AUS
No.Name
8David Pocock, -
3Sekope Kepu, P
7Michael Hooper, FL
9Nick Phipps, SH
1Scott Sio, P
5Adam Coleman, L
4Izack Rodda, L
6Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, FL
2Brandon Paenga-Amosa, H
15Israel Folau, FB
14Dane Haylett-Petty, W
13Samu Kerevi, C
12Kurtley Beale, C
11Marika Koroibete, W
T
10Bernard Foley, FH
3
Replacements
6Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, FL
16Tolu Latu, -
17Tom Robertson, -
18Taniela Tupou, -
19Rob Simmons, -
20Ned Hanigan, -
21Pete Samu, R
21Pete Samu, -
22Joe Powell, -
23Reece Hodge, -

*Players currently on the pitch are shown in bold

Game Info

Venue: Allianz Stadium
1:00 AM, June 23, 2018
Attendance: 44,085
All CommentaryKey Events

Match Commentary

81'+116-20 End of second half
80'That completes our live coverage of the third Test in Sydney. Stay tuned to ESPN for all of the reaction to a pulsating match and series.
80'Peter O'Mahony is presented with the Lansdowne Cup, and now makes a short speech to the crowd. He pays tribute to both teams, then finishes up by checking the MC is content that he's done what was asked of him.

"Happy days?" asks O'Mahony. Safe to say that, yes, it is a happy day for Irish rugby.
80'IRELAND WIN THE MATCH AND CLAIM THE SERIES 2-1 - THEIR FIRST SERIES WIN IN AUSTRALIA SINCE 1978!
80'The referee explains the decision to Pocock and Sexton. Sexton reacts. Ireland players go wild. Ireland fans go wild. What a way to end an incredible series.
80'TMO decides... no knock on as there is no clear evidence. IRELAND WIN!
80'This is the thinnest of margins on this call. If you look at it with Australian eyes, that's a knock on. If you look at it with Irish eyes, there's no touch. There is a decision...
80'The lead is four points. Australia need a try. They score, they win the series. Here they come. They're making plenty of yards and Ireland seem a little on their heels. Folau driving through. Simmons pushing on. The hooter sounds, Australia get desperate, they have a two-man overlap, and the ball goes behind both of them! It's into touch! That's the match! Or is it?! TMO review for potential deliberate knock on by Ireland. Stockdale could be the man penalised. What an incredible ending to an incredible match.
79'Sexton will line this up. Latu looks aghast, the crowd boos the decision. That's as much disappointment as it is genuine disgruntlement at the call. Sexton making sure to take his time on this one. Up he comes... he's nailed it! A beaut. An absolutely magnificent kick that bookends Ireland's half-year on the international scene in rather perfect style. From the Paris drop goal to that... magnificent from Sexton.
79'16-20 Penalty goal - Johnny Sexton , Ireland
77'Ireland throw at the lineout midway inside the Australia half. They win the ball and start to roll forward. Stander calling everything from his position upright in the maul. PENALTY! Ireland win a penalty! This is kickable. Latu penalised for being off feet at the breakdown. Wow. Is that the match-winning moment?
76'Australia go deep with the lineout throw, and that sets them off on a good attack down the left. Tempo is key now, and they seem to have it. But the ball is dropped and then after some bar of soap stuff, it's eventually gathered again by Australia for the loss of about 30 metres. What a great take under the resulting high ball from Jordan Larmour! And then there's a knock on by Folau. Was that deliberate? There was an overlap on there, so he's perhaps fortunate that it's nothing more than a penalty for the knock on.
75'Murray's pass from the base of the scrum is every bit as forward as Powell's was, but not called, and then Stockdale is dragged into touch. Sexton is clobbered after playing a pass in that move, but the tackle is deemed legal by the referee. It's a thumping hit by Kerevi, but completely legitimate. Not sure that will be much of a consolation to Sexton, who is receiving his almost customary check of the ribs.
73'Just as Ireland look as though they're in trouble again on halfway, Powell is penalised for a forward pass. It's fair to say that was a close call. Ok, it's the wrong call. Huge break for Ireland that that has gone in their favour.
72'Foot in touch by Keith Earls, and there will be a breather for everyone. Who can step up and be the match-winner? Who will make the costly mistake? You feel there's going to be a big moment left in this match, one way or another.
72'Player substituted - Izack Rodda , Australia
72'Substitute on - Ned Hanigan , Australia
70'Ireland finally having some possession after the best part of 15 minutes without the ball. They're over halfway. And it's intercepted! Australia are almost away on a break, but more good Irish recovery defence. As the ball goes left, Ireland counter-ruck brilliantly and win the ball back. What an absolutely enthralling spell!
