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Hansen (5', 10', 27'), Doris (69'), Baird (77'), Henshaw (80')
Tries
Ikitau (17'), McReight (39'), Pollard (73')
Prendergast (6', 10'), Crowley (70', 77', 81')
Conversions
O'Connor (18', 40')
Crowley (61')
Penalties
Prendergast (55')
Drop Goals
If I gave you a famous TV quote, you would all know where it came from. That’s the thing about cultural moments, they stick with you. They get inside your skin for good or for bad. Dublin’s Lansdowne Road, or the Aviva Stadium if you are so inclined, had that moment last week.
Mack Hansen’s hat-trick heroics were outstanding, and could not happen to a better man; but that will fade quicker than the previous Thursday. The Republic of Ireland’s Men’s soccer side defeated Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal by two goals to nil, causing scenes of epic proportions.
It was a truly sizable cultural moment in the stands and for those watching on tv. A big scalp, on home soil, against a top nation. Heimir Hallgrimsson had a plan, and his team executed it. Andy Farrell also had a plan, which his team executed.
Kick en masse, and soak up the Aussie attack. It was finally the culmination of what 2025 Ireland wanted to do.
Raw Numbers
To say Ireland kicked a lot would be an understatement. In fact they kicked the ball 45 times in this game for a total of 1,175 metres. They also won all 10 of their own lineouts, stealing 6, and made 92% of their tackles, for 114 in total.
This was, and I mean this as a compliment, a masterclass in defensive rugby. Ireland attacked well, hindered by slow ruck ball and handling errors; but their best work came without it. Put ‘em under pressure as Jack Charlton used to say back in the 1990s.
Kick the Leather Off It
Sam Prendergast’s biggest asset is not his athleticism, but his cultured right boot. The Kildare man orchestrated the terms of this showpiece, starting with an early 50/22, and capped off with a well-timed and well-executed drop goal in the second half.
What Ireland did well when dropping the oval ball onto the boot was not just volume, but mixing up the variety of options. Prendergast (14) and Gibson Park (13) lead the way, the latter with an excellent crossfield assist; but in total 8 players put boot to ball on the night.
As has been the case across 2025, Ireland’s kicking game was genuinely excellent, and with greater spread of responsibility than ever before. This allowed them to pile the pressure onto an Australian side who chased the game from the off, and looked hesitant in the backfield and under the contestables.
Tackles = Work
If possession is nine tenths of the law, then work rate is nine tenths of defence. The effort and attitude to make over 100 tackles in a test game is testament to the willpower of the team without the ball, and Ireland were much stronger in this aspect than most other games.
Even allowing for an Australian attacking showing that conjured up just 1 linebreak, albeit 3 tries, Ireland were resolute for most of the contest. Len Ikitau, Fraser McReight and Billy Pollard’s close-range tries exploited mismatches in around the pillar defence, which needs work, but in open play it was one-way traffic.
Ireland made 115 tackles, missing just 10; led by loose forwards Caelan Doris (16), Tadgh Beirne and Ryan Baird (14 each). They soaked up their visitors and looked steady for most of the game, while never tiring; which showed in the final quarter of an hour.
Lineout Solidity
The final string to Ireland’s bow was a much improved, and flawless set-piece. Paul O’Connell had come under immense pressure in the build up to this one, but caller Tadhg Beirne, primary jumper Ryan Baird and hookers Sheehan and Kelleher solidified a prior weakness.
Ireland were close to perfect in multiple facets; but particularly the three above. The visiting Springboks will provide a much stiffer test, but for now, Ireland can relax in the comfort of well executed gameplan to brush off the cobwebs.
Like Hannibal from ‘The A-Team’; Andy Farrell must be telling himself, “I love it when a plan comes together.”
