BORDEAUX, France (AP) — Jonathan Sexton was bent over, clutching his left wrist, and Ireland and its supporters held their breath.
Uh oh.
Ireland’s prized asset in their determined bid to win the Rugby World Cup for the first time was playing his first match in six months on Saturday and appeared in pain.
Sexton had turned casually to flop between the posts for a try and braced his fall with his left arm — the same arm that Romania back Jason Tomane, too late to spoil the try, slid in and slammed.
Sexton hung behind the posts, rubbing his wrist. Then the flyhalf converted his try and all was OK, as was Ireland in a record-setting 82-8 win against Romania.
The 82 was Ireland’s highest World Cup score, and second highest all time. Ireland also extended its record-long winning streak to 14 tests.
But this Pool B match was all about Sexton, sidelined since the Six Nations Grand Slam-clinching win over England in March.
A groin injury and suspension had kept him off the field, but as soon as he kicked off at Stade de Bordeaux he became Ireland’s oldest World Cup player at 38.
His two tries and seven conversions from eight attempts gave him a personal haul of 24 points, his most ever in 114 tests. That haul took him past Ronan O’Gara for most World Cup points by an Irishman, and closed him within nine points of O’Gara’s Ireland points record of 1,083.
ITALY 52, NAMIBIA 8
SAINT-ETIENNE, France (AP) — Italy made a bonus point-winning start to the Rugby World Cup against a Namibia team that made the Azzurri sweat for every point at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on Saturday.
The 52-8 scoreline was Italy’s best ever against Namibia.
But the seven-try victory with perfect goalkicking from Tommaso Allan was given a flattering sheen by three tries in the last nine minutes as Namibia finally flagged.
First-game nerves, the baking sunshine, and the Namibians’ never-say-die attitude stymied Italy from showing its greater experience for the first hour.
Namibia hooker Torsten van Jaarsveld’s yellow card gave Italy the break it needed to score two tries in the first 15 minutes. But when it was back to 15 on 15, Namibia grew into the game and scored its only try — an impressive team effort — and worried Italy well into the second half.
Another lineout maul set up Italy’s third converted try for 24-8, and the backline finally clicked for exciting wings Ange Capuozzo and Montanna Ioane to combine for a sweeping try from deep inside their own half.
Capuozzo touched the ball only once in the first half, and Ioane six times. Namibia’s line speed and defense frustrated Italy’s backline. Meanwhile, the Italy pack was losing turnovers and not able to impose itself.
It all came right in the end for Italy but the scoreline was more impressive than the display.
FRANCE 27, NEW ZEALAND 13
PARIS (AP) — France overcame conceding tries at the start of each half to beat New Zealand 27-13 in an intense opening match of the Rugby World Cup on Friday, ending the All Blacks’ run of 31 straight wins in the pool stage.
Prolific right winger Damian Penaud’s try 15 minutes into the second half regained France the lead it never let go. Fullback Thomas Ramos punished All Blacks errors from the tee. He finished with 17 points from six of eight goalkicks.
Mark Telea scored after just 93 seconds to give New Zealand a stunning start at Stade de France, and then again three minutes into the second half.
But Penaud’s try and Ramos’ accurate boot took the score out of reach of New Zealand, and France finished with an opportunity try by replacement Melvyn Jaminet to pad the scoreline and feed the belief that Fabien Galthié’s side has real hope of a first World Cup title after losing three finals.
France did a lap of honor to thumping music after stretching its home winning streak to 15 games. The crowd lapped it up, but when captain Antoine Dupont finished media commitments and did a lap on his own, the crowd noise cranked up another level.
“The fans were extraordinary,” Penaud said.
Both sides coped with injury.
All Blacks captain Sam Cane withdrew shortly before kickoff, while France hooker Julien Marchand lasted 12 minutes before going off with a left thigh injury.
The French did not defy the haka, standing perfectly still in a silent stadium. The French were static, too, when Telea caught a cross-field kick from fullback Beauden Barrett and touched down in the left corner for an unconverted try.
But by halftime, France led 9-8 and worked overtime to restrict the New Zealanders to one try.
“It was a difficult start but gradually we managed to play more freely,” Dupont said.
Telea’s second try came from lineout ball. Ardie Savea’s chip was gathered by Will Jordan and, with the French retreating, center Rieko Ioane looped a flat pass to Telea, who stopped for the bounce and sprinted away clear. He cupped his eyes to let everyone know how good his vision was.
But Ramos was also seeing the ball well.
Penaud’s 30th try for France came in the 55th minute when he took nimble flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert’s neat feed and dived into the right corner, moments after having the ball knocked from his grasp while diving for the tryline.
Ramos converted to put the French 16-13 ahead approaching the hour mark in a game of ferocious intensity.
The noise level exploded when New Zealand winger Will Jordan was sin-binned for a hit on the airborne Ramos but France could add only another Ramos penalty with the man advantage.
Ramos’ fourth and fifth penalties extended France to 22-13 with seven minutes to go. They finished by turning over Barrett and Jaminet scoring. His conversion attempt drew only one raised flag and wasn’t counted.
For three-time champion New Zealand it was another stinging reverse after a humiliating 35-7 loss to defending champion South Africa two weeks ago in the final warmup game.
The game lived up to the hype, but is unlikely to have much bearing on qualification. Both teams are heavy favourites to go through in a Pool A also featuring Italy, Namibia and Uruguay.
