Ireland 27-24 Australia: rugby union autumn international – as it happened

Rory Best looks like he’s about to burst into tears. What a performance on his 100th cap. What a guy. “Today has been everything I wanted it to be and a little bit more too,” he says.

In Auckland, Paul Herbert appreciates Best’s work: “Any team that beats the [redacted] Aussies is great by me,” he writes. “Well done Ireland and what a great run you’re having. Keep on guys. Love your game.”

Michael Cheika is not very happy. Sky asks him if he has ‘beef’ with the officials – ‘you know you’re not supposed to ask me about that ... I won’t talk about that.”

Matthew Fisher is in my inbox saying Australia were ‘blown off the park’ by the referee. Not sure I agree - just thought Ireland were better - but that is fine. Was a great game.

Meanwhile, John McEnerney is waving his arms.

Stattage.

John Rogers is a very happy man.

Australia’s hopes of a grand slam are over. That is an extraordinary effort from Ireland, who lost Trimble, Payne and Kearney to deepen their injury crisis. What a game.

81 min Scrum to Australia. Quade Cooper is on. Scrum reset on Australia side.

80 min Jackson not only sticks it into touch, he puts it into the stands. Cronin finds the man. It’s uncontested. Ireland chew up seconds, and now they are on the move. But it’s a scrum to Australia! Mumm has held them up!!! Clock is red.

78 min Again Cronin finds Dillane. Murray does well. Ireland slow it down.

77 min Folau gathers Ringrose’s kicks and as Australia go left, they are bundled into touch! Naivalu can’t find Kuridrani. Not long left.

77 min Sean Cronin comes on for Rory Best, who has played very well on his 100th cap. Cronin finds his man. Murray boxkicks, Folau gathers and Haylett-Petty is snagged by Ringrose! Australia cannot get out! Genia boxkicks and Carbery takes.

76 min Bealham under big pressure on the tighthead side. Stander is at No8 niow, and he picks up under pressure – Australia do not roll away and that is a PENALTY! Jackson pummels it into touch, but they are still in their own half.

75 min A third reset. Ireland could have been penalised there I reckon.

74 min This scrum is a right old mess. Calm before the storm. Another reset.

It’s 27-24 to Ireland with six left.

73 min Aus get a big shove on but Garces says we’re gonna have a reset. Of course we are.

72 min Australia shove the penalty from halfway down toward the 22. They win at and drive big, but Ringrose pulls off an absurd turnover in the choke tackle! Ireland scrum!

71 min Furlong is off and Finlay Bealham comes on. Aus win the lineout, do a wee wrap around and then go right. A very flat pass from Genia goes out but Ireland are penalised for naughty work at the ruck.

70 min There are more twists in this game yet. Tadgh Furlong gets treatment and gets up to scrum. It’s about 10m out from their own line and, they win it, then bosh. Murray shoves it into touch with a very good boxkick.

Wales are 27-13 up as Tipuric scores.

69 min Australia go right and it’s slick. Kuridrani, Naivalu. Infield, then right again, at real pace. McMahon is on and carries, then another sub, Slipper. Are they in?! Not quite, the last pass is wild from Kuridrani and Hodge can only knock on!!

68 min Zebo gathers the kick-off. Murray does not find touch. Australia come back through Haylett-Petty then Hodge.

65 min This is kickable (35m out on the left), but Jackson puts it in the corner. Best finds Toner. They rumble. Still 10m out, but moving. Out it goes. O’Mahony charges.

64 min Still advantage as Dillane half-breaks. They have gone back 20m in this advantage, but finally it comes. Was for a high tackle on Ringrose.

63 min Best finds Toner at the lineout. They go right, but with no great conviction or threat. Left now, and Ringrose carries. Advantage as they go through the phases.

62 min Ireland make more changes. Bench nearly empty. Healy and O’Mahony on for McGrath and Heaslip. Australia go from deep again but it backfires as Zebo finds a huge hit. Australia scramble away a massive kick through Hodge, who can really play.

60 min Australia have the advantage, which the kick away. Foley will go for the posts. Heaslip did not roll away.

59 min Australia are coming from deep and Haylett-Petty is charging up the right like a Sherman Tank. Then it’s Hooper carrying. Ireland are BLOWING

Yes, yes.

56 min Speight off, and Sefa Naivalu of the Rebels on. Henderson, the scorer for Ireland, goes too and Dillane comes on. Ireland work hard to disrupt the lineout but the ball comes out and Folau carries. They are hammering away here.

55 min Australia have rapid lineout ball, but after one phase, Foley wastes it with a poor crosskick that Zebo marks and sticks into touch.

54 min Ireland turn it over and McGrath carries well. The ball goes to Australia, then back to Ireland through Marmion, who has good feet. Oh dear. Zebo has booted it straight out.

