Joe Schmidt's emotional return to Dublin has fallen agonisingly flat as Ireland edged his Wallabies 22-19 in a scrappy but absorbing Test to provide a sobering end to what had begun as such a promising northern tour odyssey.
Back at his old Aviva Stadium stamping ground where he led Ireland to so much European glory over six heady years, Schmidt's valiant Australia just couldn't quite spoil Irish rugby's 150th anniversary celebrations on Saturday (Sunday AEDT).
Yet Schmidt wouldn't be downhearted, insisting he was proud and predicting that despite the ledger reading two wins and two losses on tour, his team had made significant progress.
