IRELAND 47 - 5 SAMOAIt might not have been the route they envisaged but Ireland have reached their initial destination, although the question remains whether this is finally the time to venture into virgin territory. Yet in the context of that deeply disappointing defeat to Japan and a patchy, scratchy win over Russia nine days earlier, this Ireland performance was a great leap forwards. Of Ireland’s win over the Samoans, Read said: “Pretty good, with a man down, to get a score like that. “We’d like to think that nobody thinks it’s nice playing against Ireland,” Farrell said. One hundred per cent it does and that’s a good thing for us going forward as well.”Farrell is certain history will not weigh on this 2019 squad and confidence that glass ceiling can be broken.

Source: Irish Examiner October 13, 2019 21:11 UTC