IRELAND 19 AUSTRALIA 15: Ireland made the perfect start to their campaign in the south Brittany sunshine yesterday evening with a victory which was far more convincing than the scoreline would suggest.
The concession of a try off a lineout just before the break and then a breakaway effort from the Wallabies seven minutes from time meant that Ireland had to dig deep to win a game where they were the superior side for most of it despite a massive physical disadvantage.
But while the Wallabies were bigger, it was clear from an early stage that Mike Ruddock’s men were considerably more skilled in the basic aspects of the game, from handling to precision tackling and this led to confident use of the ball with strike runners emerging from all angles.
Tighthead Adam Boland epitomised it all. He conceded a couple of dozen kilos to his opposite numbers but still out-scrummaged them in a magnificent display.
And flanker Conor Joyce, a flanker of some class on the ground or with ball in hand, also manifested the difference in skill levels between the sides.
And with Tom Daly and Thomas Farrell superb in the centre and Steve Crosbie composed with ball in hand, they had a winning formula.
Great win
"This was a great win, I think we left two or three tries out there but fair play to the boys for the way they closed it out. It is a great start," said coach Mike Ruddock.
Australia, who apparently gave the Irish players plenty of lip in the tunnel as they came out, threw their weight around initially but a seventh minute Daly penalty put Ireland into a lead they never surrendered.
The opening try came after 26 minutes after Ireland had failed to finish a few promising moves, but prop Boland came in at a good angle in midfield and when it went wide on the right Rory Scholes and Adam Byrne as a decoy before he dived over in the corner. Daly slotted the difficult conversion. But the Wallabies struck back to leave it 10-8 at the break.
It looked as if a superb opening victory was going to turn into a nightmare as Australia piled on the pressure but the Irish scrum and defence held firm and Daly sealed a famous win with his fourth penalty.Ireland now face Fiji on Sunday and then New Zealand next Thursday.
