Ireland 61 Pacific Islands 17:Paddy Wallace ensured Lansdowne Road was given a victorious send-off with a magnificent display that suggests the search for Ronan O'Gara's understudy is over.

It was the 27-year-old's first international start and he comfortably outshone fellow rookies Jamie Heaslip, Luke Fitzgerald and Stephen Ferris, who were making their Test debuts.

Fitzgerald, who was playing schools rugby six months ago, became the youngest player to represent Ireland since Alistair McKibbin in 1977 but the 19-year-old winger made little impression.

Simon Easterby ran in a brace of tries and Wallace, Denis Hickie, Malcolm O'Kelly, Shane Horgan, Rory Best and Paul O'Connell also crossed as Ireland overcame an impressive start from the Pacific Islanders to run riot.

It was a fitting send off for Lansdowne Road which is scheduled to begin redevelopment in January and the result brought up a clean sweep of victories from the autumn internationals.

The only negative to emerge from the demolition job was a second-half injury to skipper Brian O'Driscoll, who was able to walk unaided from the pitch.

Seru Rabeni, Lome Fa'atau and Tusi Pisi crossed for the Islanders who troubled Ireland until first half injury time when Wallace and O'Kelly touched down.

O'Connell was prominent as Ireland made early inroads into the Islanders' defence and there were just two minutes on the clock when the first try was scored.

A sublime piece of skill by Wallace created the score with the Ulster fly-half dummying to Hickie before actually feeding the veteran Leinster winger who finished well.

Wallace landed the conversion and then added a penalty as Ireland continued to find gaps — until they were opened up by a sweet kick from Pisi in the 10th minute.

The Samoan outside-half spotted Lome Fa'atau unmarked on the right wing and expertly dropped the ball into his arms only for the winger, who had a clear run to the line, to knock on.

More dynamic play resulted in the Islanders' first try with Kameli Ratuvou chipping ahead and gathering before riding Wallace's tackle and supplying the scoring pass to Rabeni.

The dazzling try served a timely warning of the threat posed by the Islanders so it came as little surprise when Wallace took the points on offer from a penalty in front of the posts.

Pisi missed a long-range penalty and O'Driscoll then gave Fitzgerald a hospital pass to give the debutant a bone-shaking welcome to Test rugby courtesy of Elvis Seveali'l's shuddering hit.

But the scoreboard was ticking over with Wallace punishing the Islanders' terrible discipline by adding his third penalty.

Wallace nearly crossed on two occasions after being put into space by two offloads from Horgan and Ireland were assisted by the sin-binning of prop Justin Va'a following a string of offences from the Islanders.

O'Driscoll brushed off two tackles to slice the tourists' defence open but Ulster prop Bryan Young tried to go it alone and a likely try went begging.

The mistake was ruthlessly punished by the Islanders who saw substitute prop Taufa'ao Felise burst into space and feed winger Fa'atau who galloped home.

Ireland's response was emphatic but they were helped by wayward defending from the visiting defence which allowed Wallace to skip home following a flat pass from Peter Stringer.

He converted his own try and then added the extras when a mix-up in the Islanders line-out let Malcolm O'Kelly in for Ireland's second try of first half injury time.

It took just five minutes of the second half for Ireland to stretch their lead with O'Driscoll charging through and offloading to Simon Easterby who was driven over by his team-mates.

Wallace landed the conversion and 10 minutes later Ireland ran in their fifth try with Stringer kicking to the right where Horgan was able to gather.

The Leinster star, who has been in magnificent form during the autumn, easily beat Fa'atau and Rabeni in open space and raced in with Wallace slotting the conversion.

There was a worrying moment in the 59th minute when O'Driscoll limped off with Isaac Boss coming on as his replacement.

Easterby barged over for his second try but the Islanders replied through Pisi who was in support following a bulldozing charge from Alesana Tuilagi.

Boss set off on a run that swept him 30 yards and substitute hooker Best was on hand to finish the move. Wallace missed the conversion for the first time in the match.

But there was still time for O'Connell to barge over in injury time as Ireland completed the rout.