Game 2.

Ireland’s 12-match unbeaten run came to an end on Saturday as they were overturned by Michael Cheika’s Wallabies at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

Joe Schmidt rested the likes of Dan Leavy, Johnny Sexton, Tadhg Furlong, Garry Ringrose and Cian Healy for the game, giving guys like John Ryan and Joey Carbery a chance to start a big Test game.

Ireland may not have got the win they were searching for, but Schmidt was right to give these guys a shot in the opening Test, and will have learned an awful lot from it.

But heading into the second Test, Ireland need a win. While summer tours are a great opportunity to test out other options – the men in green still want to come away with a series win. That being said, Schmidt will likely shake things up this weekend.

Expect Leavy, Sexton, Furlong and Healy to come straight back into the starting line-up as Ireland look to tie things back up. Rob Kearney also didn’t have the best of games this weekend and could lose his pace, while Keith Earls may miss the second Test after picking up a suspected concussion.

We also think it’s time to fast track Tadhg Beirne in the starting line-up to help deal with the likes of David Pocock and Michael Hooper at the breakdown. Iain Henderson can drop to the bench, as he’s only just back from injury anyway. Let’s see what Beirne is made of and thrown him into the Test cauldron.

Anyway – here’s the team we would go with.

Ireland vs Australia – 2nd Test

15. Jordan Larmour
14. Keith Earls (if fit)/Andrew Conway
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Bundee Aki/Robbie Henshaw (too close to call)
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Conor Murray

1. Cian Healy
2. Sean Cronin
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Tadhg Beirne
5. James Ryan
6. Peter O’Mahony (c)
7. Dan Leavy
8. CJ Stander

Replacements: Rob Herring, Jack McGrath, Andrew Porter, Iain Henderson, Jack Conan, John Cooney, Joey Carbery, Andrew Conway/ Rob Kearney