•
Ireland run in five tries but made to work hard by Russia• Bonus-point victory has Ireland on course for quarter-finals
It’s beginning to feel like there are two
Irish sides in this
World Cup, the one with Johnny Sexton, and the one without. There is no doubt which of them is the better.
After he missed Ireland’s defeat to
Japan with a quad injury, Sexton played a brilliant first 40 minutes against
Russia, then Joe Schmidt wrapped him back up in tissue paper. Jack Carty played the second half. Ireland’s other fly-half, Joey Carberry, was supposed to be on the bench but had to pull out because he had aggravated an old ankle injury. They lost Jordi Murphy, too, with a rib injury. The Irish won 35-0, which should have been reassuring, but somehow, at the end of it all, they had plenty to worry about.