A Junior Wallabies side featuring Gunnedah product Harry Wilson have advanced to the semi-finals of the World Rugby U20s Championships after defeating Ireland 45-17 in Santa Fe, Argentina.
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As he did in Australia's opening round 36-12 win over Italy, the former Red Devils junior wore the No 6.
It is all happening for the 195 centimetre, 110 kilogram 19-year-old, with Brisbane's The Courier Mail reporting that the Queensland Red, whom signed Wilson last year, were grooming him to be Bordeaux-bound Scott Higginbotham's backrow replacement next season.
The Junior Wallabies' next match is against England on Thursday morning at the Club de Rugby Ateneo Inmaculada, Santa Fe - the same venue as their previous two matches.
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Against Ireland on Saturday night, Australia scored six tries to two, with flyhalf Will Harrison leading the scoring on 20 points - in the team's bonus point-victory over the reigning Six Nations champions.
The Junior Wallabies sit at the top of the table in Pool B on 10 points.
Junior Wallabies head coach Jason Gilmore said: "Ireland played with courage today [Saturday] with 14 men [they had a player sent off] and showed why they are the Six Nations champions.
"Our boys had to absorb a lot of pressure with our defence and when we finally got some territory, we were able to convert it into points.
"We now have England in our final pool game and the group will be ready for another tough game."
Junior Wallabies captain Fraser McReight said: "We knew it was going to be a grind and if we played the sort of footy we knew we could play, we would score some points.
"If we continue to trust our systems, everything else will take care of itself, and it gives us confidence ahead of game three."
The Australians started on the front foot through an early Will Harrison penalty goal, before Sione Tui crossed for the first try of the match - capitalising on Ireland's red card to Ryan Baird for a high tackle. Harrison added the extras, extending the lead 10-0 at the midpoint of the first half.
Despite being a player down for the remainder of the contest, Ireland crossed next with a try to Craig Casey and conversion to Jake Flannery, narrowing the margin to 10-7 at halftime.
The Irish then struck first in the second half via a Flannery penalty goal, before a quick-thinking Steward Moore dotted down to give the undermanned Irish their first lead of the match.
It wasn't until the 60th minute that the Junior Wallabies levelled back up, when Isaac Lucas found a hole in the Irish defense. The floodgates then opened, as the Aussies poured in two more tries within five minutes through Mark Nawaqanitawase and Nick Frost, to make it 31-17.
Harrison crossed next to blow the margin out to 21 points, before Nick Frost put the finishing touches on a standout performance when he went over off the back of a line break from Carlo Tizzano. Harrison added the extras.
Junior Wallabies 45 (Nick Frost 2, Sione Tui, Isaac Lucas, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Will Harrison tries; Will Harrison 6 cons; Will Harrison pens) defeated Ireland 17 (Craig Casey, Stewart Moore tries; Jake Flannery, Ben Healy cons; Jake Flannery pens)
