Ireland v Romania talking point: Ireland need to be smarter against better sides at Rugby World Cup

Perspective is important in any critical analysis of Ireland’s record-breaking 82-8 victory over Romania in the blistering sunshine in Bordeaux. There was always going to be an element of rustiness in a first World Cup pool outing irrespective of the opposition, passes that don’t stick, set-piece glitches, decisions in real time that won’t survive the review process unscathed.

But among the odds and sods that will drive the coaches and players to rectify them on the training ground during the week there was some top-class rugby, lovely running lines, handling and passing of the highest calibre embellished with disparate individual touches. Bundee Aki’s power in contact and general excellence as Ireland’s best player, James Lowe’s work-rate and the encouraging contribution of Joe McCarthy capped with a try were just three examples.

Props Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong often fulfilled the role of playmaker, Rob Herring was industrious, a trait echoed by two-try contributors Peter O’Mahony and Tadhg Beirne, while James Ryan and Caelan Doris were direct and powerful in contact, assisting in sucking in defenders beyond the gainline and preserving the space for their team-mates in the wider channels.

The three-quarter line all enjoyed some good individual moments, while Mack Hansen looked like a man on a mission when he was sprang from the bench. Jamison Gibson-Park might have scored a hat-trick of tries rather than one if his team-mates had been slightly better with offloads. The scrumhalf was very good.

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Ireland blow Romania away in Rugby World Cup opener

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And then there was Johnny Sexton, Ireland’s captain, who produced a performance of nuance and quality that made light of his six-month injury exile, topped off with the suspension. He hardly missed a beat – one or two glitches – in the 65 minutes, marshalled the team with authority and when required a sharp rebuke here and there.

Four missed lineouts, a legacy failing from previous matches that will grate for players and Paul O’Connell alike will capture some of the headlines but for me it was Ireland’s kicking game that was far too loose in the opening 20 minutes of the match.

[ Ireland fans slam ‘poor’ organisation at Rugby World Cup as stadium runs out of water in 36-degree heat ]

The first instance was from Sexton’s kick-off delivered long into the Romania 22 with no chance for the kick-chase to provide any pressure. It was free ball and an opportunity for the Romanians to allay some of the nervous energy with a meaty clearance. It may have been pre-planned to go long but why? A contestable kick-off makes a statement, particularly against weaker opposition, along on the lines of, ‘we are coming after you at every opportunity’.

There followed spates of questionable long punting that handed Romania possession with no pressure. Ireland’s kicking game lacked variety and on a few occasions care, twice forfeiting territory and possession because balls went out on the full.

The heat was certainly a factor, but it doesn’t fully excuse the laxity. Romania’s try came from a grubber kick that went awry, although there were ancillary issues relating to the chase that contributed to the turnover in possession and the concession.

Ireland solved many of the problems on the hoof, so to speak, but there appeared to be a revamping of the game plan at the interval, where Andy Farrell’s side largely dispensed with the kicking game and instead focused on retaining possession, making the opposition work hard.

There were times when Romania had pushed through the Irish midfield to isolate the ball carrier or distributor but once Ireland elected to push the ball out the ‘front door,’ so to speak, they got a great deal of joy in getting in behind their opponents.

The final try of the match, Beirne’s second, did originate with a dink over the top, but it was the sheer desire shown by Aki that allowed him to muscle his way on to the ball and from there, his team-mates escaped up the field.

Teams grow into a tournament and that’s exactly what Ireland will focus on, making those incremental improvements; small tweaks to a decent opening 80-minutes.