Replacement Australia fly-half Ben Donaldson missed a last-gasp penalty as Ireland claimed a dramatic comeback bonus-point win in an enthralling Nations Championship contest in Sydney.
With the clock in the red, Donaldson sent his long-range penalty to the right of the posts as the Wallabies were denied a first win over Ireland since 2018.
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A 77th-minute try from replacement prop Tom Clarkson proved decisive for Ireland, who carved out a hard-fought victory despite operating nowhere near their best.
Ireland’s defensive struggles were particularly concerning, with Andy Farrell’s side missing a combined 31 tackles across the contest.
While the result will delight Farrell, several players struggled to make their mark and could now come under pressure for their places.
James Ryan
A difficult afternoon for the experienced lock, who was at the heart of several costly Ireland errors.
The lineout collapse has to sit partly on Ryan’s shoulders, with Ireland losing multiple throws as their usually reliable platform repeatedly disintegrated.
His afternoon got worse in the second half when his obstruction on Rob Valetini ruled out Dan Sheehan’s try. Ryan then knocked on with the Australian line beckoning as Ireland squandered another major attacking opportunity.
He worked hard defensively, but too many conspicuous errors almost proved costly.