Known as the Mitsubishi Estate Ireland Series for sponsorship reasons, Ireland played a three-Test series against Australia as part of the 2018 June rugby union tests. It was the first time Ireland had played a Test series against Australia in Australia since 2010. The series was part of the sixth year of the global rugby calendar established by World Rugby, which would run through to 2019.
Australia's win in the first Test was Ireland's first loss in thirteen games. After winning the third and final Test match, however, Ireland clinched a series on Australian soil for the first time since 1979. It was also the first time Ireland had won the Lansdowne Cup in a Test series rather than a one-off match.
Schedule Date and time Venue Home Score Away 9 June, 20:05 AEST (UTC+10) Lang Park, Brisbane 18–9 16 June, 20:05 AEST (UTC+10) Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne 21–26 23 June, 20:05 AEST (UTC+10) Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney 16–20
Venues The venues were revealed in Sydney in October 2017 alongside the announcement of the tour by Rugby Australia chief executive Bill Pulver and President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins.
Brisbane Melbourne Sydney Lang Park Melbourne Rectangular Stadium Sydney Football Stadium Capacity: 52,500 Capacity: 29,500 Capacity: 45,500
Squads Note: Ages, caps and clubs are as per 9 June, the first test match of the tour.
Ireland On 23 May 2018, Joe Schmidt named a 32-man squad for the 2018 June rugby union tests.
On 31 May, tour captain Rory Best was ruled out of the test series with a hamstring injury. Munster's Niall Scannell was called-up to replace him, with Peter O'Mahony and Johnny Sexton sharing the captaincy duties for the tour.
Dave Kilcoyne trained with the squad as injury cover for Cian Healy ahead of the third Test, whilst Will Addison also trained with the team, though neither player was officially added to the touring squad.
Coaching team: Head coach: Joe Schmidt Defence coach: Andy Farrell Forwards coach: Simon Easterby Scrum coach: Greg Feek
Australia On 30 May 2018, Michael Cheika named a 32-man squad for the three-Test series against Ireland.
On 3 June, Pete Samu was added to the squad after New Zealand Rugby (NZR) agreed to release the flanker, who plays for Crusaders in New Zealand, for the Test series. On the same day however, hooker Jordan Uelese was ruled out of the series with a knee injury sustained playing for Melbourne Rebels. Tolu Latu was called-up to the squad to replace Uelese.
On 18 June, Jake Gordon was called-up to replace the injured Will Genia.
Coaching team: Head coach: Michael Cheika Attack coach: Stephen Larkham Forwards coach: Simon Raiwalui Defence coach: Nathan Grey
Matches First Test
FB 15Israel FolauRW 14Dane Haylett-Petty OC 13Samu KereviIC 12Kurtley BealeLW 11Marika KoroibeteFH 10Bernard FoleySH 9 Will Genia N8 8 Caleb Timu OF 7 Michael Hooper (c)BF 6 David Pocock RL 5 Adam ColemanLL 4 Izack Rodda TP 3 Sekope Kepu HK 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa LP 1 Scott Sio Replacements:HK 16Tolu Latu PR 17Tom Robertson PR 18Taniela Tupou LK 19Rob Simmons LK 20Lukhan Tui FL 21Pete Samu SH 22Nick Phipps WG 23Reece Hodge Coach:Michael Cheika FB 15Rob KearneyRW 14Keith Earls OC 13Robbie HenshawIC 12Bundee AkiLW 11Jacob StockdaleFH 10Joey Carbery SH 9 Conor Murray N8 8 CJ StanderOF 7 Jordi MurphyBF 6 Peter O'Mahony (c) RL 5 Iain Henderson LL 4 James RyanTP 3 John Ryan HK 2 Rob Herring LP 1 Jack McGrath Replacements:HK 16Seán Cronin PR 17Cian Healy PR 18Tadhg Furlong LK 19Quinn Roux N8 20Jack Conan SH 21Kieran Marmion FH 22Johnny Sexton FB 23Jordan Larmour Coach:Joe Schmidt Man of the Match: Will Genia (Australia)
Touch judges: Pascal Gaüzère (France) Paul Williams (New Zealand) Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand) Notes: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Pete Samu and Caleb Timu (all Australia) made their international debuts.
