Talking points as Ireland wrap up autumn campaign against Australia

Ireland conclude their autumn campaign on Saturday by taking on Joe Schmidt’s Australia in Dublin.

The Aviva Stadium showdown, which is part of Irish rugby’s 150th anniversary celebrations, is packed with subplots.

Here, we pick out some of the main talking points.

Leading the Lions into a new era…

Your #Lions2025 Head Coach: Andy Farrell.#Howden @CanterburyNZ

— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) January 11, 2024

Andy Farrell will bid a temporary farewell to his role as Ireland head coach at full-time as he takes a sabbatical to lead next year’s British and Irish Lions series against the Wallabies. Defence coach Simon Easterby is poised to take over on an interim basis and will oversee the 2025 Six Nations and a subsequent summer tour. Farrell has repeatedly maintained his imminent departure has not been a distraction this month, while he expects the handover process to be “seamless”. A sizeable chunk of his squad will have aspirations of joining him on the Lions tour.

Australia boss Schmidt led Ireland to three Six Nations titles and a historic first win over his native New Zealand during his six-year spell as head coach. Farrell, who served as assistant under Schmidt, hailed his former boss’ “phenomenal” impact on Irish rugby as the pair prepare to go head-to-head for the first time. With the Lions series on the horizon, the clash is the first of four meetings between the pair. Schmidt, who still has a house in Dublin, anticipates a special day. “I try to be pretty transactional and pretty pragmatic on game day but there will be some emotion in it for me for sure,” he said.

One last match!