Ireland open World Cup with win over Australia ... just about

Ireland ... 19, Australia ... 17: The scoreboard tells us that Ireland won this terrifically entertaining and edgy World Cup Pool C opener but the more nuanced reality is that they simply happened to be ahead when the clock struck eighty, writes Brendan O’Brien in the UCD Bowl.

This was one that could have swung either way. And did, time and again. Australian captain Shannon Parry described it as one they let slip away.Ireland found themselves 10-7 down with just 20 minutes to play and it can only be imagined what the tournament organisers were thinking at that point given defeat for the hosts would have sucked the air out of the entire event after just six of the scheduled 30 games.