Sean Cronin.
Ireland have won three of the last four Tests between the sides with three of the four aforementioned fixtures being played in Dublin and the other being played in Auckland during the 2011 World Cup. The last time the sides met on Australian shores was in Brisbane back in 2010 where Australia ran out 22-15 victors.
Verdict: Australia (+2.5) 9/10
I think this first Test will be an extremely tight affair with both sides likely to be more conservative than they will be in the second and third. As such, the plus line on the Australian is definitely the way to go.
Written by Darry Worthington for Hollywoodbets.
