In-control Irish trounce Samoa

Samoa 14 Ireland 40

Ireland finished off their record-breaking 14-match season with an emphatic 40-14 victory over Samoa in Apia, as outside-half Ronan O’Gara scored 32 points in an all-round impressive team effort.

Temperatures topped 35 degrees during the game and with the humidity factor taken into account, it was extremely difficult for the Irish players to play at full capacity.

But apart from a brief period in the first half when Samoa threatened to cause the Irish defence trouble, Eddie O’Sullivan’s side were in complete control of proceedings.

Eric Miller had a storming game at the back of the scrum, while in front of him the ever-enthusiastic Paul O’Connell put in a huge amount of work.

Ireland made one change before kick-off, as new cap Aidan McCullen of Leinster was drafted into the side for Alan Quinlan, the victim of a stomach bug.

In front of a crowd of 10,000, Ireland went into a early lead with two sweetly struck penalties from O’Gara in the 10th and 14th minutes.

Things briefly changed when wing Lome Faatau made a storming break in midfield, releasing the other Samoan winger Ron Fanuatanu, who beat the cover with deceptive speed to touch down in the left-hand corner.

Earl Va’a added the conversion from the touchline to give the home side the lead, but before the break, O’Gara knocked over his third penalty to give Ireland a 9-7 half-time lead.

It appeared that if any side was to improve in the second half it would be Samoa, but despite the suffocating heat it was Ireland who started the half on the front foot.

O’Gara kicked his fourth penalty after 42 minutes to stretch Ireland’s lead, and then after some great continuity play on 50 minutes, the outside-half threw a dummy to deceive his opposite number and he touched down under the posts.

Five minutes later O’Gara tagged on another penalty to give Ireland some breathing space and with 20 minutes to go the game was finished as a contest as Eric Miller blocked a kick from Brian Lima and ran on to touch the ball down just short of the dead ball line.

O’Gara added the conversion to bring Ireland’s lead to 29-7 and on 64 minutes he got his second try.

Substitute Gordon D’Arcy grabbed a stray ball in midfield and although he was stopped a few yards short of the line, O’Gara was by his side to touch the ball down in the corner.

O’Gara completed his 32-point total with a fabulous drop-goal on 70 minutes and when the Munster man was replaced with five minutes to go, substitute Paul Burke kicked a penalty to take the score to 40-7.

With the game all-but over, the home crowd got the second try they were looking for when Va’a breached a weary Irish defence to score under the posts.

But despite this late effort, it could not take the gloss off a fantastic Irish performance, which made it 12 wins from a highly successful season.