National: Ireland blitz through Romania to win their first game of the Rugby World Cup

THE SUN wasn't the only thing blitzing through the pitch in Bordeaux as Ireland scored 12 tries in their opening game of the tournament in group B against Romania ending on a scoreline of 82-08. 

Ireland pilled on the points in the second-half as they settled into the game but as Irish fans struggled to get into Stade de Bordeaux due to the crowds, it was Romania who got on to the score board first after two minutes through Gabriel Rupanu after Sexton's grubber kick is collected by opposite out-half Vaovasa. 

Rupanu was unable to convert his own score putting them the lead but it did not take long for Ireland to cancel out Romania's score as Jamison Gibson Park lands under the post as Ireland cut through Romania's mid-field with Sexton adding the conversion. 

Ireland continued their attacking pressure with an incredible passage of play with soft hands from James Ryan ending in a score for Kennan under the post after 12 minutes putting them 14-5 ahead.  

With a penalty advantage, Tadhg Berine scores Ireland's third try with a wide pass from Lowe out on the left wing. This time Sexton failed to convert leaving them 19-5 ahead after 20 minutes. 

Romania got their only remaining points of the half through a penalty after 20 minutes in which Rupanu kicked over to add three points to their score.

Things did not improve for the Romanian's as Simionescu was given a yellow card, resulting in another try for Ireland as Bundee Aki sealed the bonus point score after a great individual run with the captain adding the spoils. 26-8

After six months away from the playing field, Sexton got Ireland's final score of the half under the posts and converted it leaving them 33-08 ahead at half-time. 

Ireland continued where they left off after the break with a quick tap and go from Ulster hooker, Rob Herring, near the line put them well in the lead after Sexton's conversion. 

Their score tally did not stop there with Munster's Peter O'Mahony also going over the line after a superb run from Aki and Lowe edging them 47-08 ahead. 

Sexton went on to score try number eight for Ireland as both sides emptied their benches to cope with the blazing heat in France.

On his World Cup debut, Leinster's Joe McCarthy added another Irish try after a huge gap in the Romanian's defence opens up with Crowley adding the extra two points after 68 minutes. 

Ireland reached double digits in try scored with O'Mahony reaching over the line for his second try of the game with Munster team-mate, Jack Crowley sweeping the conversion through the posts to push the score out to 68-08. 

Aki continued as one of Ireland's top attacking threats scoring Ireland's 11th try of the game in the closing minutes with Crowley foot perfect with the conversion. 

It was Peter O'Mahony who was awarded man of the match in a game with Beirne finishing off the scoring tally which finished on a scoreline of 82-08. 

Ireland face Tonga in their next pool game on Saturday, September 16 8pm. 

IRELAND: Hugo Keenan, Keith Earls, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe, Jonathan Sexton (C),  Jamison Gibson-Park, Andrew Porter, Rob Herring,Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne, Peter O’Mahony, Caelan Doris. 

SUBS: Ronan Kelleher for Herring, Jermery Loughman for Porter, Tom O’Toole for Furlong (All 52 minutes),  Ian Henderson for Ryan, Josh van der Flier for Dorris (Both 55 minutes), Conor Murray for Gibson-Park, Mack Hansen for Earls (Both 60 minutes), , Jack Crowley for Sexton (65 minutes). 

ROMANIA: Marius Simionescu; Nicolas Onutu, Fonovai Tangimana, Jason Tomane, Tevita Manumua; Hinckley Vaovasa, Gabriel Rupanu; Iulian Hartig, Ovidiu Cojocaru, Alexandru Gordas; Adrian Motoc, Stefan Iancu; Florian Rosu, Vlad Neculau, Cristian Chirica (C).

SUBS: Alin Conache for Rupanu (Half-Time), Alexandru Savin for Hartig (48 minutes), Florin Bardasu for Gordas (52 minutes), Florin Bardasu for Cojocaru (55 minutes), Taylor Gontineac for Tangimana (56 minutes) Tudor Boldor, for Vaovasa, Andre Gorin for Neculau, Marius Iftimiciuc for Iancu (All 60 minutes), Dragoș Ser for 

REFEREE: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)