England on Saturday overcame a potentially dangerous Rugby World Cup opener against Argentina thanks to the prolific boot of George Ford as Ireland welcomed back their dynamo Johnny Sexton.
England had recorded just four wins in 13 matches heading into the clash in Marseille and Argentina had stunned them in November last year.
It started badly for the 2003 champions after Tom Curry was red-carded for a clumsy clash of heads with Argentine fullback Juan Cruz Mallia in just the third minute, becoming the first England player in history to be sent off at a World Cup.
Photo: AFP
Ford stepped up to take a scrappy game by the scruff of the neck, kicking every single one of England’s points, including three drop-goals and six penalties, in a 27-10 victory to lift the pre-tournament tension in the Red Rose camp.
Ford is standing in for Owen Farrell, who is serving a ban for a dangerous tackle that rules him out of this game and the next against Japan, but on this evidence Farrell could have a fight on his hands to get the No. 10 jersey back.
“We have had a bit of a rocky buildup to this World Cup, but I think in the last 10 days there has been a different feeling to the place. It is only game one and we will look to build next week,” Ford told ITV.
Ireland, the world’s No. 1 ranked side, were able to select Sexton — so often their inspiration — for the first time following a six-month injury absence as they took on minnows Romania in the Pool B curtain-raiser.
Sexton’s errant kick handed Gabriel Rupanu the first try for Romania, but Ireland then flattened them with 12 tries in response to romp home 82-8 in Bordeaux.
Sexton grabbed 24 points, including two tries, to become Ireland’s record World Cup points scorer.
“I’m delighted just to get some minutes under my belt,” Sexton said. “We know there’s a much tougher task coming on Saturday against Tonga.”
Like England, Australia have had a rocky build-up to the tournament, but coach Eddie Jones earned his first win in six games with a 35-15 bonus-point victory over battling Georgia.
Fullback Ben Donaldson scored 25 points in just his fourth Test appearance to leave Jones hailing a “perfect” start for the two-time champions.
“World Cups are about taking each step,” Jones said. “If we were to plan a perfect World Cup preparation, we said at the end of the round one we want to sit there on five points and that’s what we’ve got.”
In the other game on day two of the tournament, Italy romped to a 52-8 win against Namibia in Pool A.
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