Ireland coach Andy Farrell will head into his secondment with the British and Irish Lions on the back of a narrow win over Australia, the team he intends to bring down on next year’s tour.

Ireland boss Andy Farrell signed off before his British and Irish Lions sabbatical in victorious fashion thanks to a nervy 22-19 comeback win over Joe Schmidt’s Australia in Dublin. Gus McCarthy’s late try helped the hosts narrowly come out on top against former head coach Schmidt in an engrossing encounter marking the 150th anniversary of Irish rugby.

Ireland showed character to deny former coach Joe Schmidt a winning return to Lansdowne Road on Saturday by edging Australia 22-19 in a scrappy encounter in their one-off rugby Test. "It's a quality side,