The Albany Gazette - Australia capable of upsetting 'flat' Irish, says MacNeill

The game represents a chance for former Ireland coach Joe Schmidt to get the better of his successor Andy Farrell, after the latter guided the British and Irish Lions to a 2-1 series victory over the Wallabies in July.

Ireland have beaten Australia in their last four meetings but they have all been tight, including the 22-19 victory in Dublin last November.

That gave the Irish a measure of revenge over Schmidt, who had been pivotal as a member of the New Zealand backroom staff in dashing their dreams of 2023 World Cup glory by beating them in the quarter-finals.

Schmidt is still regarded with affection in Ireland after sparking a golden era by delivering three Six Nations titles -- including the 2018 Grand Slam -- and victories over all the southern hemisphere teams including a historic first win over the All Blacks.

Farrell has built on that, but to many there is a feeling that the team have been in decline dating back to that World Cup defeat by New Zealand which also heralded the retirement of their legendary fly-half Johnny Sexton.

The Irish come in to the game on the back of a 41-10 victory over Japan in Dublin -- though the final result flattered the hosts. The Wallabies, meanwhile, suffered a surprise 26-19 defeat by Italy.

MacNeill, however, thinks Farrell's men could be there for the taking at Lansdowne Road.

"Joe has tried to model the Wallabies on what he did in Ireland but you need the players to do so," MacNeill told AFP by phone.

"Australia can be competitive, they beat the Lions in the final Test and the Springboks in South Africa.

"It's going to be a tough game. We are rebuilding and are presently in a tough but not fantastic situation.

"They will fancy having a go at Ireland and not letting the Irish get an early score and the crowd fired up."

- 'Scruff of the neck' -

MacNeill, a key member of two Triple Crown-winning sides in 1982 and 1985, says the Irish have retreated to their old tactics of "kicking to the corners and relying on the maul, or Dan Sheehan picking it up off a line-out close to the try line".

The problem, says the former British and Irish Lion is no one has stepped up and filled the "huge boots of Johnny (Sexton)".

Since Sexton retired, Farrell has switched between Munster's Jack Crowley and Leinster's Sam Prendergast, neither of whom has been able to convince the coach he is the undisputed number one.

"There is a lack of coherence to the team," said MacNeill, with Prendergast named to start on Saturday with Crowley on the bench.

"We have looked very blunt both against Japan and New Zealand.

"We lack the leadership and direction in the backs that Johnny delivered time and again."

MacNeill, capped 36 times from 1981-91, said that with only two years to go to the Rugby World Cup it is a major worry.

Crowley is 25 and Prendergast is three years younger.

"They are talented players, do not get me wrong," said MacNeill.

"However, if you look back over the past two years can one say that either one of them has taken a game by the scruff of the neck?

"No, is the answer."

For MacNeill, 67, Ireland still possess outstanding backs. He singled out Jamison Gibson-Park and the injured fullback Hugo Keenan.

The next two Tests, against the Wallabies and then world champions South Africa on Saturday week, could be pivotal in indicating which direction Ireland are going, MacNeill said.

"We have had some golden years and people expected us to beat the southern hemisphere teams," said MacNeill.

"These two Tests will either show that the Irish are reinvigorated or that this team has run its course."

(B.Ramirez--TAG)