Dublin:  Ireland recorded their first ever back-to-back wins against two different southern hemisphere sides here on Sunday when they beat two-time world champions Australia 21-6.

First-half tries by Denis Hickie and Geordan Murphy  both brought into the starting line-up for the match by coach Eddie O'Sullivan after the 32-15 win over South Africa  saw them to a relatively comfortable victory over the Wallabies  only their second in the last 25 years.

It was a very good performance in the first half and we didn't give Australia a lot of ball," said O'Sullivan.

"The conditions deteriorated and we knew it would get more difficult for Australia as the game went on. We got the balance right, maybe we were a little too flamboyant at times. It wasn't pretty but it was effective," he said.

Ireland produced some scrappy play in the opening stages as they were pinned back in their 22 with Brian O'Driscoll of all people knocking on and eventually they conceded a penalty which Stirling Mortlock easily put between the posts in the fifth minute.

South African referee Marius Jonker then penalised the Irish but Mortlock despite a stiff breeze in his favour sent another penalty just wide of the posts.

The Irish, though, then awoke from their slumbers and produced an extraordinary passage of play where they camped inside the Aussies' 22 for seven minutes swinging the ball from wing to wing.

But they were eventually thwarted when Geordan Murphy was adjudged to have knocked on before grounding the ball.

Jonker called the Wallabies for a penalty against them earlier in the move and Rona O'Gara levelled at 3-3 with the Munster star seeing the ball come off both posts before going over.


There was no quarter being given by either side with flanker Neil Best clattering Lote Tuqiri and then Shane Horgan - who had led the side out to celebrate his 50th cap  and O'Gara got in to a scrap with Wallaby flanker Phil Waugh.

The Irish finally got the try their overall play deserved as O'Gara's delightful kick to the wing behind the Aussie backline found Hickie and the 30-year-old veteran - playing instead of the injured Andrew Trimble - twisted and turned inside three Australians to touch down for his 26th try in 52 tests.

O'Gara failed to convert into the wind but the Aussies suffered another blow as fly-half Stephen Larkham had to go off and be replaced by Mat Rogers.

The pressure was piling up on the Wallabies as even with the gale behind them they failed to get out of their half.
The Irish got a deserved second try on the stroke of half-time as Horgan offloaded brilliantly to Murphy and the Leicester fullback ran in to touch down.

O'Gara made light of the wind to convert and give the scoreline a more realistic look at 15-3.

The Wallabies, with the harsh words of coach John Connolly ringing in their ears at half-time, reduced the deficit four minutes into the second period through a penalty from Mortlock.

O'Gara replied in kind after the visitors strayed offside to restore the 15 point advantage with 30 minutes remaining.
However, the tense atmosphere boiled over again as the combative Waugh tussled with Denis Leamy for which Jonker wielded the yellow card at both players.

Rogers was also sin-binned though Australian fullback Chris Latham was fortunate not follow for punching Leamy.
While Ireland had the one man advantage the Wallabies coped with it pretty well restricting the hosts to another O'Gara penalty to see the Irish extend their lead to 15 points from where there was no way back.