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22

2019 Ireland Labor To Bonus Point Win

9th,
October Over Russia INPHO

| reland got the expected of trying to stop him and
bonus-point victory, but forced off.
EXAMINER formance they would have but they began to find their
So far, so good for Ireland
Ithe fluent, accurate per-
momentum halted by han-
wished for after their shock
dling errors and unyielding
defeat to Japan never really
IRISH materialized. Russian defenders.
It was a victory that will
If that was frustrating, what
hardly have sent a chill down
came next will have caused
the spines of either New concern in the Ireland coach-
Zealand or South Africa, their ing box. Jordi Murphy, thrown
likely quarter-final opponents. into the fray just a few days
Russia may have been ulti- after arriving as a replacement
mately outclassed, but in frus- for the injured Jack Conan, left
trating Ireland for long periods the field after 26 minutes with
they were never less than mas- a rib injury and was replaced
sively committed. by CJ Stander.
They left the field to a huge “We’re going to get him
ovation from both the neutrals checked out,” Schmidt said of
and the Ireland supporters. It the unlucky Murphy, amid
was fully merited, with plenty concerns that his tour could be
of respect being shown by over within a week of his
players of both teams. arrival.
Ireland coach Joe Schmidt, Ireland ramped up the pres-
not surprisingly, chose to sure and another big surge led
accentuate the positives. to lock Bogdan Fedotko being
“There were more things that yellow-carded for an illegal
pleased me, definitely,” he entry. The third try looked
said. “We started really well inevitable and Player of the
again and got those two early Match Rhys Ruddock pro-
tries, as we did last time, and duced it, after being propelled
then made a bit of hard work forward by prop John Ryan.
of it. By half-time Russia had
“There was a bit of conster- conceded eight penalties to
nation in that third quarter Ireland’s three. Fly-half Johnny
when we didn’t get the bonus Sexton was replaced by Jack
point try but it was great to see Carty at the interval and added
Andrew Conway streak away to Irish concerns when seen
to get that fourth try.” with an ice-pack on his thigh,
Amid conditions not as but pronounced himself fine
oppressive as feared, Ireland after the game.
showed early determination to Russia had a second man
put the Japan defeat in the sent to the bin when replace-
rear-view mirror. ment Andrey Ostrikov was
After only 90 seconds, a guilty of a dangerous clearout,
familiar training ground move but Ireland could do little with
from the Schmidt playbook their second numerical advan-
created acres of space for full- tage.
back Rob Kearney to gallop Russia fly-half Ramil Gaisin
clear for the perfect start. then had a chance to put some
The difference in class Russian points on the board
between the sides was evident but kicked a long-range penal-
on 13 minutes when Ireland ty wide. Not before time, on
made their second big thrust 62 minutes, Ireland worked a
in the Russian 22 and came nice try for the bonus point,
away with another seven- with Carty’s clever kick being
pointer. picked up by Keith Earls, who
After prop Dave Kilcoyne found his Munster team-mate
crashed over the gain line, Conway with all the space he
Johnny Sexton saw space in needed.
behind and sent Peter If the performance was far
O’Mahony in pursuit of a love- from convincing, it at least had
ly grubber kick. The flanker a finishing flourish of some
won the race and scored class, with Jordan Larmour
beside the upright, with and Earls combining beautiful-
Russian center Kirill ly to send Garry Ringrose in
Golosnitskiy injured in the act for the fifth try. C