Ten points and top of the table

THE famed twin towers may no longer be standing but Wembley remains an intoxicating sports arena for players and fans alike, writes Donal Lenihan. Why else would a world record attendance for a Rugby World Cup game be broken two Sundays in succession? 

That 89,019 would turn up for New Zealand’s opening game against a quality Argentinean side is understandable in a tournament of this nature, but a capacity showing of 89,267 for Ireland-Romania says so much more. In many respects, it was one of the many sideshows revolving around this game as the outcome was never going to yield anything other than a comprehensive victory for Ireland.

So two weeks into the tournament and Joe Schmidt is in the happy position of giving game time to 30 of his 31-man squad with Robbie Henshaw hopefully set to make it a full house when it was declared yesterday he is all but certain to feature against Italy next Sunday at yet another iconic venue, London’s Olympic Stadium.