Australia 18-12 Ireland

15/06/2008

Ireland were left to rue their error count as they ended their southern hemisphere tour with defeat against Australia.

The Irish came up short for the second weekend running as Robbie Deans got off to a winning start as Australia coach.

The tourists lost to New Zealand 21-11 last weekend and it was a similar story again at Melbourne's Telstra Dome.

Both teams scored two tries, with Matt Giteau's two penalties eventually proving the difference between the sides. But Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll, who scored one of the tries, was frustrated by his side's handling errors as they pushed for the try-line in the last 15 minutes.

He said: "We lacked a bit of that clinical touch at times and we were made to pay for it.

"When you are playing sides like the Wallabies, those last passes have to go to hand.

"Little pops here and there went to the deck, when on another day they may have stuck to hand and created more opportunities..

It just wasn't to be and that is where the frustration is." It didn't take long for Australia to get on the board, with Berrick Barnes scoring a try after just five minutes following good work from Lote Tuqiri.

But Ireland hit back as Denis Leamy barged over to level the scores and Ronan O'Gara's conversion made it 7-5 to the Irish after 15 minutes.

Giteau helped put the Wallabies back in front with an excellent run before off-loading to James Horwill, who went in under the posts.

Two penalties by Giteau then made it 18-7, which left Ireland facing an uphill battle, and although O'Driscoll crossed, after good work from Robert Kearney and Tony Buckley, it wasn't enough to stop the Wallabies.

Aussie coach Deans said: "History doesn't recall the detail, it just recalls the score and we are delighted to get home ahead." Australia tries: Barnes, Horwill; con: Giteau; pens: Giteau 2.

Ireland tries: Leamy, O Driscoll; con: O'Gara.