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Slam Killer: Brian O'Driscoll of Ireland scores a last-gasp try against the Wallabies - Source: Reuters -
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Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll celebrated his 100th Test with
a last gasp try to give his side a 20-20 draw at Croke Park on
Monday and end Australia's bid for a grand slam over the four home
nations.
The Wallaby pack completely dominated a first half in which wing
Drew Mitchell's second-minute try, taking advantage of an
overly-ambitious skip pass from Ronan O'Gara, helped the visitors
to a 10-6 halftime lead.
Australia's forwards kept the pressure on early in the second half
but the Irish woke up with a 56th minute Tommy Bowe try before
Wallaby captain Rock Elsom powered home in the corner to restore
the advantage five minutes later.
Bowe almost went over again in the dying minutes and O'Driscoll
stretched the Six Nations champions' unbeaten run to nine, bursting
through under the posts with the last play of the game.
Ireland's welcome home in their first match in Dublin since
snatching a first grand slam since 1948 this year was short lived
as Mitchell quickly opened the scoring.
O'Gara, struggling for provincial form at Munster, asked a little
much of O'Driscoll with a long pass deep in his own half and
Mitchell picked up the dropped ball.
Matt Giteau added the conversion but O'Gara made amends a minute
later, nailing his first penalty after Australia were penalised for
offside.
The home side came back into the game and, despite Australia
managing to turn over a number of strong home attacks, O'Gara got
another crack in front of the posts midway through the half and
reduced the deficit to a point.
The powerful Australian pack again easily tore through their
opposing eight in the next phase of play and Irish scrumhalf Tomas
O'Leary's blatent stray offside gifted Giteau the chance to restore
the visitor's advantage to 10-6.
The flyhalf was nearly in for a try minutes later but was stopped
metres out by wing Luke Fitzgerald and Australia would have
appreciated the added cushion all the more when number eight
Wycliff Palu was then sin-binned for a high tackle.
However Ireland failed to make any inroads into their lead with
Ronan O'Gara twice opting to play a penalty rather than kick at
goal and Australia kept turning over possession easily as the 14
men survived until the break.
Forward Superioty
Elsom, back at Croke Park for the first time since helping his
former club Leinster to a famous Heineken Cup semi-final victory
over Munster in May, continued to lead the Australian eight's
superiority as the game progressed.
However it was fellow flanker, 21-year-old David Pocock, who did
the most damage and was deservedly voted man of the match.
The Irish front row of Munster's John Hayes and Jerry Flannery, who
had not played for over a month because of suspension and injury,
and debutant Cian Healy came further unstuck as Australia kept the
hosts pinned in their own half.
The dominance paid off as Giteau put away an easier opportunity to
make the score 13-6 after 55 minutes
That cued an Irish fightback as the 22-year-old Healy, tremendous
in the loose for Leinster all season, made a storming run to create
the platform for wing Bowe to eventually cross for a try and
O'Gara's conversion leveled the scores.
Elsom's try then appeared to be sending Australia on to Scotland
and Wales in search of their first grand slam for 25 years before
O'Driscoll yet again popped up to save the Irish.
Ireland 20:
Tries: Tommy Bowe, Brian O'Driscoll;
Conversions: Ronan O'Gara (2); Penalties: O'Gara (2)
Australia 20: Tries: Drew Mitchell, Rocky Elsom;
Conversions: Matt Giteau (2); Penalties: Matt Giteau (2)
Halftime: 6-10
