Ireland secured a bonus-point victory over Canada at the Millennium Stadium this afternoon thanks to tries from Sean O'Brien, Iain Henderson, Johnny Sexton, Dave Kearney, Sean Cronin, Rob Kearney and Jared Payne.
© Getty Images
Johnny Sexton put Ireland 3-0 up early on from just under the posts, and Canada's scrum-half Gordon McRorie missed a penalty moments earlier.
Sean O'Brien drove towards the Canadian line at the back of the Irish maul to touch down after 17 minutes, Sexton putting over the resulting conversion, before Iain Henderson made it 15-0 to Ireland minutes later with Sexton again adding the extra two points from the boot.
It was Sexton who then turned try scorer, racing down the left and touching down in the corner, but the out-half failed to put his own conversion over.
Dave Kearney secured the bonus point for Ireland, finding a hole in Canada's defence to score the team's fourth try from a Sexton pass. The fly-half made no mistake from his conversion to give his side a 29-0 lead at half time.
© Getty Images
Canada thought they had their first points of the half just before the whistle when DTH Van der Merwe went over the line, only for the try to be ruled out by the TMO for a forward pass in the build-up.
Ireland lost Paul O'Connell to the sin-bin straight away in the second half, but Kieran Crowley's men were unable to capitalise on their numerical advantage.
© Getty Images
Hooker Sean Cronin scored Ireland's first points of the second half, touching down under the posts after good work from substitute fly-half Ian Madigan, who converted to make it 36-0 to the Irish.
Canada eventually got on the board after 68 minutes, DTH Van der Merwe racing over after a failed grubber kick from Payne gifted the winger possession.
Another substitute fly-half in the form of Nathan Hirayama converted Canada's try, before Ireland made it six different try scorers when Rob Kearney was released by Keith Earls to make it 41-7.
Madigan converted again, before the out-half set up centre Payne and converted once more to give Ireland a 50-7 win.
Colm Hayes
