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DUBLIN - Ireland signed off from Lansdowne Road with a 67-17 victory over the Pacific Islanders this morning (NZT), helped by an outstanding 26-point performance from debutant first five-eighth Paddy Wallace.
Wallace had a superb game in place of the talismanic Ronan O'Gara, landing nine of his 11 kicks and scoring one of his team's eight tries in the last game at the stadium, which is to be redeveloped.
With a new-look side that included three newcomers in the starting 15, Ireland did not look as assured as they did in their electric first-half against Australia last week.
But the home side's greater organisation eventually paid off with tries for Malcolm O'Kelly, the team's most-capped player, Denis Hickie, Shane Horgan, Rory Best, Wallace, Paul O'Connell and two for flanker Simon Easterby.
The Islanders, who started poorly against Wales and Scotland, got off to a better start against the Irish and at one stage were just three points behind thanks to a superb Kameli Ratuvou chip and pass to Seru Rabeni.
Lome Fa'atau added another for the Islanders but poor kicking from Tusi Pisi and Ireland's dominance in the second-half kept the lid on any hoped-for revival and the Islanders were only able to manage one more try, from Pisi, in the second half.
- REUTERS
