ANDY FARRELL reckons former Ireland chief Jose Schmidt has Australia where he expected them to be at this stage of his tenure.

Schmidt began his role as Wallabies head coach in March on a two- year deal after taking over from their previous boss Eddie Jones.

The former Leinster and Ireland boss led Australia to three wins on the spin to start with — defeating Wales twice and Georgia once.

But his side finished bottom of the Rugby Championship after recording just one win in six games.

They started the November international window with a 42-37 victory against England in Twickenham.

An emphatic 52-20 success followed at the expense of Wales before Scotland got the better of them 27-13 at Murrayfield yesterday.

But Australia are capable of posing a threat to Farrell and Co ahead of Saturday’s showdown at the Aviva.

Schmidt was Ireland chief for six years before handing the role over to Farrell in 2019.

And Farrell — who saw his side thump Fiji 52-17 on Saturday — said: “I think Australia are progressing exactly how we thought they would do.

“Joe has taken his time by playing a good few players first and foremost.

“It took a little bit of pain but he has done the right thing for the squad.

“He has got a good opinion and they’re reaping the rewards for that at this moment in time.

“They’ve always got the athletes and he’s trying to find out about them more personally, I would have thought, over the last six months.

“He’s got that now and he has got them playing really good rugby.”

While Farrell and some of his assistants worked with Schmidt in the IRFU before, Kiwi Andrew Goodman has also worked under the former Ireland chief.

Goodman was drafted in as a utility back during Schmidt’s final year at the helm of Leinster during the 2012-13 campaign.

He made only 17 appearances for the Blues that season but Goodman later returned to the eastern province as an assistant coach in 2022.

And he has subsequently found himself back in the international arena as attacking coach, taking over from Mike Catt.

And Farrell said: “Goodie is doing a fantastic job. He’s a workaholic and he’s across a lot of things.”

Goodman’s imprint could be seen in Ireland’s routine win over Fiji, with Gus McCarthy and Caelan Doris both crossing the whitewash.

Farrell added: “We’re starting to see the fruits of that work. His work he did with Gus McCarthy.

“A young fella who was coming charging around the corner during the week and just needs to calm down a little bit. The composure that he had at the line was the reason why the try from Doris was scored.”

Ireland ran eight tries past Fiji and strolled to a 35-point victory. But Farrell was pleased that his side rose to the physical challenge posed by the Pacific Islanders.

He added: “Everyone thinks it’s this fancy and offloading rugby but they are unbelievably tough and aggressive.

“One of the messages at half time was about our first up tackles and one-on-one tackles because they are strong. They challenge you.

“There’s no better way of putting that to use than at the breakdown. It was ferocious at the breakdown.

“It must have been really hard to referee. I was glad that we kept our composure.”

IRELAND head coach Andy Farrell was pleased with the performances delivered by debutants Gus McCarthy and Cormac Izuchukwu.

His side stormed to a commanding 52-17 victory against Fiji in the Autumn Nations Series at the Aviva Stadium.

A little over two years on from captaining Blackrock College to a Leinster Schools Senior Cup title, 21-year-old hooker McCarthy lined out alongside Andrew Porter and Finlay Bealham in the Irish front-row.

He capped his international bow with a second half try after previously setting up five-pointers for captain Caelan Doris, Craig Casey and Bundee Aki.

Ulster flanker Izuchukwu was unfortunate to have a try ruled out for a forward pass.

But the Offaly native left an impression on Farrell during his 51 minutes on the pitch.

Farrell remarked in his post-match press conference: “I was gutted for Izzy in regards to the forward pass.

“It would have been nice for him to get over the line.

“I thought he was a presence, certainly in the lineout. He’s some athlete.

“You give people these opportunities for them to realise their own potential.

“It’s what they do with that experience that is going to be important pushing on, but what a story there for Gus.

“Two years ago, lifting the Senior Cup with Caelan’s school and I thought he did a brilliant job.

“To play 80 minutes and finish the game at number 7? Well, him and his family will remember that forever.”

While it wasn’t his senior debut for Ireland, Leinster’s Sam Prendergast was making his first Test start at out-half after an encouraging appearance off the bench against Argentina last Friday week.

He spent 10 minutes in the sin bin during the early stages of the contest for a heavy tackle on Fiji’s Kitione Salawa that remained as a yellow card following a bunker review.

But the Kildare man ended the action with five successful conversions and an assist for Mack Hansen’s try in first half stoppage-time.

He had felt that the precocious fly-half was ‘excellent’ in his debut outing eight days earlier.

And the boss was once again thrilled with how Prendergast conducted himself in the Aviva on Saturday.

He added: “I thought he did great. I thought he was really composed.

“There was a few mistakes within his game obviously, but he was pulling the strings there for a good while and he was really composed.”

The 49-year-old also confirmed that Jacob Stockdale and Jamie Osborne were withdrawn with hamstring and adductor injuries respectively.

PLAYER of the match Bundee Aki was amongst the tries at the Aviva Stadium as Ireland claimed a comprehensive 35-point triumph over Fiji in their third game of this year’s Autumn Nations Series.

Debutant Gus McCarthy also crossed the whitewash and had a hand in four other scores as Andy Farrell’s men put themselves in a positive frame of mind ahead of next weekend’s final November test against an Australian side that are coached by his predecessor Joe Schmidt.

Sam Prendergast was handed his first Test start after appearing off the bench in last Friday week’s nail-biting win over Argentina.

And his Leinster team-mate Gus McCarthy and Ulster flanker Cormac Izuchukwu were making their Ireland senior bows after being named in the first 15 earlier in the week.

