ONE game in and already it is difficult for the Irish rugby supporters to keep their metaphorical feet on the ground after Ireland began their World Cup campaign in a most impressive fashion.
A 50-7 triumph over Canada was how it ended at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, with a display of often breathtaking and ruthless rugby from the men in green.
In truth, this was a fixture where realistically the result was never going to be in doubt, but the manner in which Ireland put the Canadians to the sword in the opening half was certainly a sight to behold.
It was the start to breathe confidence into the squad and it was a performance that saw Ireland’s Johnny Sexton relaunch himself as one of the world's premier out-halves on the brightest of stages.
After an underwhelming build-up to the tournament, it was a high octane, albeit one-sided, contest that has the nation swept away once again in a whirlwind of giddy celebration and optimism.
It will be hard to put a dampener on this excitement as Ireland build towards the all-important final group game against France on the first weekend in October.
FIRST HALF
In the opening moments Canada attacked with purpose as Ireland opened a little frantic. In the eighth minute scrum-half Gordon McRorie had a chance to kick his side into the lead but his effort trailed wide. When Jonathan Sexton got his first chance from the boot a few moments later, Ireland took a 3-0 lead.
The score seemed to settle Ireland a little and they attacked at every opportunity with speed and venom. A Sexton counter-attack nearly saw Jared Payne outflank the Canadian defence on the right touchline before the ball soon found its way to the other side of the field.
With Ireland’s momentum bringing them ever closer to the line with bursts from Iain Henderson, Conor Murray and eventually Paul O’Connell saw Ireland short before opposing captain Jamie Cudmore was caught deliberately handling the ball on the ground in a bid to stop Ireland scoring a try.
Referee Glen Jackson showed the Clermont Auvergne lock to the bin for 10 minutes during which time Ireland went for the jugular. Indeed by the time Cudmore rejoined the fray his side were trailing by 22 points.
From that penalty Ireland kicked for touch and from the resultant lineout, Ireland mauled their opponents over the try-line with flanker Sean O’Brien touching down for his sixth international try. Sexton converted to give Ireland a 10-0 lead.
With the numerical advantage, Ireland kept ball in hand and attacked with verve, and one set play saw the ball being passed through the hands of six Irish players to Keith Earls, who bounced his direct opponent and brought Ireland within 10 metres of the line, before Paul O’Connell dived for the line but was held up.
Canada put one of their backs into the following five-metre scrum to stop an Irish pushover try, so Jamie Heaslip took a chance from the back of the scrum but he too was stopped. O’Brien then carried to within one yard of the line before Murray fed Henderson and the Ulster second row powered his way through a pair of tackles with the aid of Rory Best for Ireland’s second try. Once again, Sexton converted to give Ireland a 15-0 lead.
Two minutes later, an incisive kick by Sexton had Canada back within five metres of their own line with a kick to touch. Canada won the lineout but kicked to the waiting Earls, who countered to the 10 metre line. From here Ireland scored their best try of the day.
Murray fed Sexton, who attacked the left of the field with only O’Brien and Earls outside him. However, an interchange of passes with the former saw a gap open up and the Irish number 10 sprinted through from 40 yards to touchdown in the corner for a 21-0 lead.
Such was the confidence that was flowing through the Irish players, soon after Sexton successfully managed an audacious cross-field kick from of his own line to Jared Payne on the right wing to relieve pressure.
In the 35th minute, Ireland were over again when a well-worked lineout move saw the ball delivered to the deep-lying Luke Fitzgerald, who held his run in midfield and put Dave Kearney, Sean McGrath and Mike Ross into a three-on-one overlap that the Leinster winger finished off with aplomb.
At the end of the first half, Canada looked to have scored a try through DTH Van der Merwe but the final pass from outhalf Nathan Hirayama was judged to be forward by the TMO and Ireland took a 29-0 lead into the break.
![Canada’s Jeff Hassler is tackled by Ireland’s Iain Henderson, Paul O'Connell and Peter O'Mahony [Picture: Inpho]](https://media.irishpost.co.uk/uploads/2015/09/Canada%E2%80%99s-Jeff-Hassler-is-tackled-by-Ireland%E2%80%99s-Iain-Henderson-Paul-OConnell-and-Peter-OMahony.jpg)
Canada’s Jeff Hassler is tackled by Ireland’s Iain Henderson, Paul O'Connell and Peter O'Mahony [Picture: Inpho]SECOND-HALF
In the second period there were no scores from either side for the opening 20 minutes. Canada managed to keep their hands on the ball for longer spells but when they got into the Irish ’22, their play became telegraphed and Ireland turned their ball over time after time.
Ireland were down to 14 men themselves for 10 minutes when Paul O’Connell harshly saw yellow when the referee called him for intercepting the ball from an offside position.
With an hour on the clock Ireland steadily emptied their bench and found their attacking rhythm once again. Payne was stopped just short of the try line, before Sean Cronin powered his way over on the next phase.
Canada then countered with a try when Van der Merwe intercepted a Jared Payne chip to score his 17th international try, which was duly converted by Hirayama.
In the final 10 minutes, a counter attacking move saw Keith Earls in space and the Munster winger sped 60 yards down the left wing and just before he was tackled, the Limerick man gave a superb looping pass to Rob Kearney, who sauntered in for Ireland’s sixth try.
Soon after, a wonderful break by Madigan through the heart of the Canadian defensive line put Jared Payne in for the final score of the game.
Although Canada were never going to provide the level of opposition that will arrive further into the tournament, this display hit all the right notes. Coach Joe Schmidt has indicated that there will be a change of cast against minnows Romania next week. Expect a similar fare.
TEAMS:
Ireland: Rob Kearney; Dave Kearney, Jared Payne, Luke Fitzgerald, Keith Earls; Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray; Jack McGrath, Rory Best, Mike Ross; Iain Henderson, Paul O’Connell (capt); Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip.
Subs: Sean Cronin, Cian Healy, Nathan White, Donnacha Ryan, Chris Henry, Eoin Reddan, Ian Madigan, Simon Zebo.
Canada: Matt Evans, Jeff Hassler, Ciaran Hearn, Nick Blevins, DTH Van Der Merwe, Nathan Hirayama, Gordon McRorie, Aaron Carpenter, John Moonlight, Kyle Gilmour, Jamie Cudmore (captain), Brett Beukeboom, Doug Wooldridge, Ray Barkwill, Hubert Buydens.
Subs: Benoit Piffero, Djustics Sears-Duru, Andrew Tiedemann, Jebb Sinclair, Richard Thorpe, Phil Mack, Liam Underwood, Conor Trainor.
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand).
