Ireland v Australia

One point separated heartbreak from history; Lynagh's late try ended Ireland's dream at 19-18.

The 1991 Rugby World Cup quarter-final at Lansdowne Road remains one of the most painful days in Irish rugby history. Ireland led for most of the match and looked set for a famous upset, but Australia fly-half Michael Lynagh scored a try in the dying moments to seal a 19-18 victory. Australia went on to win the tournament. For Ireland, it was a gut-wrenching reminder of how fine the margins are at the highest level.

Australia's 23-3 victory at Lansdowne Road underlined the gap between the sides, as the Wallabies went on to claim their second World Cup title.

The two sides met in the pool stages of the 1999 Rugby World Cup at Lansdowne Road. Australia won 23-3, a comprehensive victory that underlined the gap between the sides at that point. The Wallabies, coached by Rod Macqueen, went on to claim their second World Cup title. For Ireland, it was another tournament that ended in frustration against their southern hemisphere nemesis.

A stadium built on 132 years of history, and Ireland marked the occasion by putting Australia firmly in their place.

The Aviva Stadium opened in May 2010 on the site of the old Lansdowne Road ground, which had hosted international rugby since 1878. The new 51,700-capacity arena gave Ireland a modern, enclosed venue that amplified the atmosphere to extraordinary levels. The autumn internationals, including the Australia fixture, became marquee fixtures in the new stadium's calendar. Ireland beat Australia 15-6 at the Aviva in November 2010.

Ireland held Australia to just six points, ending decades of World Cup misery against the Wallabies in a single, suffocating afternoon.

At the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, Ireland produced a famous 15-6 victory over Australia in the Pool C decider at Eden Park, Auckland. It was a bruising, attritional performance built on ferocious defence. The result meant Australia finished second in the pool for only the second time in World Cup history. For Ireland, it was sweet revenge for decades of World Cup heartbreak against the Wallabies.

Eighty-six years of touring Australia, and it took Schmidt's side three tests to finally bring a series home.

In June 2018, Joe Schmidt's Ireland toured Australia and won the three-test series 2-1. It was the first time Ireland had ever won a series on Australian soil. Ireland took the first test 18-9 in Brisbane, lost the second 16-21 in Melbourne, then clinched the decider 20-16 in Sydney. Captain Rory Best lifted the Lansdowne Cup, and the victory cemented Ireland's status as genuine contenders ahead of the 2019 World Cup.

Ireland's largest ever victory over Australia, 46-19, marks a clear shift in the balance of power between these two nations.

On 15 November 2025, Ireland recorded their largest ever victory over Australia, winning 46-19 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The result reflected the shifting balance of power between the two nations. Where Australia once dominated the fixture, Ireland have now won the majority of recent encounters. The autumn international remains a highlight of the Dublin sporting calendar, and the Aviva's atmosphere on these occasions is something every rugby supporter should experience at least once.