Ireland 46 – 19 Australia

Ireland achieved a record victory over Australia at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium with tries from Mac Hansen (hat-trick), Caelan Doris, Ryan Baird and Robbie Henshaw. The Wallabies narrowed the lead to five points before half-time, but suffered a crushing defeat in their 14th Test match since July.

Mack Hansen scores an incredible hat-trick in the first half as Ireland beat Australia in Dublin

Mack Hansen completed a 28-minute hat-trick to give Ireland a morale-boosting 46-19 win over Australia in Dublin.

Further tries from Kaylan Doris, Ryan Baird and Robbie Henshaw helped Hansen complete the treble. Ireland kicked off in the second half and saw off a exhausted Wallabies, who were playing their 14th Test since July.

Fly-half Sam Prendergast (two conversions, one drop goal) and Jack Crowley (one penalty, three conversions) added further goals on a positive day for Andy Farrell’s Ireland.

Australia scored three tries through center Len Ikitau, flanker Fraser McCreight and hooker Billy Pollard, and the first two tries brought them within five points by half-time, but they lost badly.

Ireland’s previous record margin of victory in a Test against Australia was 27 and their previous record margin of victory against Australia was 15, both statistics significantly higher on the night.

Farrell led the British and Irish Lions to a 2-1 series victory over the Schmidt Wallabies in the summer, following Ireland’s 22-19 victory over the same opponents last November.

His team, which made nine personnel changes after last weekend’s disjointed 41-10 win over Japan, was rewarded with a fast start on a damp Saturday night.

Hansen crossed twice in the opening 11 minutes, diving under the posts after being teed up by Stuart McCloskey after a quick-tap penalty, before collecting Prendergast’s pass for a carbon-copy effort.

Hansen dived in and scored the opening try in the 6th minute.

Australia, who suffered a shocking defeat to Italy last weekend and have lost five of their past six Tests, fought back with center Ikitau barreling over Prendergast.

Hansen, whose mother is from Cork, further punished his Cork-born mother by powerfully crossing the line on the right after Tommy O’Brien spilled backwards from Prendergast’s miskick.

Hansen completed his hat-trick in the 28th minute as Ireland got off to a strong start.

However, flanker McCreight went down on the final play of the first half and fly-half James O’Connor added a second conversion, leaving the Wallabies with just a 19-14 lead at the interval.

Australia responded with a try, with Len Ikitau running past Sam Prendergast.

Ireland have struggled to compete for performances this month and would have liked to secure more domination on the scoreboard.

After hooker Dan Sheehan was brought in at the line, Prendergast scored a drop goal from long range and assisted O’Brien’s cross-field kick, but a knock-on in the build-up meant the goal was disallowed.

Crowley, replacing Prendergast, converted the penalty, increasing the score to 25-14.

Captain Doris then bulldozed over after sustained pressure, Crawley added a superb conversion and Australia were left to play the final 10 minutes with one man less after substitute lock Nick Frost was sin-binned for a high tackle on Tom Clarkson in the build-up.

Ireland captain Caelan Doris scores the winning try for the hosts.

Despite the Wallabies’ numerical disadvantage, substitute hooker Pollard came on to narrow the gap.

But Ireland fought back twice, with Baird falling, and then Jamison Gibson-Park’s sensational kick led to Henshaw, who was cleared down the left by Crowley’s brilliant chip to seal a six-try victory.

What’s next?

Ireland next host South Africa at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday 22nd November (kick-off 5.40pm).

Australia will travel to play France for the fourth time at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday 22 November (kick-off 8.10pm GMT).