All the action from the Pool A match in Melbourne.
Result: Australia 17-16 Ireland
80 mins: Australia hold on to possession in the final minutes to secure their one-point victory.
67 mins: O'Driscoll lands a fine drop goal to reduce the gap to just one point again.
Australia 17-16 Ireland
Ireland apply sustained pressure, opting for a scrum instead of a penalty, but Australia defend well.
52 mins: An Irish offside offence gives Flatley the opportunity to kick another penalty from in front of the posts.
Australia 17-13 Ireland
49 mins: The contest bursts into life when Brian O'Driscoll goes over in the left corner for his first try of the tournament and O'Gara converts brilliantly from the touchline.
Australia 14-13 Ireland
46 mins: Australia are penalised for holding on after the tackle just inside their own 10-metre line but fly-half O'Gara's kick goes wide.
44 mins: John Hayes is caught offside and Flatley makes no mistake with the penalty.
Australia 14-6 Ireland
42 mins: Flatley sends a penalty wide of the posts after Brian O'Driscoll is guilty of a high challenge.
Half-time: Australia 11-6 Ireland
38 mins: Mat Rogers is sent to the sin bin for deliberately killing the ball and Irish winger Shane Horgan goes with him for reckless kicking.
35 mins: Australia are awarded a penalty for offside and opt to kick for touch and pile some pressure on the Irish defence.
32 mins: Hooker Brendan Cannon is penalised and O'Gara lands a straightforward penalty to reduce the Irish arrears.
Australia 11-6 Ireland
27 mins: Flatley hooks wide from a penalty which Ireland feel was harshly awarded.
21 mins: Australia are penalised for deliberately collapsing but the Irish fail to capitalise as O'Gara's kick goes wide of the far post.
18 mins: Flatley strikes a good penalty to restore Australia's eight-point advantage.
Australia 11-3 Ireland
15 mins: Australia stray offside, allowing O'Gara's penalty to put the first Irish points on the board.
Australia 8-3 Ireland
12 mins: Australia sweep the ball out to the left where flanker George Smith goes over for the first try of the game. Elton Flatley is unlucky with a conversion attempt which strikes the far upright
Australia 8-0 Ireland
9 mins: Australian pressure results in a successful drop-goal by scrum-half and skipper George Gregan.
Australia 3-0 Ireland
2 mins: Australia are penalised just inside their own half but Ronan O'Gara's kick at goal falls short.
Australia: M Rogers; W Sailor, M Burke, E Flatley, J Roff; S Larkham, G Gregan (capt); B Young, B Cannon, B Darwin; D Giffin, N Sharpe; G Smith, P Waugh, D Lyons
Replacements: J Paul, A Baxter, D Vickerman, M Cockain, C Whitaker, M Giteau, L Tuqiri
Ireland: G Dempsey; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, K Maggs, D Hickie; R O'Gara, P Stringer; R Corrigan, K Wood (capt), J Hayes, M O'Kelly, P O'Connell, S Easterby, K Gleeson, A Foley
Replacements: S Byrne, M Horan, D O'Callagham, E Miller, G Easterby, D Humphreys, J Kelly