53 min Fields of Athenry time. Murray puts it in. They try to bosh their way out through Ringrose, then Murray boxkicks but finds Haylett-Petty, not touch.

52 min The scrum needs resetting, of course it does.

51 min What has happened there? Pocock has sprinted out of the line and Murray has passed it straight to him. That’s a surprise turnover (how can he be onside?!) and Australia go left. They nearly score, but Foley knocks on in the left corner as they get a little cute.

48 min Ireland win a penalty as Marmion snipes and the Aussies don’t roll away. Advantage played.

45 min Hooper wins the lineout under pressure and Australia have a bit of intent now. They are going through the phases, probing Ireland’s defence.

Robin Hazlehurst and an upset South African on a pub crawl want the Wales-SA score: it’s 20-6 to Wales.

44 min So Ireland scrum 5m out. They win it, make some metres, then Murray puts in a big boxkick to touch!

43 min Murray kicks to touch and Australia go right. Hooper goes through, Australia go left and Henry Speight scores in the left corner!

Or has he?! Nigel Owens, running the left touchline, says the last pass, from Pocock, is forward! No try!

41 min Marmion’s first act - on the right wing - is to bundle Australia into touch after a poor Jackson kick gives the ball away. Ireland win the lineout and go from deep.

Wales have scored! They are 20-6 up.

England women giving Canada a good pasting at Twickenham.

39 min Murray spoils Pocock’s No8 pick-up and Ireland turnover! Carbery goes on a great run then Jackson sends it out on the full!

38 min They go left, then right but the defending is relaxed from Ireland. Folau offloads to Kepu, who gives it to Foley. Haylett-Petty chips, Hodge gathers and they are in the 22! Ireland knock on and Australia have some position ...

37m Moore’s lineout is overthrown, so Foley sprints to try clean up and he knocks on. Scrum to Ireland, but Australia get a shove on and pinch it through Hooper!

This is just about the measure of things.

36 min Murray claims restart and thumps it out. Australia have a lineout 30m out.

33 min Best finds his man and they rumble. Great mauling. 10m, then Murray goes right and Zebo is on the end of a huge tackle from Hodge. When they go left they try to be cute, but it goes out. Another penalty! Mumm is back.

32 min Jackson kicks to the 22, on the left. One more play before Mumm’s home.

31 min Right, Trimble is going off. Kearney still not back from his HIA. Carebery joins Zebo - who moves to the wing. Can’t catch a break, Ireland. Another scrum and a big shove from Ireland! Penalty, on halfway!

30 min Trimble, who has been well amongst it, is getting a bit of treatment. Three minutes until Mumm is allowed back on. Trimble is continuing. A scrum, and a bit of a stalemate, until Murray snipes, and sends to Trimble. They go left through Payne, then up the middle with Furlong. Left again and Foley spoils Zebo’s risky offload - scrum to Ireland.

29 min Ireland win said lineout and again run from their own half. When that doesn’t work, Murray boxkicks and Haylett-Petty takes well. Eventually Ireland’s choke tackles work - Stander this timne - and Rory Arnold is held up. It’s a scrum for Ireland.

28 min Folau finally finds space, breaks, and then can only put it in touch with the Kuridrani-seeking offload! Ireland lineout 30m out from their own line.

27 min Murray boxkicks and Australia don’t gather cleanly, but do gather. Australia cannot get going, so try some rough phases.

26 min Ireland win the ball from the kick-off and run from deep. They go wide to Trimble, who makes metres.

23 min Jackson kicks for and finds touch on the right just inside Australia’s half.

22 min The Wallabies get a turnover and kick deep, then Earls fails to find touch, so back Australia come. Australia win a penalty as Furlong knocks on at the breakdown. Looked a bit slappy to me.

21 min Pacey match this, except at scrum time. This one is better, and Jackson breaks off the back of it!

What colour is that?!

20 min Hodge misses touch! And then Zebo sticks it out for him, with not many metres gained. Australia win the lineout, then go right. Foley goes inside to Simmons, who is held up in midfield by Best, and that will be a scrum to Ireland.

19 min Ireland go through the phases with Furlong, then get it wide to Trimble and Zebo, who wriggles. Pocock wins the penalty! Zebo clinging on. Outstanding from Pocock.

18 min Foley’s kick off doesn’t go 10m, which is village, but they play advantage.

16 min Murray feeds, Ireland shove and it pops out left to Zebo. They go right through the forwards, then left through Stander. Pocock has pinched that, but illegally. You have to roll away, lads. Ireland will go for goal this time.

15 min We are having trouble getting this scrum going.

Wales leading in Cardiff thanks to a Halfenny kick. A Halfpenny wholepenalty, if you will.

14 min Ireland come back at Australia, and Jackson thumps up a garyowen. Folau takes brilliantly under pressure from Ringrose, but Ireland win a scrum for a knock-on, just inside Australia’s half.

