Rugby World Cup: Off and running - so how did Ireland rate in Bordeaux?
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER: Ireland stand for the national anthem. Picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
Sets himself such a demanding standard that unforced errors tend to become all the more noticeable. Made a few rare ones early on before swiftly reverting to his usual imperious form.
: Given a jolting reminder that the rugby gods don’t always bless anniversaries. His fourth World Cup, 12 years after his first on the same 9/11 weekend, started with Romania turning a Johnny Sexton grubber into their only try.
Responded to the Romanian try by making the first of the Irish dozen, putting it on the proverbial silver salver for Jamison Gibson-Park. Like everyone else, he knows only too well that it won’t be this easy again.
12 : Ran riot from the start and by the end he’d done so over a cumulative distance of almost 200 metres. Tore the Romanian midfield to shreds with five clean breaks based not just on power but a fair bit of pace. .
: A constant threat even if the tries passed him by. Nostradamus would have been laughed out of court had he predicted 12 Irish touchdowns and not one from any wing, pony-tailed or otherwise. 7.
: Nobody of his age had ever produced anything like this at any World Cup because they never lasted that long. Ran the show as if he had never been away, once over the inconvenience of having to kick off twice in the first four minute, probably another career first.
Wasted no time turning a potential state of national anxiety into a Romanian romp. High tempo, high class, as usual, but he won’t need to be told that a better team would have made life difficult.
A delicate flick out of the back of the hand resulted in Aki securing the bonus point try six minutes before half-time. Any more subtle off-loads will leave the loosehead in danger of a rebuke from the old-school grunt-‘n-groan merchants.
South Africa, Scotland and Tonga would have made far more of the early line-out wobbles. The Ulster hooker recovered, helping himself to a trademark score and ensuring all three rows of the pack supplied half the tries. .
Another reassuring step along the road to completing his recovery in time for the serious business round the corner. An hour’s work safely negotiated promises that all cylinders will be firing in time for the Springboks. .
It sounds outrageous for someone in his position but the novice lock could conceivably have had a hat-trick of tries. The only surprise was that Romania somehow kept him out until 12 minutes from the end. Impressive.
: Not one of his more conspicuous performances but did everything required of him and played his part in the collective try-assistance. Left the impression of a man on a mission, saving the big contributions for tougher opponents.
Personified the ruthless quality which keeps Ireland ahead of the pack at No. 1. Still flat out, like the rest, three minutes into stoppage time to take the total into the 80’s.
: Almost scored as many tries in one afternoon as in his entire international career. Top tackler, albeit with a modestly low count of seven, he sounded surprise to have been voted MoM.
Highly efficient as per usual without being required to reach the towering heights of his Grand Slam achievements. Like Ryan, he will save those for more demanding opponents.
: The most lively impact came from the man who was not supposed to be there, Mack Hansen. The Connacht wing, called up to fill the vacancy caused by Robbie Henshaw’s late withdrawal, fizzed around for the last 20 minutes as if he had a point to prove. Jack Crowley followed Sexton’s tough act in a manner that reinforced his status as the heir-apparent, ahead of Ross Byrne. While the replacement front row – Jeremy Loughman, Ronan Kelleher, Tom O’Toole – were solid enough, none of the subs faced more of a challenge than Iain Henderson. The versatile Ulster man would have noted McCarthy’s impact and the consequential threat to the second row pecking order. All grist to Andy Farrell’s mill.
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