Ireland breezed into the last eight of the 2023 rugby union World Cup as winners of Group B after a 36-14 victory over Scotland at the Stade de France on Saturday night.
Scotland boss Gregor Townsend said on the eve of the clash that the game – which could have allowed Scotland to progress – was the moment for his team to deliver.
They failed abjectly. They were behind within two minutes. James Lowe went over on the left wing and Hugo Keenan doubled the score after 25 minutes to compound Scotland’s misery.
They had responded purposefully to Lowe’s opener but despite camping in the Irish 22-metre line, they could not force a score.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell described the response to the pressure as clinical. “When you’ve been defending, it’s a real shot in the arm for ourselves but a real hammer blow to a team that has been attacking really well.”
Difference
If the first two Irish tries owed their genesis to skilful hands and fluid running, the third was about brute force. Iain Henderson applied the final touch to a succession of shoves from the men in the pack.
Keenan bagged his brace to take Ireland to 24-0 and a bonus point for a fourth try and Ireland skipper Johnny Sexton converted the try to give Ireland a 26-0 cushion at the pause.
“I thought Ireland started really well,” said Townsend. “It was a proper Test match in terms of both teams having opportunities for 20 minutes and then they took theirs.
“New Zealand have already talked about revenge,” said Sexton.
Desire
Read more on RFI English
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