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Upbeat Andy Farrell pleased as Ireland give 'good account' in win over Australia

Updated / Sunday, 16 Nov 2025 08:07
Andy Farrell was all smiles following Ireland's second win of their autumn series
Andy Farrell was all smiles following Ireland's second win of their autumn series

Andy Farrell admitted he was really pleased after Ireland's comprehensive record victory over Australia at Aviva Stadium on Saturday night.

The hosts ran in six tries with full-back Mack Hansen grabbing a first-half hat-trick against the country of his birth.

Ireland lost their opening November Test to New Zealand before seeing off Japan and Farrell had been honest in his appraisals of those performances, admitting he didn't get what he wanted from his squad.

"It's very pleasing to be sat in here with a score like that in those type of conditions against a side which would have been well up for this," an upbeat Farrell told reporters after the 46-19 win.

"It's pretty pleasing. How we handled lots of bits throughout the game, especially them coming back just before half-time and regathering ourselves and giving a performance like we did in the second half.

"I thought as far as field position and being across most of our game in that second half was really pleasing."

Ireland, who had two tries on the board by the 11th minute, won all their scrums and lineouts, an area of concern recently, and had seven line breaks.

They missed just 10 tackles compared to 20 from Australia.

"Well, the start was pretty good," said the head coach.

"I thought we really let ourselves go and attacked the game straight from the word go.

"There were obviously some setbacks, discipline-wise or whatever, a dropped ball.

"It's going to happen in games like that and them coming back into it but holding our nerve and attacking the game again in the second half, and keep playing the type of rugby that we did again in those conditions right until the end.

"I thought we gave a good account of ourselves."

Meanwhile, Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt was left to rue that the fact that Hansen, Canberra-born, was the best Aussie on the field.

"I thought he was super," said the former Ireland boss of the 27-year-old Connacht back.

"His experience showed to the fore, there's probably bit of a lack of experience in our back three.

"There’s probably only 30-odd caps between the three of them. Mack knows the game well.

"He’s got good support though, James Lowe, and Tommy O’Brien is an excellent player as well.

"Unfortunately, Mack was probably the standout Australian player on the field. He’s got a great skillset and he’s such a great competitor.

"He got into the aerial contest really well, he covered the backfield really well, and those are the aspects of a full-back that you need to have."

Ireland face the world champion Springboks next weekend with centre Stuart McCloskey a doubt after appearing to injure his groin, the issue that saw him replaced in the defeat to the All Blacks two weeks ago.

"It looks like his groin again," said Farrell, who added that replacement prop Thomas Clarkson was "absolutely fine" after being removed for a head injury assessment.

"He's been great all week and rehabbed thoroughly the week before, but obviously playing Test match rugby is a little bit different, so yeah, not nice for Stu, but we'll see how bad it is over the next coming days."

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