McCarthy left an early impression on this contest as he picked up possession at the back of a maul – after his own line-out delivery had been comfortably gathered – and released Ireland captain Caelan Doris for a breakthrough fifth-minute try.

Prendergast slotted over the resulting conversion in routine fashion, but the Kildare native subsequently found himself in the sin bin moments later for a high tackle on Fiji’s Kitione Salawa.

An off field review determined that the Irish fly-half’s challenge didn’t warrant being upgraded to a red card, but the hosts moved further in front during his temporary absence.

Although they breathed a sigh of relief when Jiuta Wanigolo’s effort to secure a Fiji try was ruled out by TMO Mike Adamson, a ‘tap and go’ from Gus McCarthy on 15 minutes paved the way for Josh van der Flier to cross over for the second time in just three games.

Craig Casey briefly assumed kicking duties from Prendergast and the Munster scrum-half convincingly split the uprights to move Ireland 14 points clear.

A successful Caleb Muntz penalty got Fiji up and running ahead of Prendergast’s return from the bin.

But the visitors were temporarily reduced to 14 players themselves when loosehead prop Eroni Mawi was yellow carded just shy of the first-quarter mark.

Ireland couldn’t add to their total during this 10 minute period, however, and suffered a set-back when Jamie Osborne was withdrawn through injury – the versatile Ciaran Frawley taking his place at full-back in the 28th minute.

Yet the Green Army were determined to end the opening half with a flourish and their third try eventually arrived when Casey touched down in the right-corner on the half-hour.

Prendergast added the bonuses to this score on his return to the tee and after his delicate crossfield kick left Mack Hansen with a simple finish at the end of a stoppage-time attack, he added two more points to propel Ireland towards a 28-3 interval advantage.

Gus McCarthy had also provided the final pass for the try that Casey scored in the opening period and he once again turned provider for Aki’s five-pointer at the end of a prolonged move seven minutes after the resumption.

In the wake of this latest try, Farrell opted to dip extensively into his reserve options with all but one of his replacements having entered the fray by the 51st minute.

However, one of these changes was enforced due to an injury sustained by Jacob Stockdale – who was making his first Ireland appearance since August 2023 – meaning Conor Murray was forced to fill in for the Ulster man on the left-wing.

Fiji had struggled to create any sort of attacking momentum up to this point, but they finally crossed the Irish whitewash on 55 minutes when Salawa powered over for a fine individual try that was supplemented by a Muntz conversion.

FINAL ACTIONS

Even though Ireland reinforced their authority inside the final-quarter when Gus McCarthy registered the try that his performance deserved off a line-out maul move, this was swiftly cancelled out by a breakaway score from Fijian replacement Setareki Turagacoke.

Yet the Stade Francais forward was subsequently sin-binned on 67 minutes and Ireland took immediate advantage of their latest numerical supremacy with a second try from the ever-dangerous Hansen.

It initially looked like this was going to be the final score of the tie – until replacement Ronan Kelleher popped up in the 79th minute for a five-pointer that rounded off an accomplished display from Ireland.

Scorers: Ireland: Tries: M Hansen 2, C Doris, J van der Flier, C Casey, B Aki, G McCarthy, R Kelleher. Cons: S Prendergast 5, C Casey.

Fiji: Tries: K Salawa, S Turagacoke. Con: C Muntz 2. Pen: C Muntz.

Ireland: J Osborne (C Frawley 28); M Hansen, R Henshaw (S McCloskey 48), B Aki (R Kelleher 74), J Stockdale (C Murray 50); S Prendergast, C Casey; A Porter (T O’Toole 48), G McCarthy, F Bealham (T Clarkson 48); J McCarthy, T Beirne; C Izuchukwu (I Henderson 51), J van der Flier (C Prendergast 48), C Doris.

Fiji: V Karawalevu; J Wainiqolo, W Nayacalevu (V Botitu 61), J Tuisova, P Loganimasi (S Maqala 55); C Muntz, F Lomani (P Matawalu 23); E Mawi (H Hetet 51), T Ikanivere (S Matavesi 51), L Tagi (S Tawake h-t); M Vocevoce, T Mayanavanua (S Turagacoke 59); R Meli Derenalagi (A Tuisue 59), K Salawa (H Hetet 23-29), E Canakaivata.

Referee: H Davidson (Scotland).

He might be well settled back in his homeland at this point, but Ireland is a country that still retains a special place in the heart of Argentinian head coach Felipe Contepomi.

After arriving from Bristol in 2003, the Buenos Aires native enjoyed a six-year stint as a Leinster player – amassing an impressive tally of 1,225 points across 116 appearances.

While his side have pulled off some big victories in the current calendar year, Felipe Contepomi has says his primary focus is on performances rather than results ahead of Friday’s game against Ireland in the Aviva Stadium.

A former player and assistant coach with Leinster, Contepomi took over as Pumas supremo from Michael Cheika in the wake of last year’s Rugby World Cup in France – where the South American nation achieved a fourth-place finish. The Buenos Aires native is currently 10 games into his reign and in addition to getting the better of France in a summer test international, he also guided his country to impressive triumphs over world champions South Africa, New Zealand and Australia over the course of an eventful campaign in the Rugby Championship.

Scrum-half Gonzalo Bertranou has said Argentina will need to leave nothing up to chance if they are to overcome ‘a different beast’ in the form of Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on Friday evening (kick-off 8.10pm).

At Stadio Friuli in Udine last Saturday, the Pumas registered seven tries on their way to defeating Italy 50-18 in the first of three international tests that the South American nation are set to play in November.