Overview
- Ireland host Australia at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium with kickoff at 8:10 p.m. GMT on Saturday, November 15 (7:10 a.m. AEDT, Sunday).
- Andy Farrell makes nine Ireland changes, starting Mack Hansen at full-back and Sam Prendergast at fly-half, with Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong returning and Paddy McCarthy earning a first Test start.
- Joe Schmidt recalls James O’Connor at fly-half after Carter Gordon’s quad issue, as Len Ikitau returns in the centers, Max Jorgensen lines up at fullback, Allan Alaalatoa starts at tighthead, and Tom Hooper shifts to lock with Rob Valetini at blindside.
- Schmidt, a former Leinster and Ireland coach, has confirmed he will step down next year and pass the Wallabies role to Les Kiss after a final stretch that includes this Dublin fixture.
- Australia’s form has dipped with five losses in six, and rankings permutations reported this week suggest a top-six finish remains mathematically possible with a big win over Ireland and help elsewhere.