Ireland 27 Australia 24: Ireland player ratings

Rob Kearney

The 7 belongs to Simon Zebo and Joey Carbery. Kearney suffered a head knock in the closing stages of the New Zealand game seven days ago and duly completed concussion's return to play protocols - not training fully with the team - but only lasted 11 minutes after colliding with Israel Folau. Rating: 7

Andrew Trimble

Poor, flinging the ball high into touch when it was meant for Zebo’s chest and while he produced the usual industrious performance an ankle injury ended what has been a respectable November campaign. Rating: 6

Jared Payne

Nowhere near his usual effectiveness and was unsurprisingly sat down for the second half, too banged up to play following the heavy punishment sustained in two tussles with his fellow countrymen. Rating: 6

Garry Ringrose

In 2004 Brian O'Driscoll took a hospital pass from a retreating Peter Stringer against Italy and immediately darted to the left to wrong foot the Italian defence, identifying the only chink in their armour for a try, which was repeated eight years later. Add all the other pieces and a fully formed Test match centre is almost visible. Some great carries and tackles with the Pocock hit on 76 minutes lasting forever. Rating: 8

Keith Earls

Perfect understanding to gather his pal Zebo's grubber, a lovely left foot step that beat Michael Hooper and now trademark left handed offload to put Iain Henderson over for try number one. Rating: 7

Paddy Jackson

Respect is earned. The conversion of Earls try on 67 minutes should silence any doubters about how reliable this man can become if and when the 10 jersey is passed to him on a regular basis. Rating: 7

Conor Murray

Aaron Smith, TJ Perenera and Ben Youngs are close, very close, but Murray edges all three as the world's premier scrumhalf due to his all round game, with that relieving line kick near the finish re-enforcing such a lofty statement. Rating: 7

Jack McGrath

McGrath will make a great player of Cian Healy again. 60 minutes of hardnosed graft meant we barely saw him, except when he got up, unsmiling, to shake the dust and shrapnel off his body and go again, and again. Rating: 8

Rory Best

The man's passion and resilience is unquantifiable, but more important than anything that he does on the ground it was his ability to find enough breath and remain calm while delivering cleverly worded statements and questions to referee Jerome Garces. Rating: 8

Tadhg Furlong

Came alive on 48 minutes with a rumbling carry that made the stadium believe. Approaching iconic status already, if he can avoid the Healy and O’Brien injury profile and remain durable under a viciously heavy strain, there is limitless potential. Rating: 8

Iain Henderson

55 minutes of graft and did squeeze out a few power plays, but really showed his locking worth at scrums and complimented Toner’s overall command of the set piece. Rating: 7

Devin Toner

Towering, again, as this man strides towards 50 caps, overcoming the Springboks, the All Blacks, now the Wallaby lineout and to think way back in 2010 his giraffe like gait made so many people write him off. How wrong we were. Rating: 8

CJ Stander

Carried like a bull - 17 times - but did so incorrectly when the numbers were outside on 65 minutes but some quick presentation allowed Earls make it over for the winning try. Ireland and Munster’s best player in 2016. Rating: 7

Josh van der Flier

World class openside, backing up the resilience and energy and carrying against the All Blacks with all of the same, and evolving with some crucial steals on the ground. Throw in 12 tackles and you have a world class seven. Rating: 9

Jamie Heaslip

An unusual 60 minute sub but Ireland needed ball carriers at this stage so the vice captain walked. Epic November from the veteran number eight, certainly showing enough form to make a third Lions tour. Rating: 7

Bench

The replacement frontrow tore the Wallabies scrum apart. Zebo then Peter O'Mahony then Ultan Dillane all showed why they are good enough to start for Ireland every single game. Their impact proved as valuable as any starter's contribution. Carbery is such a natural that shifting to fullback was no bother but Kieran Marmion deserves high praise for his defensive display on the right wing. Rating: 8

Coach

2016: South Africa, New Zealand, Australia accounted for. Beating the All Blacks made this November special, backing it up yet losing that ferocious revenge match was unfortunate and hugely punishing, but managing to field a side that survived this onslaught - with bodies dropping all across the backline - makes it one of the great year’s in Irish rugby history. Rating: 9