Joe Schmidt: A huge amount still to play for Down Under

A first win since 1979 over the Wallabies in their own back yard was something to celebrate on Saturday, but Schmidt was already thinking ahead.

Ireland levelled the series with a deserved 26-21 victory in Melbourne - a result that somewhat flattered the hosts..

There were tries from Munster wing Andrew Conway and Tadhg Furlong at AAMI Park while Johnny Sexton, returning at fly-half, excelled with the boot to propel Ireland clear.

Australia, who won the first Test 18-9, had Kurtley Beale and Taniela Tupou to thank for scoring but poor discipline cost the Wallabies dearly as Sexton was able to rack up four penalties.

]"All we did was balance the series," acknowledged head coach Schmidt..

"I think it all depends on what we can deliver next week and I know the Wallabies will be thinking the same thing.

"They're a really good side and if they do get a bit more access I know as you saw toward the end we were chasing shadows.

"So, nothing feels monumental when it's one-all. It feels like there's still a huge amount to play for.

"We'll glue ourselves back together, get the trip out of the way to Sydney tomorrow and Monday, have a bit of a look back at the game and then get back out on the training pitch in North Sydney Oval and try to work our way through things.

"There's still a few things that we know we need to do better because we know they're going to keep getting better."

Although a series win is the primary goal, the Ireland head coach is intent on continuing his rotation policy with next year's World Cup in mind after handing a Test debut to Scarlets second-row Tadhg Beirne.

"We definitely want to win the series, but we've probably got 10 games now between this tour and when we go into our warm-up to the World Cup," he said.

"The thing that we want to believe about our squad is that there's less and less between players, and so selection is a contest every time."