Injuries cast shadow over easy win

Bayonne 6 Ireland 42

Ireland claimed an emphatic victory but have injury worries over captain Brian O’Driscoll and Denis Leamy as they continued their World Cup preparations.

Leamy suffered a shoulder injury and O’Driscoll was forced off after appearing to be punched in the face.

Ronan O’Gara set the tone with a first-minute penalty and the Irish went further ahead seven minutes later when Paul O’Connell went over in the corner following good lineout possession with Gordon D’Arcy prominent.

Denis Hickie then gathered the ball on his own 10-metre line and evaded two challenges on his way to a brilliant try which O’Gara converted for a 15-0 lead.

The hosts finally managed to score through Richard Dourthe’s penalty before Leamy went off injured to be replaced by Munster team-mate Alan Quinlan.

Dourthe scored another penalty but Quinlan made an instant impact when he fed Andrew Trimble for Ireland’s third try on the stroke of half-time for a 20-6 lead.

There was no let-up by the Irish after the interval as Hickie went over for another try almost immediately before a superb fifth try of the night.

Marcus Horan reached the Bayonne 22 before passing to O’Connell who held off Daniel Larrechea’s challenge and went over with O’Gara again converting.

Ireland completed the win when Hickie went over for his third which O’Gara converted.