Autumn international: Ireland v Australia (Sat) Venue: Aviva Stadium Coverage: Watch live on BBC Two, mobiles and online from 1655 GMT; listen on BBC Radio 5 Live; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles The doctor will see you now. Brian O'Driscoll would have dearly loved this 17th Test appointment with Australia to be in Sydney, not Dublin. But, after receiving an honorary doctorate from Dublin City University this week, it is on home soil that the legendary centre gets the chance to renew acquaintances with the Wallabies after his omission from the third Lions Test. O'Driscoll has joined the family trade in becoming a doctor - both his parents are GPs - but the moniker Dr BOD seems unlikely to catch on in the changing room despite the centre's quips this week. The mass hysteria surrounding Warren Gatland's decision to drop the centre for the Lions decider is likely to be recreated for every Ireland Test this season as the O'Driscoll farewell tour gathers pace. A through-the-legs pass against Samoa proved the old dog has still got plenty of tricks, but this weekend is more about transition than tradition. The countdown to the 2015 World Cup is starting to gather pace and, with new coaches in both dugouts, Ireland and Australia are playing catch-up. Joe Schmidt's first game in charge of Ireland delivered victory and 40 points, but was anything but polished. Ewen McKenzie led Australia to a 50-20 win over Italy last weekend. Nonetheless, a 20-13 defeat against England and some Rugby Championship thrashings are all-too fresh in the memory. Quade Cooper might have dazzled against the Azzurri, but it is at scrum time that the biggest question marks remain. Ireland have said they will take on the set-piece and it is the battle there - and at the breakdown - where this contest should be decided. Ireland won the set-piece battle spectacularly en route to a 15-6 win the last time these sides met, at the 2011 World Cup. Eleven Irish players from that World Cup starting XV also start on Saturday. Ireland's World Cup tormentors are not the only ghosts of defeats past for the Wallabies. Nine of this week's Ireland XV were involved in the Lions squad this summer. Memories of Australia's painful series defeat are proving difficult to shake. Just ask Brian O'Driscoll. Both sides have two wins apiece from the last five meetings (one draw). In total, Ireland have won nine of their 30 games against Australia (D1, L20). Ireland have only lost one of the last four home meetings with Australia (W2, D1, L1). These sides haven't met since a 2011 World Cup Pool C clash, which Ireland won 15-6. The last meeting in Ireland, in 2009, saw Brian O'Driscoll celebrate his 100th Test appearance with a last-minute try to secure a 20-20 draw. Ireland have lost eight of their last 14 matches (W5, D1, L8). Discounting their last three games (against USA, Canada and Samoa) they have only won two in 11. Including Lions Tests, Brian O'Driscoll has faced Australia 16 times (more than any other nation), scoring four tries (three for Ireland) and also kicking a drop goal. O'Driscoll will win his 127th cap this weekend, one shy of Ireland's all-time record holder Ronan O'Gara. Ireland have won just four of their last 10 internationals at home (W4, D1, L5). Four Irishmen started the first two Lions Tests this summer, with three starting the third. Fergus McFadden has scored four tries in his last two Ireland appearances. Ewen McKenzie has lost six of his first nine games in charge of Australia (W3). The Wallabies haven't won back-to-back Tests in 2013. There have been more Australia tries in McKenzie's first nine games in charge (23) than there was in Robbie Deans' last 18 (19). Two of those nine games have featured seven Australia tries (against Argentina and Italy). Australia average over two tries a game against Ireland (68 in 30 meetings). Israel Folau scored twice on his Test debut versus the Lions and has eight tries from 12 caps. According to Opta, Australia's scrum success in 2013 is just 68% (compared to Ireland's 86%). Conor Murray is the most notable omission for Ireland, the Lions scrum-half rested as Joe Schmidt looks to give his squad greater depth. Veteran centre Gordon D'Arcy is a victim of a similar wish to experiment, with Ulster rookie Luke Marshall taking the No. 12 jersey - one of six Irish changes. There are two fresh faces in the Australia team, with Sekope Kepu replacing the rested Ben Alexander at prop and Scott Fardy recalled to the back-row after overcoming a head injury suffered against England. Fardy's return necessitates the only other change, with Rob Simmons moving to his favoured second row and Sitaleki Timani dropping to the bench. Ireland: 15-Rob Kearney, 14-Tommy Bowe, 13-Brian O'Driscoll, 12-Luke Marshall, 11-Fergus McFadden, 10-Johnny Sexton, 9-Eoin Reddan; 1-Cian Healy, 2-Rory Best, 3-Mike Ross, 4-Devin Toner, 5-Paul O'Connell, 6-Peter O'Mahony, 7-Sean O'Brien, 8-Jamie Heaslip Replacements: 16-Sean Cronin, 17-Jack McGrath, 18-Stephen Archer, 19-Mike McCarthy, 20-Kevin McLaughlin, 21-Conor Murray, 22-Ian Madigan, 23-Robbie Henshaw Australia: 15-Israel Folau, 14-Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13-Tevita Kuridrani, 12-Matt Toomua, 11-Nick Cummins, 10-Quade Cooper, 9-Will Genia, 8-Ben Mowen (captain), 7-Michael Hooper, 6-Scott Fardy, 5-James Horwill, 4-Rob Simmons, 3-Sekope Kepu, 2-Stephen Moore, 1-James Slipper. Replacements: 16-Tatafu Polota Nau, 17-Benn Robinson, 18-Paddy Ryan, 19-Sitaleki Timani, 20-Liam Gill, 21-Nic White, 22-Christian Leali'lifano, 23-Joe Tomane Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand) Touch judges: Romain Poite (France), Stuart Berry (South Africa) TV: Geoff Warren (England)