70'Try scorer Koroibete is done for the evening. We're into the last 10 minutes of a wonderful Test series, and there is one point in it.
69'Kerevi breaking through as Australia come forward from the scrum. He was almost through, but Ireland tackle well, and then the replacement scrum half Powell makes a mistake with a hurried pass from the ruck that is low and gives his receiver no chance. Knock on. Scrum Ireland.
69'Substitute on - Tadhg Beirne , Ireland
69'Player substituted - Jack Conan , Ireland
69'Substitute on - Reece Hodge , Australia
69'Player substituted - Marika Koroibete , Australia
68'Restart by Sexton, Stockdale has a clear run at it, and knocks on. He's had a really frustrating time of things in Australia after such a good Six Nations.
67'Foley lining it up from the angle on the right. He's perfect on the night, four kicks from four. This is on the edge of the 22, but the angle doesn't favour a right-footed kicker. He's dragged it wide! Well, well. That momentum that Australia had by kicking repeatedly for touch has been undone by, ironically, not kicking for touch.
67'Substitute on - John Ryan , Ireland
67'Player substituted - Tadhg Furlong , Ireland
65'Into the 10th phase now. Folau gets it on the right flank. He's dragged down by Henshaw. Back to working the phases. Back the referee goes for a penalty on that Henshaw tackle, which was high. What do Australia do now? Keep the pressure on, or take the points and the lead? It's a wide angle for a penalty. Still, Foley is going to line up a shot at goal. Big decision, big moment.
64'Ireland holding up well to the push from the lineout, but it's thrown wide to space by the Wallabies and Folau had a sight of clear ground there. It's closed off by a scrambling defence. Australia back to working the phases.
63'The scrum is all Australia. They win another penalty as the front row angles in for Ireland, and Australia should be able to put more pressure on a wilting Irish defence with a deep kick towards the 22.
62'The scrum collapses, which looks like it's Ireland's fault but Australia get a telling off for continuing to push once it had collapsed. That's dangerous, admittedly, but they are a bit unfortunate.
61'More ping-pong with the boot, and Ireland are again found wanting in contact, with Aki knocking on on halfway. Scrum to Australia and Ireland look like they need a breather. A substitution allows them to do so, with Scott Sio heading for the bench, as does Nick Phipps. That's a key change, as Phipps has been doing some sterling work in attack.
61'Player substituted - Nick Phipps , Australia
61'Substitute on - Joe Powell , Australia
61'Substitute on - Tom Robertson , Australia
61'Player substituted - Scott Sio , Australia
60'For all of that, Australia lose the ball with a pass into touch as Folau slips, and Ireland kick the ball deep while John Farnham's "The Voice" rings out over the stadium PA.
58'Thrilling running rugby from Australia, wave after wave of gold jerseys flying forward, and Ireland are all over the place in defence. There's maybe two or three tackles off the ball that could be reviewed, but the one that is under review is a simple clash between Earls and Haylett-Petty.
58'Substitute on - Jordan Larmour , Ireland
58'Player substituted - Rob Kearney , Ireland
57'Some ping-pong with the boot and Ireland lose out at the breakdown in their own half. Fabulous tackle from Latu, and Ireland don't release quickly enough. Another boot to touch for Foley and more pressure being heaped on this Ireland defence. Australia most definitely in the ascendancy now - what a match!
56'Foley to kick Australia within a point with this conversion - over it goes. The risk paid off, but what a risk - and what a moment of magic from Foley to make it pay.
56'Substitute on - Rob Herring , Ireland
56'Player substituted - Niall Scannell , Ireland
56'Substitute on - Taniela Tupou , Australia
56'Player substituted - Sekope Kepu , Australia
56'Player substituted - Jack McGrath , Ireland
56'Substitute on - Cian Healy , Ireland
56'16-17 Conversion - Bernard Foley , Australia
54'Nine phases. Ten phases. "The Fields of Athenry" rings round in Sydney. Ireland are defending resolutely, Australia attacking feverishly. Thirteenth phase, great grubber kick through! Now it's Koroibete - if he gathers he can score. He can gather, he can score. TRY AUSTRALIA! Huge, huge moment in this series, and Foley's kick through was a work of art. Absolutely fantastic.
54'14-17 Try - Marika Koroibete , Australia
53'It's almost as though Australia have forgotten the scoreboard and the time left. Even a converted try leaves them a point adrift here. Still, they try to build in the Irish half. Five phases, six phases. No progress being made. Ireland will be happy with this so far.
