Record Victory For Ireland
08/06/02.Ireland opened their three match New Zealand tour with a record breaking 56-3 win over the New Zealand Divisional side in Timaru today.
The Irish were in sparkling form, running in eight tries, four in each half, with Brian O’Driscoll ending up with a hat trick. Ireland led 27-3 at the break with their tries coming from David Humphreys (3rd min), Justin Bishop (12th min) and O’Driscoll (19th and 25th mins).
They continued where they left off in the second half their opening score coming from Girvan Dempsey, followed by try number six from Anthony Foley before Mel Deane scored on his international debut.
In the 70th minute the New Zealanders were reduced to 14 when Matt Porter was red carded . O’Driscoll completed his hat-trick scoring from the half way and then a sublime break by the Lion resulted in a try for substitute Geordan Murphy.
Ireland. G Dempsey; J Bishop, B O’Driscoll, M Deane (G Murphy 61 min), T Howe; D Humphreys (R O’Gara 72 min), G Easterby (P Stringer 72 min); R Corrigan, K Wood capt, (S Byrne ht) J Hayes (M Horan 61 min); G Longwell, P O’Connell (L Cullen 72 min); A Quinlan (E Miller 25 min), K Gleeson, A Foley.
New Zealand Divisional XV. T Manawatu; M Pettman, S Leung-Wai, M Harvey, P Fifita; M Flutey, L Peina capt; C Newland, P Mitchell, P Bielski; M Porter, K Leawere; D Quate, A Griffith, M Ngarimu.
Referee: S Walsh (NZ).