All the talk, all the understated confidence the Irish team brought to their preparation camp in Tours, where the Irish XVs team stayed before last years Rugby World Cup, was richly rewarded in Paris with wins in their opening two matches of the Olympic Games. With that Ireland have secured a quarter-final.
Against South Africa in their first outing Ireland owned most of the possession, especially in the first half, with an individual piece of brilliance from 2022 World Player of the Year Terry Kennedy late in the second half giving his team an insurmountable 10-0 lead after Jordan Conroy had begun Irish scoring after seven minutes.
Ireland were hit with a late, late try but finished deserving 10-5 winners against the team that beat them in the opening match of the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
In the evening game, Japan faced Ireland having watched 40 stinging New Zealand points go past them. Well, they certainly now know what that feels like now as Ireland almost niled them in adding another 40 points to their miserable opening day in sunny Paris.
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With three pools of four teams, the top two teams in each pool qualify for the quarter-final along with the two best third-placed teams. The teams are ranked one to eight for the quarter-final draw, the opening wins putting Ireland in a terrific position and with momentum on their side facing into the final pool match on Thursday against the All Blacks Sevens.
As full as the stadium has been for any Six Nations or Rugby World Cup games last year, the music banged out between the matches in Stade de France with Ireland doing their own kind of on-pitch rocking, a fashionably bearded DJ setting the mood on the giant screen and a dance cam swirling around the crowd.
As ever Sevens rugby was drawing more of the party animal crowd than its older brother, its quick delivery of matches and high tempo endearing itself to the family occasion. And how the Olympic Games loves a family.
Just the third Olympic cycle since the sport was put on the roster in Rio in 2016, it was Australia who opened the evening with a win over Samoa, the Wallaby players gathering in a circle on the purple covering on the track around the infield afterwards, their arms raised in the air to give thanks for a blessed opening win.
Shortly after, Argentina ran on to the pitch amid a chorus of booing with Kenya emerging behind to a more enthusiastic noise, the fans empathetically deciding the real pantomime villains and heroes. As it played out, it was the crowd who were the disappointed partner in that relationship, Argentina winning 31-12.
France, with Antoine Dupont gracing the starting team, were impossibly adored. A national figure, it was in the same ground last year that France departed a World Cup competition they were earmarked to win. Not this time.
There was disappointment but no despair on the opening day for the hosts, USA scoring a late try to take a welcome 12-12 draw and share the points with this year’s World Series winners. But France won their second match, while twice Olympic gold medallists Fiji broke the sound barrier once against Uruguay 40-12 and again against USA 38-12.
The question was to which character would Ireland be assigned by the crowd when they ran out against South Africa and judging by the murmuring noise, they won the affection.
Wearing green shirts to the Blitzboks white, it was Ireland who exclusively controlled the plays and possession in the first half. While it looked like the teams might go into the break 0-0, even after a kick and chase from Kennedy that just rolled dead before he got to it, Ireland held their composure and were justly rewarded.
After a Jordan Conroy try had been disallowed for a knock-on, South Africa kicked up field inviting their opponents back at them. Ireland obliged and after multiple phases the ball was fed again to Conroy.
This time the winger struck clean in the corner in the last play of the half and after the hooter had sounded as Ireland took a 5-0 to the break. With so much possession Ireland might have been frustrated with just one score, although it was not in evidence.
South Africa fell to six men after a high tackle from Ryan Oosthuizen on Gavin Mullin, which allowed Ireland sweep into attack. Kennedy then turned the match stepping inside the covering Blitzbok Tiaan Pretorius to score the second try for 10-0 before captain Selvyn Davids replied for 10-5 as the seconds ticked away.
Japan faced a rejigged Irish starting team. But for James Topping’s side, it was a more emphatic outcome. Too better prepared, too much savvy and in the end too much Kennedy gas with a try and assist in the first half.
Kennedy’s telling assist found Chay Mullins when he was already over Japan’s try line, the selfless pass ensuring a simple conversion under the posts for 14-0 at halftime.
Harry McNulty weighed in with another try, converted for 21-0, Niall Comerford bringing it to 26-0, Mullins again with a second score and finally Zac Ward in the gloaming wound it up for a 40-5 win.
In day one of Olympic winners and losers in Stade de France, Ireland stood up. They are in a quarter-final and now face New Zealand to top Pool A. All is as they was hoped it would be.
