Rugby Union
Ireland vs Australia Prediction, Odds & Best Bets
All eyes will be on the Aviva Stadium as Ireland take on Australia in the Autumn International Series on Saturday night.
Ireland have been incredibly strong at the Aviva Stadium in recent times, winning 11 of their last 12 home games against Rugby Championship nations – which may well be a tip in itself given the quality of opposition that they have defeated.
The Dublin crowd will be fully behind their team on Saturday and they’ll be buoyed by the knowledge that Ireland have an excellent record against Australia, winning six of their last seven matches against the Wallabies.
However, one could argue that you must take that record with a pinch of salt as all six of those victories came by a margin of five points or less and therefore we should expect another tight contest in the Irish capital on Saturday evening.
Australia are under intense pressure and they have a poor record in recent matches against Six Nations teams, losing four away Tests in a row against such opposition. Confidence is relatively low and it would take a leap of faith to back the Wallabies for me.
Known historically for their consistency and success at the scrum, Australia will likely rely on their set-piece to try and get over the line and Ireland will need to improve significantly in that area of the game if they are to prevent the tourists from dominating field position.
In addition, Ireland have a number of key players out through injury and Australia will be buoyed by that. The Wallabies have a couple of big names of their own on the sidelines but James O’Connor’s return to the team adds spice ahead of Saturday’s clash.
Ireland vs Australia Odds:
- Ireland – 1/4
- Draw – 25/1
- Australia – 3/1
Ireland’s prowess at the breakdown could make the difference in this contest and their ability to get quick ball and move possession through the hands will give them a real chance of victory – the Aviva Stadium crowd could be in for a real treat if everything goes to plan.
I’d expect Australia to try and slow the game down, placing emphasis on their pack of forwards and trying to keep the game tight. An open and expansive contest probably suits the home team more than the tourists so I’d expect the Wallabies to keep things tight, especially early on.
Australia cannot be discounted entirely but Ireland have the quality to put their opponents to the sword. For me, the Irish should edge it and I’m expecting them to have the foot on the gas from the first minute. A small lead at half-time looks likely.
Ireland vs Australia prediction: Ireland to win the first half by 1-7 points at 13/8
*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing*
