History of rugby union matches between Australia and Ireland

Since 1927, Australia and Ireland have competed against each other in rugby union in thirty-eight matches, Australia having won twenty-two, Ireland fifteen, 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 30 November 2024 and was won 22–19 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.^[1] The Cup is currently held by Ireland since defeating Australia in Dublin in 2024.

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	21	11	9	1	369	297
Neutral venue	1	0	1	0	6	15
Overall	38	22	15	1	765	570

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; 16 June 2018 – present) Largest points for Home 46 (12 June 1999) 27 (26 November 2016) Away 42 (31 October 1992) 27 (3 June 1979) Neutral 6 (17 September 2011) 15 (17 September 2011) Largest winning margin Home 36 (12 June 1999) 15 (19 November 2006) Away 25 (31 October 1992) 15 (3 June 1979) Neutral — 9 (17 September 2011)

Attendance Up to date as of 1 December 2024. Total attendance 1,616,359 Average attendance 42,536 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]
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]
3	18 January 1958	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	9–6	Ireland	1957–58 Australia tour of Great Britain, Ireland and France	33,000	[4]
4	21 January 1967	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	15–8	Ireland	1966–67 Australia tour of Great Britain, Ireland and France	54,000	[5]
5	13 May 1967	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	5–11	Ireland	1967 Ireland tour of Australia	32,605	[6]
6	26 October 1968	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	10–3	Ireland	1968 Australia tour of Great Britain and Ireland	28,000	[7]
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]
8	3 June 1979	Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane	12–27	Ireland	1979 Ireland tour of Australia	16,500	[9]
9	16 June 1979	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	3–9	Ireland		33,476	[10]
10	21 November 1981	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	12–16	Australia	1981–82 Australia tour of Great Britain and Ireland	54,000	[11]
11	10 November 1984	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	9–16	Australia	1984 Australia tour of Great Britain and Ireland	35,600	[12]
12	7 June 1987	Concord Oval, Sydney	33–15	Australia	1987 Rugby World Cup	14,856	[13]
13	20 October 1991	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	18–19	Australia	1991 Rugby World Cup	54,500	[14]
14	31 October 1992	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	17–42	Australia	1992 Australia tour of Great Britain and Ireland	54,500	[15]
15	5 June 1994	Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane	33–13	Australia	1994 Ireland tour of Australia	26,545	[16]
16	11 June 1994	Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	32–18	Australia		37,239	[17]
17	23 November 1996	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	12–22	Australia	1996 Australia tour of Great Britain, Ireland and Italy	52,000	[18]
18	12 June 1999	Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane	46–10	Australia	1999 Ireland tour of Australia	24,177	[19]
19	19 June 1999	Subiaco Oval, Perth	32–26	Australia		26,267	[20]
20	10 October 1999	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	3–23	Australia	1999 Rugby World Cup	49,250	[21]
21	9 November 2002	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	18–9	Ireland	2002 Autumn International	49,000	[22]
22	7 June 2003	Subiaco Oval, Perth	45–16	Australia	2003 Ireland tour of Australia, Samoa and Tonga	40,000	[23]
23	1 November 2003	Docklands Stadium, Melbourne	17–16	Australia	2003 Rugby World Cup	54,206	[24]
24	19 November 2005	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	14–30	Australia	2005 Autumn International	42,000	[25]
25	24 June 2006	Subiaco Oval, Perth	37–15	Australia	2006 Summer International	38,200	[26]
26	19 November 2006	Lansdowne Road, Dublin	21–6	Ireland	2006 Autumn International	42,000	[27]
27	14 June 2008	Docklands Stadium, Melbourne	18–12	Australia	2008 Summer International	47,500	[28]
28	15 November 2009	Croke Park, Dublin	20–20	draw	2009 Autumn International	69,886	[29]
29	26 June 2010	Lang Park, Brisbane	22–15	Australia	2010 Summer International	45,498	[30]
30	17 September 2011	Eden Park, Auckland (New Zealand)	15–6	Ireland	2011 Rugby World Cup	58,678	[31]
31	16 November 2013	Aviva Stadium, Dublin	15–32	Australia	2013 Autumn International	51,000	[32]
32	22 November 2014	Aviva Stadium, Dublin	26–23	Ireland	2014 Autumn International	51,100	[33]
33	26 November 2016	Aviva Stadium, Dublin	27–24	Ireland	2016 Autumn International	51,000	[34]
34	9 June 2018	Lang Park, Brisbane	18–9	Australia	2018 Ireland tour of Australia	46,273	[35]
35	16 June 2018	Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne	21–26	Ireland		29,018	[36]
36	23 June 2018	Stadium Australia, Sydney	16–20	Ireland		44,085	[37]
37	19 November 2022	Aviva Stadium, Dublin	13–10	Ireland	2022 Autumn International	51,700	[38]
38	30 November 2024	Aviva Stadium, Dublin	22–19	Ireland	2024 Autumn International	51,700	[39]

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.