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Preview: Australia v Ireland

THE SECOND TEST: Coach Joe Schmidt has called in some reliable reinforcements for Ireland’s must-win Test match against the Wallabies in Melbourne.

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With adverse weather conditions expected for the vital second Schmidt is backing Niall Scannell’s scrummaging ability over Sean Cronin.

Scannell earnt Schmidt’s nod among eight Irish team changes following the Six Nations champions’ 9-18 loss to the Australians in the first Brisbane Test last week.

The Munster hooker, who has not played for his country in a year after an injury-hit season, takes over from Rob Herring, who will be among the reserves with Leinster’s Cronin missing out entirely in the match-day squad.

Cronin came off the bench for Herring in Brisbane but it was a decisive late scrum penalty on Ireland’s try-line that swung the Test towards Australia in their two tries-to-nil win.

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“Niall Scannell played right through Six Nations last year for us, so he’s a guy who, when he got his opportunity when Rory Best was unwell, he did a super job for us,” Schmidt told reporters after naming his team on Thursday.

“We’re giving him another opportunity to impress, he’s a good scrummaging hooker and that will add a little bit to an area where we weren’t as strong as we normally are.

“With Niall, it is a real opportunity for him to probably galvanise that pack and take a step forward at scrum time.”

After Ireland’s first defeat in 13 internationals, Schmidt is looking for a big response in Melbourne.

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“We trained well on Thursday, we were a little bit flat on Tuesday as it took some players a little bit of time to find their feet,” he said.

“I’d like to think we’ve got a bit more rhythm to us.

“One of the really good things in this year’s Six Nations was I felt we built through it and I’m hoping to build through this tour.

“With Australia naming the same team, we’re very confident that they’ll come well prepared and they’ll improve their game a little bit, so we’ve got to improve that little bit more because I felt they were very good last Saturday,” Schmidt said.

Scannell, who won the last of his seven caps in Japan last year, will be making his fourth Test start and completes the new-look front row alongside Tadhg Furlong and Cian Healy, while James Ryan is joined in the second row by Devin Toner.

Openside Flank Dan Leavy also returns to the starting line-up in the back row with captain Peter O’Mahony, with CJ Stander unchanged at No.8.

“It is a good mix, but it”s also an opportunity for guys to make the most of their opportunity,” said Schmidt.

“Tadhg (Furlong) and Cian (Healy) came off the bench last week and they were disappointed they didn’t see through the positive end-game we were looking for.

“Johnny Sexton always brings organisation up front, so I know that he will be enthusiastic.”

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Wallabies captain Micheal Hooper, who with fellow flank David Pocock did much to negate the Irish ball in the rucks and mauls in Brisbane, said he was expecting Ireland to bounce back strongly in Melbourne after their first defeat in 13 Tests.

“They’re such a class team the Irish and (I’m) expecting them to bring out some real heat and some good firepower and play,” Hooper told reporters.

“We’ve got to be able to weather that and also put out our stuff.”

Hooper said the Wallabies were “fully aware of the threat” from Sexton.

“We know that he’s very experienced and I know from playing with experienced players that he’ll have a big impact on the game.”

Ireland will also be well suited to the playing conditions with rain and wind forecast for Saturday’s game, ideal for Sexton’s kicking game.

Coach Michael Cheika has admitted his Wallabies kicked more than he expected in Brisbane and Hooper gave the clearest indication yet that they would run the ball more in the second match of the series.

“We saw a lot of opportunities to run the ball (in the first Test review),” Hooper said.

“We put a lot of kicks up in the air and that worked for us, and then you look at if you didn’t kick there, maybe the next phase we could have got them with running or shifting the ball and changing the picture there.

“It was a good review to have, but there’s also so much that we can get better at.”

Hooper said he expected more involvement from No.8 Caleb Timu in attack this weekend.

“We’ve worked on a couple of ways to find him carrying the ball more,” Hooper said.

“He’s such a threat with ball in hand.

“Probably our back five – talking from four to eight – didn’t carry the ball as much as we would have liked.

“However, we were able to explore some of the wide channels and get to the guys who are really dangerous,” he said.

“It was Caleb’s debut game as well last week, so he was getting a feel for it,” Hooper said, adding he was “expecting him to understand the pace now.”

Also uppermost in Ireland’s thoughts is that they have not won in 11 internationals in Australia dating back to 1979.

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Players to watch:

For Australia: Centre Kurtley Beale proved last week how vital his experience is in the midfield, and this week will be no different. Fullback Israel Folau showed why he is the best under the high ball and Michael Cheika will be all too willing to make use of the fullback’s aerial skills again. Last weekend’s man of the match David Pocock was a force at the breakdown, and also got his name on the scoresheet, while Taniela Tupou can make an instant impact coming from the bench.

For Ireland: The return to the starting XV of Ireland’s maestro Johnny Sexton is a massive advantage for the side. The flyhalf can put any team under pressure and his calm demeanour also helps when it comes to decision-making. Lock Devin Toner is a colossus up front and his presence will be pivotal in the line-out, while the inclusion of prop Tadhg Furlong indicated the importance of a powerful scrummager in the Ireland set-up.

Head to Head: As always the halfback battle between Ireland’s Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton up against the Wallabies’ Will Genia and Bernard Foley will be an intriguing one to witness. Kurtley Beale who stole the midfield spotlight last week will be in for a tough encounter against the experienced Robbie Henshaw. In the pack, especially in the wet conditions, the front row of Ireland – Tadhg Furlong, Niall Scannell and Cian Healy – will be out to redeem themselves against the Wallabies trio – Sekope Kepu, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, and Scott Sio.

Recent results:

2018: Australia won 18-9, Brisbane
2016: Ireland won 27-24, Dublin
2014: Ireland won 26-23, Dublin
2013: Australia won 32-15, Dublin
2011: Ireland won 15-6, Auckland (RWC)
2010: Australia won 22-15, Brisbane
2009: The sides drew 20-20, Dublin
2008: Australia won 18-12, Melbourne
2006: Ireland won 21-6, Dublin
2006: Australia won 37-15, Perth
2005: Australia won 30-14, Dublin

Prediction: It takes courage to bet against the home side, however with the massive revamp the Irish have undergone since last weekend, there is a feeling that the Grand Slam Champions will bounce back and win this by seven points.

Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Samu Kerevi, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Will Genia, 8 Caleb Timu, 7 Michael Hooper (captain), 6 David Pocock 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Izack Rodda, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Tolu Latu, 17 Tom Robertson, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Rob Simmons, 20 Lukhan Tui, 21 Pete Samu, 22 Nick Phipps, 23 Reece Hodge.

Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Andrew Conway, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Johnny Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Christiaan Stander, 7 Dan Leavy, 6 Peter O’Mahony (captain), 5 James Ryan, 4 Devin Toner, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Niall Scannell, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Andrew Porter, 19 Tadhg Beirne, 20 Jordi Murphy, 21 John Cooney, 22 Joey Carbery, 23 Jordan Larmour.

Date: Saturday, June 16
Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne
Kick-off: 20.05 (11.05 UK & Ireland time; 10.05 GMT)
Expected weather: Cold and wet with scattered showers expected. A high of 12°C and a low of 7°C
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Pascal Gaüzère (France), Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)

Agence France-Presse & @rugby365com 

 

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