13 min Best finds his man and Murray does a very poor kick which is marked deep by Haylett-Petty, who kicks long.

12 min Kearney going off for an HIA. Zebo trots on to replace him at full-back. The scrum, then. Genia feeds and Ireland get a shove on. Genia under pressure but keeps it - eventually Foley gets a big boot away.

11 min Kearney looking groggy as the physio looks at him. Best finds his man this time but Australia have a turnover! It’s a scrum.

10 min Ireland win their throw and rumble. There’s an advantage again. That’s some lovely backs play on the right from Trimble and Kearney! But the Australians scramble, and eventually give away a penalty. Another nudge to the corner from Jackson ...

3-3 in Cardiff fyi.

9 min Ireland win the scrum in their own half and go left at pace. Earls takes it into contact, and the Aussies go offside. Penalty, and Jackson bunts it down into the 22.

8 mins Australia win their scrum and go left at pace. Hodge is flying but gives it away to Ringrose, out of position at No12 today. It goes out, but we go back for an Australia knock-on.

7 min But Ireland steal the lineout through Henderson! They go right, then left at pace. Murray chips over the top, but it runs too far ... oh, he knows something I didn’t. We are having a look at something on the TMO. Kuridrani in trouble for a tackle a few phases back. How confusing: the referee is happy without having had a look. We are going to have an Australia scrum.

6 min Best finds his man this time, but as Ireland go left with pace, a pass from Trimble goes sailing into touch over Earls’ head.

5 min The Aussies challenge and steal through Dean Mumm! Big boot away from the centre Reece Hodge.

4 mins Strange delay, but Jackson has stuck it in the corner again! 5m out, on right hand side.

3 mins Now Henderson carries, still going right. Now McGrath, with Murray in charge. 15 phases, and an advantage for offside. Henderson again, then Best. Trimble cuts a nice line on the 18th phase but it goes loose! They are going back for the penalty.

2 mins Best finds his man. Direct from Ireland, who are going right. Carries from Stander and Toner as they reach a seventh phase. It goes loose and Jared Payne has it! They are 5m out!

1 min Well, the Wallabies gather through Folau. They go from deep, by spinning it wide to Haylett-Petty, although the right-winger is pinged for holding on. It’s kickable, but Jackson has stuck it in the corner. Statement.

John Rogers is here with some very sensible pre-match thoughts!

“Ronan O’Gara on RTÉ is talking about Rory Best and his ‘mad whisky eyes’.” he writes.

“Anyway, some thoughts... The (over-the-top) coverage of ABs aggression has meant we haven’t asked enough questions about Ireland’s inability to score one try last week despite the majority of possession and 20 minutes with an extra man. Injuries notwithstanding we need to see a more creative attack today against an in-form Australian team. Connacht has some flyers in Adeolokun and O’Halloran. Why doesn’t Joe Schmidt trust them?

“Couldn’t be happier to see Best make his 100th cap. Hearing the Lansdowne Rd roar welcoming this proud son of Ulster and see him shake hands with President Higgins makes you somewhat grateful for all the traditions of this mad little island.”

Good points all. Enjoy the game.

Want, like John, to talk to me? You know you want to.

• email will.macpherson.freelance@theguardian.com
  
• tweet: @willis_macp

In the time that it’s taken me to throw that together, the singing has been done. They have answered Ireland’s call!

Tracksuits coming off, kick-off moments away. They are underway in Cardiff.

The players have met the dignitaries, so will now do some singing.

Players are in the tunnel at the Aviva, as the pre-match formalities take forever in Dublin. Rory Best, the fifth Irishman to 100 caps, is first out, with his kids. Ahhh. Here come the rest. Not quite as cute.

In Cardiff, of course, Wales are playing South Africa. Will do my best to keep you abreast of developments there as well as in Dublin.

At Twickenham, the action hasn’t stopped yet. England women are playing Canada. If anyone is still at HQ and reading this nonsense, I’d be intrigued to hear how many people have hung around.

Eddie Jones is already ramping up the cattiness ahead of next week. Will the Wallabies head to Twickenham chasing a slam?

Here’s a report of Stuart Hogg-inspired Scotland’s (familiar) win over Georgia.

Hello again. I’m refuelled – a pack of mini cheddars and a blood orange San Pellegrino (the best flavour) and I’m a new man.

And we’ve a new game! Ireland, sans Sean O’Brien (that’s five changes from the team that lost to NZ last week), against Australia. In Dublin.

Here’s John McEnerney’s hot take:

If you’re having a bad time of it, just be thankful you’re not trying to leave Twickenham. No Southwest Trains ... miserable.

Anyway. Talk to me!

• email will.macpherson.freelance@theguardian.com
• tweet @willis_macp

Scratch what I said before. O’Brien is out.