History of rugby union matches between Australia and Ireland

Since 1927, Australia and Ireland have competed against each other in rugby union in thirty-seven matches, Australia having won twenty-two, Ireland fourteen, with one draw. Their first meeting was on 12 November 1927, and was won 5–3 by Australia. Their most recent meeting took place at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin on 19 November 2022 and was won 13–10 by Ireland.

Ireland have faced Australia five times in Rugby World Cup play, with Australia winning the first four before Ireland finally won in Eden Park in 2011.

Since 1999 the two sides have competed for the Lansdowne Cup. The Cup is currently held by Ireland on a run of three wins since defeating Australia in Melbourne in 2018.

Summary

Overall

Details	Played	Won by Australia	Won by Ireland	Drawn	Australia points	Ireland points
In Australia	16	11	5	0	390	258
In Ireland	20	11	8	1	350	275
Neutral venue	1	0	1	0	6	15
Overall	37	22	14	1	746	548

Records

Note: Date shown in brackets indicates when the record was or last set.

Record	Australia	Ireland
Longest winning streak	11 (21 November 1981 – 9 November 2002)	4 (18 January 1958 – 17 January 1976)
Largest points for
Home	46 (12 June 1999)	27 (26 November 2016)
Away	42 (31 October 1992)	27 (3 June 1979)
Largest winning margin
Home	36 (12 June 1999)	15 (19 November 2006)
Away	25 (31 October 1992)	15 (3 June 1979)

Attendance

Up to date as of 19 November 2022.

Total attendance
1,564,659
Average attendance
42,288
Highest attendance
69,886 Ireland 20–20 Australia 15 November 2009

Results

No.	Date	Venue	Score	Winner	Competition	Attendance	Ref.
1	12 November 1927	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	3–5	Australia	1927–28 New South Wales tour of Great Britain, Ireland and France	25,000
2	6 December 1947	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	3–16	Australia	1947–48 Australia tour of Great Britain, Ireland, France and North America	50,000
3	18 January 1958	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	9–6	Ireland	1957–58 Australia tour of Great Britain, Ireland and France	33,000
4	21 January 1967	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	15–8	Ireland	1966–67 Australia tour of Great Britain, Ireland and France	54,000
5	13 May 1967	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	5–11	Ireland	1967 Ireland tour of Australia	32,605
6	26 October 1968	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	10–3	Ireland	1968 Australia tour of Great Britain and Ireland	28,000
7	17 January 1976	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	10–20	Australia	1975–76 Australia tour of Great Britain, Ireland and the United States	52,000
8	3 June 1979	Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane	12–27	Ireland	1979 Ireland tour of Australia	16,500
9	16 June 1979	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	3–9	Ireland		33,476
10	21 November 1981	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	12–16	Australia	1981–82 Australia tour of Great Britain and Ireland	54,000
11	10 November 1984	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	9–16	Australia	1984 Australia tour of Great Britain and Ireland	35,600
12	7 June 1987	Concord Oval, Sydney	33–15	Australia	1987 Rugby World Cup	14,856
13	20 October 1991	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	18–19	Australia	1991 Rugby World Cup	54,500
14	31 October 1992	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	17–42	Australia	1992 Australia tour of Great Britain and Ireland	54,500
15	5 June 1994	Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane	33–13	Australia	1994 Ireland tour of Australia	26,545
16	11 June 1994	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	32–18	Australia		37,239
17	23 November 1996	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	12–22	Australia	1996 Australia tour of Great Britain, Ireland and Italy	52,000
18	12 June 1999	Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane	46–10	Australia	1999 Ireland tour of Australia	24,177
19	19 June 1999	Subiaco Oval, Perth	32–26	Australia		26,267
20	10 October 1999	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	3–23	Australia	1999 Rugby World Cup	49,250
21	9 November 2002	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	18–9	Ireland	2002 Autumn International	49,000
22	7 June 2003	Subiaco Oval, Perth	45–16	Australia	2003 Ireland tour of Australia, Samoa and Tonga	40,000
23	1 November 2003	Docklands Stadium, Melbourne	17–16	Australia	2003 Rugby World Cup	54,206
24	19 November 2005	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	14–30	Australia	2005 Autumn International	42,000
25	24 June 2006	Subiaco Oval, Perth	37–15	Australia	2006 Summer International	38,200
26	19 November 2006	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	21–6	Ireland	2006 Autumn International	42,000
27	14 June 2008	Docklands Stadium, Melbourne	18–12	Australia	2008 Summer International	47,500
28	15 November 2009	Croke Park, Dublin	20–20	draw	2009 Autumn International	69,886
29	26 June 2010	Lang Park, Brisbane	22–15	Australia	2010 Summer International	45,498
30	17 September 2011	Eden Park, Auckland (New Zealand)	15–6	Ireland	2011 Rugby World Cup	58,678
31	16 November 2013	Aviva Stadium, Dublin	15–32	Australia	2013 Autumn International	51,000
32	22 November 2014	Aviva Stadium, Dublin	26–23	Ireland	2014 Autumn International	51,100
33	26 November 2016	Aviva Stadium, Dublin	27–24	Ireland	2016 Autumn International	51,000
34	9 June 2018	Lang Park, Brisbane	18–9	Australia	2018 Ireland tour of Australia	46,273
35	16 June 2018	Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne	21–26	Ireland		29,018
36	23 June 2018	Stadium Australia, Sydney	16–20	Ireland		44,085
37	19 November 2022	Aviva Stadium, Dublin	13–10	Ireland	2022 Autumn International	51,700

List of series

Played	Won by Australia	Won by Ireland	Drawn
5	2	3	0

Year	Australia	Ireland	Series winner	Lansdowne Cup
1967	0	1	Ireland	Not contested
1979	0	2	Ireland
1994	2	0	Australia
1999	2	0	Australia
2018	1	2	Ireland

Images

An Ireland line-out in the 2nd test against Australia in Sydney, 1979.

Australia claim a line-out during their 2011 Rugby World Cup match with Ireland in New Zealand.

Radike Samo takes the ball from the back of the scrum during Australia's 2011 Rugby World Cup match with Ireland.

Will Genia throws a pass during Australia's 2011 Rugby World Cup match with Ireland.

External links

• "Pick and Go Test match results database". lassen.co.nz. Retrieved 7 November 2010.