Ireland head coach Andy Farrell lauded Ross Byrne’s “nerves of steel” after the substitute kicked a dramatic late penalty to sink Australia in Dublin.<\/span><\/p>\n Having been called into the matchday squad only minutes before kick-off, the Leinster fly-half slotted between the posts from close to the touchline to give the hosts a 13-10 victory. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n The 27-year-old was winning his first cap since March last year.<\/span><\/p>\n “He has nerves of steel,” Farrell told Amazon Prime.<\/span><\/p>\n “He deserves everything he gets as far as plaudits are concerned. It takes guts, doesn’t it, to back yourself and go for it. <\/span><\/p>\n “He was never in doubt. He actually took the kick pretty quickly but I am absolutely delighted for him.”<\/span><\/p>\n Byrne, a late addition to the Ireland squad during the week as a replacement for the injured Joey Carbery, was not originally named in Farrell’s 23-man panel for the last of their three autumn internationals.<\/span><\/p>\n However, captain Johnny Sexton, who himself missed the win over Fiji last week because of a dead leg, had to drop out of the team just minutes before Saturday’s victory over the Aussies after picking up a calf strain.<\/span><\/p>\n That meant 22-year-old fly-half Jack Crowley was drafted into the starting line-up at the last minute, with Byrne taking his place on the bench before replacing him in the second half.<\/span><\/p>\n Farrell also had special praise for Munster’s Crowley, who kicked the only penalty of the first half in what was just just his third senior Ireland appearance. <\/span><\/p>\n “That was such a big win for us as a squad,” the head coach continued.<\/span><\/p>\n “Nobody likes to lose their captain just before the game but it is great for us going forward, finding out about ourselves as a group. <\/span><\/p>\n “Jack coming in – what a five or six weeks it has been for him. [Playing for] Emerging Ireland and then he finds himself on the bench, and his debut and then finds himself starting. <\/span><\/p>\n “The group looked after him, they looked after Joe [McCarthy, who came on for his debut against Australia] as well and I thought Craig Casey did well when he came on. <\/span><\/p>\n “It is awesome in this window to find out more about the group and push forward on to the Six Nations.”<\/span><\/p>\n Saturday evening’s win over the Wallabies, which completed a hat-trick of autumn victories for the world’s number-one-ranked side, was a tense and cagey affair.<\/span><\/p>\n Substitute Bundee Aki, returning from suspension, scored a converted try that was cancelled out by Jordan Petaia going over before Byrne’s decisive set-piece.<\/span><\/p>\n Farrell accepted it was not the prettiest of performances but was pleased with how his side persisted until securing a victory.<\/span><\/p>\n “You find out on days like these. We’ve had a bit of illness going through the squad and fatigue as well, even though we’ve only played three games.<\/span><\/p>\n “But there’s been no excuses, like when your captain goes down. It’s good for us as a group because it shows us where we’re at.<\/span><\/p>\n “We weren’t at our best and Australia deserve credit for that but when things aren’t quite going your way, good sides try to find a way. We found a bit of luck but we came out on the right side and we roll onto the Six Nations.” <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"Jack](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/0BE0\/production\/_127704030_gettyimages-1244911652.jpg\")
<\/span><\/span>‘Good sides find a way to win’<\/h3>\n