New Zealand v Ireland LIVE rugby: Result and reaction as Ireland make history by winning deciding Test

A brilliant beginning on his first Test start for Nick Frost! The big second row gets his arms up to block Danny Care’s box kick, and very nearly latches on to his own charge down, just fumbling as his Wallabies teammates looked to charge through after him. A nervy opening from Care - England scrum.

Paul Williams blows his whistle, and the third Test between Australia and England is underway!

For the third time this series, we are in for another delayed start in Sydney, though Lloyd Walker gives a fine Welcome to Country, before two very accomplished performances of the anthems.

Nic White, on his 50th cap, will lead Australia out, after being described as the “biggest niggler of all time” by Eddie Jones this week. It’s a label that certainly isn’t far from the mark, but this is a proud day for a scrum-half who has developed into a more complete nine with age. He’ll have to again control things.

Before the anthems, the ground remembers Andrew Cole, the former Australian referee who passed away last weekend. The match officials in all of today’s games are wearing black armbands.

James Slipper, a man of such experience, delivers some final words to the Australian team in the changing room. Michael Hooper looks around his team, nodding his head as they affirm their readiness to go at England. It’s time for the decider.

Clad in fetching white jackets, England weave through the SCG’s underbelly, and out into the crisp Sydney evening air, through a throng of children and out onto famous, fabled sporting turf.

The intensity of the rivalry has definitely been ramped up this week with both sides engaging in a little more pre-match verbal sparring. There have been a few flashpoints in the first two Tests, but I reckon this opening quarter is going to be rather fierce. Australia, particularly, have said they took note of how Queensland and New South Wales went at one another from the first whistle in the deciding State of Origin clash earlier in the week - expect Michael Hooper and co. to charge out of the blocks.

“It’s a fantastic occasion. We are honoured to be playing at such a prestigious ground.

“With the New Zealand referee we think there might be a lot of quick ball at the start of the game, and Danny Care is good when the ball is quick.

“We have got to be more consistent with our play. Defensively we have got to be a little bit tighter on the edge of the ruck.

“It is always an important game for the team. A young team gains a lot of experience from playing these consequential games. We are going to enjoy the occasion.”

The England head coach has also had a pre-match catch-up with his former assistant Scott Wisemantel, now Australia’s attack coach:

“It’s going to be amazing. Unbelievable ground, the first Test was played here in the late 1800s and it could be the last Test here, so it’s pretty special.

“We have got to bar up. We are going to try to control possession and territory.

“We tend to talk more about who we have got rather than who we haven’t. It’s massive for lots of reasons. We let ourselves down last week so we have got to better.”

The Sydney Cricket Ground really does look a picture. A place of such history, and it’ll be packed to the rafters this evening for the first Test here since 1986. It could well be their last at the SCG, too.

England and Australia clash in a series decider on Saturday in what is likely to be the last Test played at Sydney Cricket Ground.

Here the PA news agency examines five talking points leading into a clash that will see the newly-created Ella-Mobbs Cup lifted for the first time.