Australia unleashed their next generation of rugby superstars on the Irish public at Temple Hill, Cork, on Saturday, inflicting a heavy defeat on the home side.
Full back Chris Siale stole the show with his pace, intelligent running and his all-round game. His ability to turn off either foot at full speed was a joy to behold and his try at the beginning of the second half was simplicity itself and very well worked.
Centres Joel Slater and Drew Mitchell also showed exceptional potential while winger Junior Hunt looked a class act, too. His link-up play was exceptional and his ball handling skills were superb on a number of occasions.
Playing to a team pattern that allowed them to display poise and intelligence beyond their years, the Australians, particularly in the second half, were too good for a gallant Irish side.
They led 14-6 at the interval but should have been further ahead such was their complete dominance in all areas of the pitch.
They controlled the line-outs, regularly stealing on the Irish throw, and in the scrums they were too powerful for the Irish pack who were up against one of the biggest front rows ever seen in schoolboy rugby.
Prop Rodney Blake weighed in at 22 stone while his two partners in the front row came in at just over 17 stone each.
This weight advantage certainly put it up to the much lighter front row of Cillain O'Byrne, Denis Fogarty and James Mackessy who, to their credit, never once backed away from the challenge that faced them.
The opening try of the game came on the stroke of half-time from Drew Mitchell who found himself in the right place at the right time after a superb four-man passing move.
Ireland's only points came from the boot of scrumhalf David Connellan with two successful penalties, although they did have a chance to score a try in the 30th minute when winger Tomas O'Leary, son of former-Cork hurler Seβnie, knocked on with the line in sight.
Ireland began the second half as they had ended the first by making an unforced error. A bad kick-off from the restart handed possession to the Australians who added their second try from Junior Hunt at the end of a sustained period of pressure.
Chris Lyons, who landed a total of three penalties and four conversions, added the points to leave it 21-6 and the game was over as a contest with the Irish facing a big defeat with 30 minutes still to play.
Unfortunately, whenever the Irish won possession, they turned it over and the Australians profited every time, running in further tries from Siale, Josh Clements, Jonathon Hoy and Ole Avei to round off a miserable afternoon for the home team.
"We were punished for every mistake we made by a very good Australian side," Irish coach Bobby Byrne said. "It was quite noticeable that we were playing our first game together as a unit and they were used to playing with each other. We battled bravely and never gave up but the Australians were much bigger and stronger."
IRELAND: R McCarron (Gonzaga); T O'Leary (CBC, Cork), J Hegarty (Blackrock ), K Copeland (Blackrock), R Conway (Coleraine AI); C Sharpe (Blackrock) capt, D Connellan (Clongowes Wood); C O'Byrne (St Mary's), D Fogarty (Rockwell), J Mackessy (Rockwell), L Stevenson (Ballyclare HS), A Houlihan (Clongowes Wood), K McLoughlin (Gonzaga), D O'Brien (Belvedere) J Rockett (St Michael's). Replacements: C McNaughton (Rockwell) for Copland (39 mins), N Conlon (RBAI) for O'Byrne (46 mins), N Jenkinson (Royal Dungannon) for Stevenson (65 mins), E Griffin (Crescent) for McLoughlin (67 mins), D Gavin (St Michael's) for Fogarty (70 mins).
AUSTRALIA: C Siale; G Kome, J Hunt, J Slater, D Mitchell; C Lyons, J Valentine; R Pearce, J Hoy, R Blake, J Clements, H. McMeniman, O Avei, L Tomaki, M Chapman (capt). Replacements: R Brown for Chapman (30 mins inj), J Tufuga for Pearce (42 mins), S Hockings for Clements (46 mins), I Power for McMeniman (65 mins), K Massey for Hunt (67 mins).
Referee: H Watkins (WRU).
