Ireland and Australia Match Preview and Prediction
Ireland vs Australia: Predictions and Betting Tips for 2024 Showdown
Quintin Van Jaarsveld, former MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year, delves into the upcoming clash between Ireland and Australia in Dublin on Saturday (17:10 kick-off SA time).
Let's Break it Down
Ireland sailed into 2024 with a Six Nations victory and narrowly narrowly lost to the reigning world champion Springboks in South Africa. They've nabbed two victories in their Autumn Nations Series outings, dropping their record to 7-3, with defeats to England (23-22), South Africa (27-20), and New Zealand (23-13).
Ireland's recent exploits reveal a squad that's intellectually gifted yet prone to overthinking, favoring finesse over edge and physicality. Despite their impressive Six Nations triumph, they haven't yet returned to that stellar form. It's high time they got their hands dirty, as Scotland steamrolled over Australia last weekend.
Australia, under the guidance of former Ireland coach Joe Schmidt, has struggled this year with a 4-6 record and a dismal last-place finish in the Rugby Championship. However, they've shown vast improvement in the Autumn Nations Series, knocking off England (42-37) and completely dismantling Wales (52-20). Unfortunately, their Grand Slam aspirations were dashed at Murrayfield, where Scotland handed them a 27-13 defeat.
After producing their best performance of the season against England and Wales, it's bewildering that Australia failed to shown the same attacking prowess against Scotland. A loss of momentum might have also been caused by a turbulent week of preparation that was out of their control, resulting in key injuries to Matt Faessler and Jeremy Williams.
The Sudden Stakes
The final Test of the year between Ireland and Australia is a dead rubber on paper, but its impact goes beyond the standings. The result will serve as a crucial indicator of interest levels for the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour of Australia.
As a sports enthusiast, we hope to see the Wallabies compete fiercely in this season-ender. Scotland demonstrated that there's still work to be done for Australia, and given their short turnaround, Ireland seems primed for a comfortable victory.
**Quintin's Prediction: Ireland by 15.
*Bold Bet:* Australia +16.5 at 1.83.
- The upcoming rugby match between Ireland and Australia is not only a clash of two rugby powerhouses, but it also serves as a significant indicator for the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour of Australia, as the result will reflect the interest levels.
- Quintin, the former MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year, predicts a comfortable victory for Ireland by 15 points in their match against Australia.
- Despite their impressive performance against England and Wales, Australia failed to replicate their attacking prowess in their match against Scotland, raising concerns about their form ahead of the Ireland showdown.
- Given the recent form of both teams, sports betting enthusiasts might find an attractive bet in Australia +16.5 at 1.83, offering a bold and potentially profitable opportunity.
