IRELAND survived some stage fright to get off to a winning start in the Sevens.
Tries from Jordan Conroy and Terry Kennedy saw them see off South Africa before their second outing against Japan later this evening.
Conroy had earlier fluffed a chance to touch down and he said: “That was pre-match nerves.
“I was in two minds, I was trying to green ball it or extend it and I just got caught in two minds.
“I wasn’t decisive enough but I got one back so I am delighted with that as well.
“Running out you just realise ‘it’s a full bloody house’.
“It’s a massive stadium and there’s a huge aura about it so you take that in for a minute and then lock in.”
“I’d never been here before.
“I saw it on TV when the XVs play but you don’t get the sheer size of it on TV.
“It’s when you’re there you realise the place is huge but I have played here now so that doesn’t matter anymore.
“You always try to get the first tournament out of the way.
“It’s always like that with any tournament really.
“It’s just getting the first one done and then you’re in the zone.
“It’s been a long, massive build-up as well.”
Ireland started strongly with a good carry by Niall Comerford with Hugo Keenan feeling the effects after Christie Grobbelaar and Shilton van Wyk doubled up on him.
Terry Kennedy chased his own kick-through but it ran away from him.
Ireland won a scrum penalty at the restart and eventually worked the ball out the left but Conroy fumbled.
He made amends shortly before the interval in a move involving Kennedy, Keenan and Zac Ward. Mark Roche missed the conversion.
In the second half South Africa stole a lineout but Quewin Nortjec knocked on Selvyn Davids’ kickthrough before van Wyk touched down.
Ryan Oosthuizen was yellow-carded for his tackle on Gavin Mullin and Ireland took advantage with Kennedy stepping inside Shaun Williams before going over but Hugo Lennox did not convert.
JUMPSCARE
James Topping’s side were made sweat when Davids burst through Harry McNulty and Andrew Smith to get on the scoresheet but Ireland held on.
Lennox said: “They didn’t get away and they never do.
“They’re unbelievable out there and they keep just nabbing away at you.
“They’re like us, just fighting right until the end and we were just pleased to hold them out.
“It was good to get a win on the board.
“The first one can always be shaky and it’s good just to come out the right side of it.
“Sometimes if you get off to a bad start, you’re chasing yourself right from the beginning.
“Let’s just keep that momentum and keep moving forward.
“In a tournament like this you want to just continue to grow through it.
“One win done and we’ll be looking for another one this evening.
“We’ll get straight in the ice baths now, get some recovery into us, get a bit more grub, feed up and go again.”
Zac Ward expects to be fit to play this evening despite limping off.
He said: “I just rolled my ankle in the tackle, I’ll get a bit of ice on it and I’ll be grand, I’ll get the magic sponge on it.”
Tonight’s opponents Japan lost 40-12 to New Zealand, whom Ireland face in their final Pool A game tomorrow.
Hosts France – complete with super-star Antoine Dupont – were held to a shock 12-12 draw by the USA.
The top two from each of the three pools progress to the quarter-finals as well as the two best third-placed teams.