51'Australia win the lineout, but only just. Now they're trying to shove forward from five metres out. Phipps shipping the ball left to create some space. Australia working through the phases. This has become a bigger moment in this series than it probably should be, given how long is left. But momentum could be everything. Still the Wallabies work the phases. Ten, eleven, then a loose pass to Folau who drops it, now a Ireland break! Called back for an offside against Murray when Stockdale kicked forward. Australia don't take the hint, and again kick for touch, doubling down on the potential mistake.
50'And just like that, Australia get a penalty for Ireland collapsing the scrum. Interesting call by the referee, followed by an interesting call by Australia to eschew three points and kick for touch...
49'Chants of "Ole Ole" go round the Irish contingent in the crowd. They're loving what they're seeing. All the same, this match is not done yet, for all Ireland's superiority since the break.
47'The Wallabies working through the phases on the edge of the Irish 22 but it's a horrible knock on by Foley and Michael Hooper's reaction on the bench tells the story -- hands over his face, reeling backwards and looking at the sky. They are at that point in the match, in the series, where these mistakes simply have to be eradicated.
46'From the restart, Ireland are penalised for not releasing and Nick Phipps can take the credit for that - great foraging at the breakdown. Australia needed that little win at this stage, just a morsel of encouragement after a hard start to this second half.
45'Conan is the man credited with the try. Sexton, rather surprisingly, hooks the conversion left of the posts and the advantage will remain eight points. Australia are reeling though.
45'Player substituted - Adam Coleman , Australia
45'Substitute on - Rob Simmons , Australia
44'Ireland go again from a lineout - and this time THEY ARE OVER! TRY IRELAND! The ball goes all the way to the back of the lineout and that's an unstoppable maul.
44'9-17 Try - CJ Stander , Ireland
43'Ireland from a five-metre lineout - they're trying to push over! Not quite, Toner coming up short and now Stander drives forward. There's a penalty for collapsing the maul -- it seems a bit odd that it's not a penalty try given Ireland were all but over the line there. Coleman has also suffered an injury in amongst all that, he's clutching his thigh but continuing.
42'Good news for the Wallabies, as the replays show it wasn't a hit directly on an Irish player, so it's just a penalty for a hit at the ruck, but Coleman is warned by the referee. Mainly for being stupid.
42'Great kick forward by Sexton finds the gap behind Phipps and he does well to get back but he's isolated and Aki forces a penalty for not releasing. Penalty Ireland, and we're also going to have a TMO review on Adam Coleman hitting late after the whistle. This could be another 10 minutes in the sin bin for an Aussie.
41'And we are back in action in Sydney. Deep kick off by Ireland and Australia return the ball towards halfway, where Earls takes it and Ireland look to build some possession early in this second half.
41'Player substituted - Brandon Paenga-Amosa , Australia
41'Substitute on - Tolu Latu , Australia
41'+29-12 End of first half
41'+29-12 Penalty goal - Johnny Sexton , Ireland
40'It's up, it's over. Ireland lead 12-9 at the break, and that was an absolutely enthralling half of Test rugby. We have 40 minutes left to decide this series. Great stuff.
40'Penalty for offside against Kerevi, and Sexton should be able to boot Ireland into a three-point lead. This penalty is directly in front of the posts, 30 metres out.
40'Folau is hoping to get back on before halftime, but that's going to be a matter of seconds apart by the looks of things. Meanwhile, Foley converts the penalty easily, and we're tied again. The hooter goes off, and we're 25 seconds away from Folau being eligible to return.
40'9-12 Start of second half
40'9-9 Penalty goal - Bernard Foley , Australia
39'Ireland withstanding the lineout well. And then the phases as well. Aki and Murray both putting in good hits, but eventually Ireland are pinged for being offside. Conor Murray needs some attention after his hit, having come off the worse for it. This time, Australia will take the points.
37'Not only are they keeping Ireland at bay, they're making good progress from a rolling maul. Ireland are penalised for joining that maul from the side, and Australia are going to opt to kick for touch. They'll have a lineout 10 metres from the try line.
36'Deep restart by Foley and Stockdale takes it inside his own 22. Australia just need to have this as far away from their own half as possible while they have a man in the bin.
35'Another easy three, Ireland lead and the Wallabies are still minus fullback Folau for another six minutes.
35'6-9 Penalty goal - Johnny Sexton , Ireland
33'There doesn't seem to be anything clear and obvious that's going to declare this a try, but there's going to be a penalty against Adam Coleman for offside in that movement by Murray to try and score. Sexton lines up the three-pointer.
