All you need to know about Ireland v Australia

Ireland have won five of their past six Test matches against Australia

Ireland will aim to finish their November series on a high when they host their former head coach Joe Schmidt and his Australia side in a Test staged to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Irish Rugby Football Union.

Andy Farrell's squad will be boosted by their commanding victory over Fiji on Saturday, while the visitors will have one fewer day to prepare having been beaten by Scotland on Sunday.

It is just the second time the Wallabies have visited Dublin since 2016 and they will be seeking a first away win in the fixture since 2013 - a victory that came in what was Schmidt's second game in charge of Ireland.

Here is all you need to know about Ireland v Australia.

When is kick-off?

The match takes place at 15:10 GMT at Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

How can I follow on the BBC?

You can follow blow-by-blow action on Saturday with our live text commentary.

You can also listen by tuning into BBC Sounds or BBC Radio Ulster, with audio also available on the BBC Sport website & app.

For all the build-up and analysis, make sure to follow the Irish Rugby page.

When are the line-ups announced?

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell will name his team on Thursday afternoon at 14:00 GMT.

Australia are expected to reveal their line-up on Thursday too.

Who is the referee?

Italian referee Andrea Piardi will be the man with the whistle in Dublin on Saturday.

Compatriot Gianluca Gneechi will be one assistant with Georgian Nika Amashukeli the other.

Frenchman Eric Gauzins is to be the Television Match Official [TMO].

Form book

Ireland had their 19-game winning run at the Aviva Stadium ended by the All Blacks to start the month but have rebounded with victories over Argentina and Fiji over the past fortnight.

If the win over the Pumas was a nervy affair - Ireland prevailed 22-19 only after the visitors knocked on deep into opposition territory to end the game - they cut loose against Fiji on Saturday.

Andy Farrell made seven changes for the game and his rotated panel ran in eight tries on their way to a 52-17 win.

Australia, meanwhile, started their November tour in impressive fashion, sparking hopes they could emulate the 'Grand Slam' heroes of 1984.

Wins over the England and Wales had them half way to the clean sweep, but they were well beaten by Scotland on Sunday and arrive in Dublin off the back of a 27-13 reverse.

Injury news

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii left Australia's loss to Scotland with an injury

After he picked up a hamstring injury during Ireland's preparations in Portugal, tight-head prop Tadhg Furlong is yet to feature during this series.

Backs Jamie Osborne and Jacob Stockdale, meanwhile, limped out of the win over Fiji with abductor and hamstring issues respectively.

For Australia, there will be a doubt over emerging star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii after the Rugby League convert departed with an injury during the first-half of his side's Murrayfield defeat on Sunday.

Centre Samu Kerevi, who is serving a ban for his red card against Wales, and former captain Will Skelton will not be available as the game falls outside World Rugby's designated international window.

Past meetings

Overall, these sides have met in 37 previous Tests with Australia winning 22, Ireland 14 and the pair sharing a draw at Croke Park in 2009.

Ireland have won the past three meetings, a run that included a series victory in Australia in 2018, and another triumph on Saturday would equal their longest ever winning run against the Wallabies.

They still have some way to go, however, to match Australia's 11-game winning run in this fixture between 1981 and 1999.

Fans attending the game on Saturday will be hoping for a better spectacle than when the sides last met in 2022.

In what was a disjointed game after Irish captain Johnny Sexton pulled out with an injury during the warm-up, Bundee Aki and Jordan Petaia traded scores before Ireland's replacement fly-half Ross Byrne kicked a late penalty for a 13-10 win.

Joe Schmidt back in Dublin

Australia coach Joe Schmidt enjoyed a successful six-year spell in charge of Ireland

There is no doubting the major subplot surrounding this Test match as arguably Ireland's best ever coach returns to the Aviva Stadium.

Joe Schmidt won three Six Nations titles in six years, including one Grand Slam, as Ireland coach, as well as ending a 111-year wait for a win over the All Blacks and delivering a first ever victory on South African soil.

He would leave after the 2019 World Cup and was replaced as head coach by his then assistant Andy Farrell.

While Schmidt was on the All Blacks staff that beat Ireland at the 2023 World Cup, this will be the first meeting between the pair as opposing head coaches.

They will get used to it, however, with this Farrell's last Test in charge of Ireland before he takes a sabbatical to lead the British and Irish Lions in Australia next summer.