A record-breaking partnership targets another landmark

New Plymouth in the rain. Not exactly the most promising of backdrops for a new relationship but Jonathan Sexton and Conor Murray have come a long way from that tricky first date as a starting half-back pairing when Ireland struggled to put away the USA.

The out-half spoiled an otherwise solid game by missing five of six kicks at goal but few could have predicted how successful these two would be together in green on the back of a World Cup opener spoiled by a drab Irish effort littered with dropped balls and missed passes.