33'Anyway, back to the action. And Ireland are closing in on the Australia line! Stockdale made the first break and now McGrath, then Stander, then McGrath again. Phase after phase, they can't get through the 14 men in gold though. Can Ireland ground it against the posts? Has Murray done it? We're going to the TMO. If it's not a try, it's a penalty for offside against Australia. Points are coming Ireland's way, one way or another.
32'Folau is not impressed by that decision, neither is the home crowd, but that is the way of things in today's game, especially with slow motion replays available via the TMO. If anything, that O'Mahony fell on his back horizontally spared Folau a red card. Controversial, whichever way you look at it.
31'My goodness. A huge fall under pressure from Folau for O'Mahony, who is arguably dragged to ground from the top of the jump. After initially not being all that concerned, the referee's attention is drawn to it by the TMO and this is going to be a penalty and a yellow card against Folau. He's maybe a little unfortunate as he was contesting the high ball, but his left hand just drags down on O'Mahony, who is now departing on a cart due to the impact. Both starting 7s are out of the game, both skippers are out of the game. Only 31 minutes on the clock.
31'Yellow card - Israel Folau , Australia
31'Player substituted - Peter O'Mahony , Ireland
31'Substitute on - Jordi Murphy , Ireland
30'This kick is slap bang in front of the posts, maybe 18 metres out. If ever you could label a Test penalty "easy", this is it. Straight over. All square again in a very, very tight game so far.
30'6-6 Penalty goal - Johnny Sexton , Ireland
28'Ireland back on the attack after a lineout in the Australia half. They're into the 22 again. Stander again the ball carrier as they recycle. Penalty against Samu for coming over the top, and after a slight opportunity to break through evaporates, Ireland are going to have a look at the posts and -- surely -- will level the scores.
27'Stander is now taking Ireland into the Aussie 22. O'Mahony helping with the next phase. Ireland are up over a dozen phases with this possession. Huge roars of "Ole Ole" from the Irish contingent in the stands. Ireland are five metres out. And they've dropped it! What a hit! It looked like it was Koroibete who caused that. Then Australia almost throw the ball away on their own line. What a passage of play! Three minutes left on Stockdale's time in the sin-bin.
26'Wow! Hit of the match so far as Stander barrels through a would-be tackler and everyone in the stadium goes "oooh".
25'Conor Murray is lining this one up, with it being a little out of Sexton's range. It had the distance, but not the accuracy, spinning past the left upright. Australia hold on to their three-point lead.
24'Ireland have the ball 10 metres inside the Australia half and the Wallabies are penalised for not rolling away, Sekope Kepu the man -- perhaps harshly -- pinged for that at the breakdown.
22'It's a kickable penalty, too, just on the edge of the Irish 22. And Foley strokes it through to give Australia their first lead of the match. This could be a crucial 10 minutes, not least because Australia can regroup after the loss of their captain Hooper to a hamstring injury.
22'6-3 Penalty goal - Bernard Foley , Australia
21'Yep, yellow card against Stockdale, a third yellow card in two games against the Irish.
21'Yellow card - Jacob Stockdale , Ireland
20'However, it's Ireland that are making good ground down the right through Keith Earls, only for them to again be penalised at the breakdown. Lineout now to Australia, 10 metres inside the Irish half. Meanwhile, the TMO is being consulted on an elbow by Stockdale into Phipps' throat, and this is going to be a card for the Irish wing, who lit up the Six Nations but has struggled Down Under.
19'Ireland with a lineout on their own 22, and it's won well by Toner and then heaved downfield by Sexton. Asutralia will look to build from deep.
18'Ireland can't release the ball, and guess who is the cause? David. Pocock. He is absolutely dominating at the breakdown.
17'Samu comes on in his place. It looks as though Hooper has been bent backwards at that last breakdown by a huge hit from Furlong, and his match is done.
17'Michael Hooper is going off. He's got a hamstring injury by the looks of it. This is likely to be the end of his match. That is a huge blow for Australia, and there is a hush that has descended across the crowd.
16'Substitute on - Pete Samu , Australia
16'Player substituted - Michael Hooper , Australia
15'Ireland win their own lineout but the ball isn't clean and Murray has to go backwards before shovelling it to Stockdale to make some progress. Now Furlong bursting forward and he's almost through before being dragged down by his shirt. Ireland building promisingly on the edge of the 22. Aki takes it on. Murray moves them left from the breakdown. And they've lost it! Pocock is the man who stole that, and that is an absolutely huge turnover. Great work from Pocock, and that makes up for the penalty he conceded a few minutes ago.
