Ireland overcome Australia with 21-26 victory to level series

Australia 21-26 Ireland, AAMI Park
Scorecard

Ireland managed to resist Australia as they went on to register a 21-26 victory in the second Test at AAMI Park and levelled the series 1-1 with one game to go.

This is also Ireland's first win in 12 games against Wallabies in Australia as they maintain their second position in World Rugby Rankings.

Australia got off to a flying start with Kurtley Beale scoring a second-minute try and Bernard Foley slotted the conversion to make it 7-0 but their momentum was dented when Marika Koroibete was yellow-carded and Andrew Conway dived past the line to get Ireland off the mark.

Johnny Sexton, who returned to the starting XV kicked the conversion and also followed it with three straight penalties to take the scoreline to 7-16.

It was Ireland's turn to suffer for the infringement as Cian Healy was yellow-carded in the 26th minute for collapsing a maul and to make things worse referee Paul Williams awarded a penalty try to the hosts as the teams went into the break with a 14-16 margin.

Australia also lost the services of Will Genia in the first half as the scrum-half left the field with a broken arm.

Michael Cheika's men lacked intent in the start of the second half and allowed Tadhg Furlong to bulldoze their defence to score Ireland's second try and Sexton's extras and a fourth penalty kick provided the visitors with a breathing space as they stretched their lead to 14-26.

Jack McGrath's yellow-card with three minutes to go for a deliberate knock-on provided Australia an opening and replacement Taniela Tupou scored a consolation try but could not quite cross the line.

"We made it far too easy for Kurtley Beale to score under the sticks from the start but from that moment on we knuckled down and worked into the game," Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt told Sky Sports.

"We scored a great try and that boosted our confidence. We accumulated points like we didn't last week. The third quarter was probably the turning point of the game.

"We were good at the breakdown and that allowed us to maintain the pressure. We had to defend for the last six or seven minutes and we were hanging on at the end."