Second Test
FB 15Israel FolauRW 14Dane Haylett-PettyOC 13Samu KereviIC 12Kurtley Beale LW 11Marika Koroibete FH 10Bernard FoleySH 9 Will Genia N8 8 Caleb Timu OF 7 Michael Hooper (c)BF 6 David PocockRL 5 Adam Coleman LL 4 Izack Rodda TP 3 Sekope Kepu HK 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa LP 1 Scott Sio Replacements:HK 16Tolu Latu PR 17Tom Robertson PR 18Taniela Tupou LK 19Rob Simmons LK 20Lukhan Tui FL 21Pete Samu SH 22Nick Phipps WG 23Reece Hodge Coach:Michael Cheika FB 15Rob KearneyRW 14Andrew Conway OC 13Garry RingroseIC 12Robbie HenshawLW 11Keith EarlsFH 10Johnny Sexton SH 9 Conor MurrayN8 8 CJ StanderOF 7 Dan Leavy BF 6 Peter O'Mahony (c) RL 5 James RyanLL 4 Devin Toner TP 3 Tadhg Furlong HK 2 Niall Scannell LP 1 Cian Healy Replacements:HK 16Rob Herring PR 17Jack McGrath PR 18Andrew Porter LK 19Tadhg Beirne FL 20Jordi Murphy SH 21John Cooney FH 22Joey Carbery FB 23Jordan Larmour Coach:Joe Schmidt Man of the Match: Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)
Touch judges: Pascal Gaüzère (France) Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa) Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand) Notes: Tadhg Beirne (Ireland) made his international debut. This was Ireland's first win against Australia in Australia since their 9–3 victory in Sydney in 1979.
Third Test
FB 15Israel Folau RW 14Dane Haylett-PettyOC 13Samu KereviIC 12Kurtley BealeLW 11Marika Koroibete FH 10Bernard FoleySH 9 Nick Phipps N8 8 David PocockOF 7 Michael Hooper (c) BF 6 Lukhan TuiRL 5 Adam Coleman LL 4 Izack Rodda TP 3 Sekope Kepu HK 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa LP 1 Scott Sio Replacements:HK 16Tolu Latu PR 17Tom Robertson PR 18Taniela Tupou LK 19Rob Simmons FL 20Ned Hanigan FL 21Pete Samu SH 22Joe Powell WG 23Reece Hodge Coach:Michael Cheika FB 15Rob Kearney RW 14Keith EarlsOC 13Robbie HenshawIC 12Bundee AkiLW 11Jacob Stockdale FH 10Johnny SextonSH 9 Conor MurrayN8 8 Jack Conan OF 7 Peter O'Mahony (c) BF 6 CJ StanderRL 5 James RyanLL 4 Devin TonerTP 3 Tadhg Furlong HK 2 Niall Scannell LP 1 Jack McGrath Replacements:HK 16Rob Herring PR 17Cian Healy PR 18John Ryan LK 19Tadhg Beirne FL 20Jordi Murphy SH 21Kieran MarmionFH 22Ross ByrneFB 23Jordan Larmour Coach:Joe Schmidt Man of the Match: CJ Stander (Ireland)
Touch judges: Paul Williams (New Zealand) Cam Stone (New Zealand) Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand) Notes: Peter O'Mahony and Jack McGrath (both Ireland) won their 50th test caps. This was Ireland's first series victory against Australia since 1979, whilst Ireland also retained the Lansdowne Cup.
Statistics Key Con: Conversions Pen: Penalties DG: Drop goals Pts: Points
Ireland statistics NamePlayedTriesConPenDGPtsJohnny Sexton3029031––Joey Carbery200309––Tadhg Furlong310005––CJ Stander310005––Andrew Conway110005––Keith Earls300000––Cian Healy3000001–Robbie Henshaw300000––Rob Herring300000––Rob Kearney300000––Jordan Larmour300000––Jack McGrath3000001–Jordi Murphy300000––Conor Murray300000––Peter O'Mahony300000––James Ryan300000––Bundee Aki200000––Tadhg Beirne200000––Jack Conan200000––Niall Scannell200000––Jacob Stockdale2000001–John Cooney100000––Seán Cronin100000––Iain Henderson100000––Dan Leavy100000––Kieran Marmion100000––Andrew Porter100000––Garry Ringrose100000––Quinn Roux100000––Rory BestDid not play – Withdrawn due to injury ahead of tourRoss ByrneDid not play
Test series statistics NameTeamTriesConPenDGPtsJohnny Sexton029031Bernard Foley145028Joey Carbery00309Kurtley Beale10005Andrew Conway10005Tadhg Furlong10005Marika Koroibete10005David Pocock10005CJ Stander10005Taniela Tupou10005
See also 2018 June rugby union tests History of rugby union matches between Australia and Ireland
References