Ireland v Australia
Croke Park, Dublin
Sunday 15th November 2009. Kickoff 3pm GMT (1am AEST/2am AEDT)
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This should be a very good game in Dublin, the toughest test of the tour for the Wallabies you'd think and the most possible slip-up on the way to winning the Grand Slam. Ireland will be out to make it a very uncomfortable experience for the Aussies, they have a lot of class in that backline with the likes of Kearney at FB, O'Driscoll and O'Gara and the mongrel of the forwards with O'Callaghan and O'Connel in the 2nd row. I think the Wallabies will have to step it up a few levels after their performance against a weakened English team last week to get the win. The Wallabies have made one change to their starting line up with G.Smith dropping to the bench again for Pocock to start the game.
My Tip: Australia 1-12

Squads -

Ireland: R Kearney (Leinster); T Bowe (Ospreys), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), P Wallace (Ulster), L Fitzgerald (Leinster); R O'Gara (Munster), T O'Leary (Munster); C Healy (Leinster), J Flannery (Munster), J Hayes (Munster); D O'Callaghan (Munster), P O'Connell (Munster); S Ferris (Ulster), D Wallace (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster).
Replacements: S Cronin (Connacht), T Court (Ulster), L Cullen (Leinster), D Leamy (Munster), E Reddan (Leinster), J Sexton (Leinster), K Earls (Munster).

Australia: A Ashley-Cooper, P Hynes, D Ioane, Q Cooper, D Mitchell, M Giteau, W Genia; B Robinson, S Moore, B Alexander, J Horwill, M Chisholm, R Elsom (capt), D Pocock, W Palu.
Replacements: T Polota Nau, M Dunning, D Mumm, G Smith, L Burgess, R Cross, J O'Connor.

Ioane and Cooper are in for a big game. I think O'Driscoll will test them out big time.

I just think Ireland with the home ground advantage will be a little too good and get up in a tight one. Ire by 6.

Ireland by 10.

O'Gara's kicking to be too good and O'Driscoll to run all over the Aussie centres...will be the test for them

This match hasn't received too much attention back here in Australia, all the focus seemed to be on the Four Nations this week. But it's a massive match, it's going to be a huge test for a fairly young and inexperienced Wallabies side. I'm not confident at all, but I never tip against the Aussies so I'll say the Wallabies to win by three points.

hahahahaha no grand slam title, 20 all lol

brian o driscoll is the man, how hes been so good over the years in an average backline is beyond me. imagine him playing for england/nz/aus or something, would easily be the best centre of all time

Oh well we can still do the slam undefeated which is an achievment in itself.. A few calls were very harsh during the game and we really should have won in the end. Also would have helped if Gits had his kicking boots on. In the end a draw against Ireland is a respectable result but really should have been celebrating a victory.

A draw? that just feels so empty though.

And Steelers, Ireland have a pretty decent backline, much better than Englands current one.

yeah but now hes at the end of his career, his team for about 5 years at least werent that great to be honest

i meant englands world cup team, if he was there he could have been one of the best centres of all time i reckon, got mad respect for him ay

They were 4th to start with mate, Aussie are 3rd behind South Africa and All Blacks. Only major change to the rankings after this weekends games is Wales moved from 8th to 7th knocking England down a spot.

I read an article on the IRB site that said Ireland had to beat Aussie by 15 points to pass them in the rankings.

Its possible that FSN stuffed up aswell haha which is what im starting to think.

If he had played for england he would be knighted when he retires i think. One of my all time favourite players but im glad he plays for ireland as they are my second favourite team after the all blacks