Ireland vs. Australia: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Rugby Preview
Ireland are on the hunt for revenge this Saturday, when they take on an Australia side in Dublin hoping to surmount the team that beat them 32-15 in front of a home crowd this time last year.
The autumn internationals are a key learning phase in the rugby calendar and both sides are in need of the knowledge heading into a crucial 2015 World Cup schedule.
The Aviva Stadium will play host to what promises to be an evenly-matched clash. Read on for a preview and viewing information for a must-watch matchup.
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Date: Saturday, Nov. 22
Time: 4:30 p.m. GMT/11:30 a.m. ET
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK, subscription required)
TV Info: Sky Sports 2 (UK)
Joe Schmidt's Men Seeking Spotless Finish
Improving further upon his first year in charge of the Ireland setup, Joe Schmidt's 2014 has been even more impressive, with a 13-10 loss to England in this year's Six Nations the only defeat to speak of.
The Irish can seal a perfect autumn international series and trudge into 2015 with heads held high if they manage to overcome the Wallabies in Dublin, but it's easier said than done.
Michael Cheika's men displayed great courage in their three-point defeat to France last week. While there were a host of things not clicking for Australia, it's almost to be taken as a positive that they can under-perform and yet still threaten.
After beating Georgia in a 49-7 rout last Saturday, Schmidt's Ireland side moved up to third in the IRB world rankings, but the coach isn't getting carried away with the rise and was quoted by BBC Sport as saying:
"I think it's a distraction. We can't win anything by saying we're third in the world. I can't say it's something we'd be talking about or even aware of. We just have to tidy up our scrum a bit, get our set-piece right and try to get those practical things right. I think it's fantastic, and a feather in the cap of the lads who have rolled their sleeves up for the last 12 months.
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That winning mentality is almost indicative of the New Zealand blood that runs through Schmidt's veins and shows an urge to be looked upon as the best, not merely near the best.
After wins over South Africa and the Georgians, to cap off this autumn with victory over the Wallabies would be a terrific achievement for the Irish. Schmidt's team is growing in depth and showing highly positive signs ahead of next year's Rugby World Cup.
Michael Cheika's Autumn Far From Done
Along with South Africa, Australia are one of only two southern hemisphere sides with a schedule that will see them remain on tour past this weekend, and an equally daunting trip to face England awaits the Wallabies on Nov. 29.
It's a demanding schedule, but for a team re-establishing themselves under a new coach and at such a crucial juncture, the opportunity to experiment is a required one.
The 29-26 loss in Paris last Saturday appears to have ruffled Cheika's feathers, though, and tiring as their tour may be, lock Rob Simmons said the coach has upped the ante in training as a result, per ABC Online:
"He told us from day one that he's emotional about everything. If you're winning there's good emotions and if you're losing, he'll definitely let you know. We were probably expecting it. We've heard it from the other (Waratahs) guys. He doesn't do it to try and make anyone angry or sad or put anyone down, he just wants the best out of us and he hates losing.
It's a point he made to us at the start of the week - we've lost now so so what we've got to do to be better is step up every little thing. We've got to make sure we're better and leave no page unturned and keep moving forward.
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There is serious room for improvement, too, after Fox Sports took to calling the display against Les Bleus "sloppy," an apt description for a fixture riddled with errors:
Ball retention, simple defensive actions and a lack of clinical sight in vision of the line were recurring problems for the Wallabies last weekend but ones that Cheika can solve more on a mental spectrum than a physical one.
All the talent is there, and a more confident beating of Wales a fortnight ago showed this Wallabies team can be more cutthroat in attack, but they'll need all that and more to get the better of Ireland at the Aviva.
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