Rugby World Cup: impressive Ireland turns on style to smash Canada 50-7 win in Cardiff

IRELAND shut down any concerns about its preparation for the Rugby World Cup with a comprehensive belting of Canada in Cardiff.

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JONNY Sexton scored a try and kicked three conversions and a penalty as Six Nations champions Ireland overwhelmed Canada 50-7 to open their World Cup campaign.

In a severe warning to Pool D rivals France and Italy, Ireland were superior to Canada in every facet of the game after a tight opening quarter of an hour.

And their superstar No.10 was at the centre of just about everything.

It was an impressive start for the Irish.

They notched up four first-half tries - and a bonus point - through Sean O’Brien, Iain Henderson, Sexton and David Kearney, three converted by Sexton.

Three more tries through Sean Cronin, Rob Kearney and Jared Payne completed the demolition in the second half.

“We handled the ball really well and played some really good rugby,” said Ireland captain Paul O’Connell.

He said the win had helped Ireland get over their World Cup “nerves.”

Sexton could do no wrong.

Cross-field punts on his own goal-line. Reverse touch-finders to within meters of the corner flag.

Pop passes, dummies, even a 40-meter sprint for a try.

The 30-year-old displayed his full repertoire of skills before being taken off in the 55th minute as a precaution for bigger fights ahead.

That was enough time for him to pass 500 points in international rugby - and enough time to earn the man-of-the-match award under the roof at Millennium Stadium.

Ireland's fullback Rob Kearney scoots away for a try.

Canada coach Kieran Crowley - a World Cup winner with the All Blacks in 1987 - went even further.

“Any team in the world would be happy to have him in their side,” Crowley said.

“He’s not one of the most well-paid rugby players in the world for nothing, is he?”

Sexton won’t have this much time and space in every game at the World Cup, and there’s a chance he will now be rested by Ireland - certainly against Romania next up - before pool deciders against Italy and France.

The Irish will want to wrap this gem in cotton wool.

Aside from a kick into touch on the full, and a couple of misplaced passes, Sexton was flawless. The crowning glory was his 28th-minute try in which he took an inside pass and showed a turn of pace down the left to ground in the corner.

But the biggest sign of his confidence was later in the first half when, with Ireland under pressure on its own try-line, Sexton collected the ball, switched directions and aimed a long kick to the right wing that landed perfectly in Jared Payne’s hands to launch a counter-attack.

D.T.H van der Merwe got a consolation try for Canada.

“He will reflect on the game and the first wide pass he made looped into touch. It was the perfect opportunity. It was the right decision but he didn’t quite execute it accurately enough,” Ireland coach Joe Schmidt said.

“He will probably chastise himself for that, in amongst about 30 other really positive moments. That’s the way he is driven and that’s how he drives the team.”