TRY IRELAND!

Ireland 0-10 Australia — 21 mins: Irish maul collapsed by Taniela Tupou. Penalty kicked to the corner again.

Ireland 0-10 Australia — 21 mins: Prendergast tries to take it quickly, and sprints over the line, but it was too quick for Andrea Piardi so we’ll come back and do it again, much to the disappointment of the Irish crowd. Ireland go to the corner.

Ireland 0-10 Australia — 20 mins: Again, it’s deemed to be a low level of danger, with more of the force on the body than the neck. Penalty Ireland.

Ireland 0-10 Australia — 2o mins: TMO check here against Valetini. He spilled the ball forward and as Hansen closed in, he puts his forearm into the Irish player’s neck.

TRY AUSTRALIA! Ireland 0-10 Australia (Jorgensen, 19′)

Australia make the breakthrough at the second time of asking. The pivotal play is a high hanging ball from Jake Gordon that Suaalii gets under and keeps alive. Kellaway looks odds-on to score out on the right wing, but as he jinks back inside, Prendergast gets just enough on a tap tackle to bring him down. No matter — Australia recycle to the left and Jorgensen finishes in the corner. Lolesio converts from out wide.

Ireland 0-3 Australia — 17 mins: Lolesio tries to unlock the Irish defence by dinking one in behind for Jorgensen, but Keenan is in the right place to snuff out the danger for now.

Ireland 0-3 Australia — 15 mins: A couple of nice backline moves from Ireland with some good touches and quick hands, but Bealham — who’s having a testing opening 15 minutes here — is isolated and Fraser McReight pounces for the turnover penalty.

Ireland 0-3 Australia — 13 mins: Superbly judged kick by Gibson-Park who spots space in behind and sees the ball bobble into touch a few yards short of the Wallabies line.

Ireland 0-3 Australia — 12 mins: A lost Irish lineout; Australia scoop up the loose ball.

Ireland 0-3 Australia — 11 mins: Another knock-on from Bealham as he looks to get his hands on it and carry. Lolesio kicks it clear from the back of the scrum and we’ll resume with an Ireland throw on the half-way line.

Ireland 0-3 Australia — 10 mins: Jorgensen tries to milk an escort penalty by running into the back of Doris as he chases a high ball, but there’s nothing doing there. Australia are pinged for coming in from the side, and Prendergast kicks the penalty into the 22.

PENALTY AUSTRALIA!

Ireland 0-3 Australia — 9 mins: It’s right in front of the posts for Lolesio and he slots it to give the visitors the opening points of the afternoon.

Ireland 0-0 Australia — 8 mins: Referee Andrea Piardi deems it a low level of danger; penalty only and Ireland remain at 15 men.

Ireland 0-0 Australia — 8 mins: Australia work it inside the Ireland 22 but Valetini tries to ship it out the back door and it goes to ground. We’ll have a TMO check here as well for head contact by Joe McCarthy on Valetini… there could be a yellow card coming here for the Leinster man.

Ireland 0-0 Australia — 7 mins: Gordon box kicks off the base of a ruck but Lowe rises highest and claims well. Any forward momentum that Ireland are hoping to get is squandered immediately as Bealham loses an easy one forward. Disappointing.

Ireland 0-0 Australia — 4 mins: First big chance for Ireland as they take a quick tap and move it wide at pace. Keenan jinks through a few tackles and powers to within a few feet of the line, but then loses control at the vital moment and knocks it on.

Ireland 0-0 Australia — 3 mins: Scrum. Reset. Scrum. Reset. We’ll get going again momentarily, I hope.

Ireland 0-0 Australia — 2 mins: Prendergast puts it up into the air and it’s a tester for Lolesio who spills it forward. Scrum Ireland just outside the Australian 22.

Ireland 0-0 Australia — 1 min: Lolesio clears his lines by kicking long into Irish territory, and it’ll be a first chance for Ireland to work through the phases and try to build their attack.

KICK OFF: Sam Prendergast gets us underway at the Aviva

The teams are out on the pitch and it’s time for the national anthems.

While you’re counting down to kick-off, here’s Ciarán Kennedy’s match preview:

Prendergast came into November as an uncapped 21-year-old. He could well step out of it as the man to catch in the ongoing out-half race.

Farrell’s decision to start the young Leinster player against the Wallabies today [KO 3.10m, Virgin Media One/TNT Sports 1] is a massive call. The Ireland head coach will be fully aware of the pressure and attention it places on Jack Crowley, a 24-year-old who has done well on his first full year as a starting international 10. It’s the topic that has been brewing as a near-culture war in WhatsApp groups all week and will fill the bars pre, during and post-game.

TEAM NEWS: One late change on the Australian bench — Isaac Kailea replaces Angus Bell.

Expect some more magic from the Wallabies’ #23 Harry Potter, who scored his side’s only try on his debut against Scotland last week. He’s a wizard etc etc etc.

Australia

• 15. Tom Wright
• 14. Andrew Kellaway
• 13. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii
• 12. Len Ikitau
• 11. Max Jorgensen
• 10. Noah Lolesio
• 9. Jake Gordon

• 1. James Slipper
• 2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa
• 3. Taniela Tupou
• 4. Nick Frost
• 5. Jeremy Williams
• 6. Rob Valetini
• 7. Fraser McReight
• 8. Harry Wilson (c)

Replacements:

• 16. Billy Pollard
• 17. Isaac Kailea
• 18. Allan Alaalatoa
• 19. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto
• 20. Langi Gleeson
• 21. Tate McDermott
• 22. Tane Edmed
• 23. Harry Potter

TEAM NEWS: Here’s a reminder of the Ireland 23 — Sam Prendergast gets the nod over Jack Crowley at out-half, a decision by Andy Farrell that has faced no end of discussion and debate since Thursday’s team announcement.

Ireland

• 15. Hugo Keenan
• 14. Mack Hansen
• 13. Robbie Henshaw
• 12. Bundee Aki
• 11. James Lowe
• 10. Sam Prendergast
• 9. Jamison Gibson-Park

• 1. Andrew Porter
• 2. Rónan Kelleher
• 3. Finlay Bealham
• 4. Joe McCarthy
• 5. James Ryan
• 6. Tadhg Beirne
• 7. Josh van der Flier
• 8. Caelan Doris

Replacements:

• 16. Gus McCarthy
• 17. Cian Healy
• 18. Tom O’Toole
• 19. Iain Henderson
• 20. Peter O’Mahony
• 21. Craig Casey
• 22. Jack Crowley
• 23. Garry Ringrose

They say there’s no show like a Joe Show — or will it be Sam’s Town in the Aviva Stadium this afternoon?

(Sincere apologies for kicking things off with a mangled musical metaphor).

Australia are the visitors to the Aviva Stadium this afternoon for Ireland’s final November International — and the IRFU’S 150th anniversary celebrations.

It’s a historic afternoon too for Cian Healy who is set to win his 134th cap off the bench and, in the process, become the most-capped man in Irish rugby history.

Kick-off on Lansdowne Road is at 3.10pm. Stay with us and we’ll make sure you don’t miss a minute.