14'Goodness, what are Australia up to?! A loose pass in their own 22 almost gifts Ireland possession in a great position, but the Wallabies recover well and Beale boots it into touch. That was all a bit risky from the Wallabies though.
13'Easy three points, things are all square.
13'3-3 Penalty goal - Bernard Foley , Australia
12'All a bit chaotic, as Australia try to shove over, then get stopped, then try to shift it and have a clumsy knock on, only for a penalty to be awarded to the Wallabies in any case. Foley will have his first shot at goal.
10'Rob Kearney is forced backwards by a kick and does well to grab the ball before it goes into touch but then steps on the whitewash in his own goal area. That's a scrum to Australia, five metres out. Huge roar from the Wallaby fans.
9'0-3 Penalty goal - Johnny Sexton , Ireland
8'That wasn't the sharpest of flights over the posts, but it did go over the posts, and Sexton has reached 700 points for Ireland, only the second Irish player ever to do so, behind Ronan O'Gara.
7'Huge tackle from Folau halts Ireland in their tracks, but it's a penalty for not rolling away against David Pocock, and we'll have our first look at the posts in this game -- Sexton lining up a three-pointer from maybe 40 metres out.
5'Ireland had made great progress down the left before a really poor exchange at the breakdown causes a knock on, but the referee takes it a long way back for a late hit on Sexton by Sekope Kepu, and it's a little surprising that Kepu hasn't been punished further for that. That was extremely late, to the point where TV cameras were struggling to capture what had happened.
4'Australia working through the phases but the Ireland defence is working well and not conceding much ground at all. Nice kick over the top from Foley but Rob Kearney makes no mistake with the catch, moving up from deep to snaffle it and after an exchange of kicks, Ireland have a lineout in their own half.
2'Clumsy stuff from Ireland at the lineout, with Sean Cronin penalised for an illegal throw. Scrum to Australia just inside Irish territory.
1'Short kick-off and Australia immediately win the ball in the air. They head straight into attack, moving the ball well right with Folau handing off Stockdale and almost sending Haylett-Petty clear. However, Ireland work brilliantly at the breakdown, with Peter O'Mahony creating a penalty and then needing treatment for what appears to be a shoulder injury.
1'WE. ARE. OFF!
1'Australia to kick off, with Bernard Foley getting us started.
1'A raucous rendition of "Advance Australia Fair", there were even some hints of smiles on the faces of the Wallabies lineup. Relaxed and confident? Over-confident? We're about to find out.
1'Australia trotting down the tunnel and onto the pitch now. Flamethrowers go off around the pitch, intense music fills the arena and the gold-shirted members of the 45,000 crowd give a warm welcome to their side. Next up, the anthems.
1'Ireland are making their way down the tunnel, out on to the pitch and past the Lansdowne Cup, a glass trophy that will be awarded to the series winner. Good reception for the Irish from a sizeable travelling support in Sydney.
1'The Wallabies are huddling in their dressing room just now, one final pep talk ahead of this decisive Test. They lost their last home series against a northern hemisphere side, England winning 3-0 in 2016, and to do so again -- even against Grand Slam champions -- is surely unthinkable.
1'For Australia, coach Cheika has bolstered his lineout with the selection of Lukhan Tui at blindside flanker. David Pocock shifts from the No. 6 jersey back to No. 8, with Caleb Timu dropping out of the 23-man match day squad altogether.
1'A recap of the team news for this match. Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has shifted captain Peter O'Mahony from blindside to openside flanker and made five personnel changes to the starting side that won the second match in Melbourne. Jack Conan, Jack McGrath, Jacob Stockdale and Sean Cronin are also included in the XV.
1'Australia coach Michael Cheika disagrees with Schmidt's expectations of the early going. "I don't think it will be all guns blazing. I think we want to be more aggressive this week. We've just to get our things right - I think we were more accurate in the things we wanted to do in the first game. We weren't so accurate in the second game. Against a team like Ireland you're going to pay for that."
1'Joe Schmidt talking to Sky Sports before the game: "We need to do more of the same as we did last week: deny them possession and keep our discipline. I've no doubt they'll come out all guns blazing, we'll need to contain that.

There's also been pre-match disruption for the Irish, as Schmidt explains. "We've had a late bus drama again this week, which we could have done without. It took half the time to get here yesterday as it did today."
1'Hello and welcome to ESPN's live coverage of the decisive Test match between Australia and Ireland in Sydney.
1'0-0 Start of first half