Australia vs. Ireland: Prediction and Preview for Rugby League World Cup Clash

The home crowds at Limerick's Thomond Park will have to look beyond the likely result to enjoy Ireland's Group A clash with Australia on Saturday, November 9.

Home advantage will not be able to offer much in the way of a retort to the Kangaroos' status as overwhelming favourites going into the match with the Wolfhounds set to be outclassed by a side picked as the front-runners to win this year's tournament before it even began.

The loss of Luke Lewis, who has been ruled out of any further involvement in the World Cup, may dent those odds slightly but only with a view to overcoming the likes of New Zealand in the latter stages.

Against Ireland, it's difficult to see Australia recording anything other than a rout in their opponents' backyard.

Lewis' departure through injury is likely to be the only change that Tim Sheen will need to make going into the match, although the head coach will probably choose to rest his others stars in order to prevent any other unnecessary injuries from wreaking havoc on his squad.

Ireland have a clean bill of health going into their final group game, but coach Mark Aston may also decide to switch things around after his team's disappointing performances against Fiji and England.

A change in personnel will not be enough to set his team on a path to victory, however, but with key players such as Brett White, Pat Richards and Rory Kostjasyn failing to live up to expectations in their opening two games, a reshuffle could at least help to keep the scoreline respectable.

The Irish fans will be realistic about their team's chances but Aston's side must enact a policy of damage limitation in order to reward the support from the stands.

After all, watching your national team heroically compete against the world's best is far more preferable than having to witness a naive and hopeless drubbing, even if it takes stodgy and stoic defending for Ireland to make any impression on the night.

Should the Wolfhounds find the right sort of pack mentality and hunger finally to roar into gear against the Aussies, the Kangaroos will still be just too powerful and precise to achieve anything other than complete and utter domination in Limerick.

Ending their World Cup on a defiant high in front of their home fans is, however, still a possibility for Ireland.

Making even a minimal mark on the scoreboard and trying to keep Australia's points total in sight would be enough to restore some pride in their unsuccessful campaign.

Prediction: Ireland 0-64 Australia