| ||
| ||
| ||
 |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wood leads Ireland to emphatic win
GOSFORD, Australia -- Keith Wood scored his fifth World Cup try and Denis Hickie notched two as Ireland romped to a 45-17 victory over Romania in Gosford to go above Australia in Group A. Although the Wallabies began with a 24-8 victory over Argentina on Friday, the Irish ran in four tries, which earned a bonus point. Fly-half David Humphreys contributed 18 points with four penalties and three conversions. Wood, whose other four World Cup tries came in one match against the United States four years ago, also assisted as wing Shane Horgan and back row Victor Costello crossed the Romanian line at Central Coast Stadium. Helped by a strong wind in the first half, Humphreys kicked his 100th Test match penalty from 40 meters in the fifth minute and added another in the 12th to open up a 6-0 lead. When the Romanians conceded another penalty close to the posts Humphreys made it 9-0 in the 19th minute. Wood, leading his team for the 32nd time, played a part in Ireland's first try in the 22nd minute. The hooker joined the backs in a slick move from 40 meters out, the ball being taken on by Horgan and Girvan Dempsey's weaving run to Kevin Maggs who then fed Horgan in front of the posts. Humphreys' conversion made it 16-0 and Wood's try followed in the 32nd minute. Playing almost like a top quality center, Wood grabbed the ball at speed to run through a gap and charge 30 meters unchallenged for his 15th try in Irish colors. Humphreys converted. A fourth Humphreys penalty from 38 meters gave the Irish a 26-0 half-time lead. Five minutes into the second half Romania gained a penalty try when Valentin Maftei was hampered when about to score. Tofan converted and added a penalty three minutes later Hickie responded with a brilliant breakaway try and the bonus point was clinched in the 57th minute when Costello, who competed in the shot put for Ireland at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, collected the ball from a scrum just five meters from the posts and pushed Tofan back over the line for the try. Humphreys converted and Ireland led 38-10. Hickie collected his second try five minutes from the end when he took a pass from Ronan O'Gara out on the left and burst away to dance round Danut Dumbrava and race clear for the score, which Humphreys converted. Valentin Maftei crossed for an 80th minute Romanian score and Rulian Andrei added the conversion. Copyright 2003 CNN. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
