Ireland set up a Rugby World Cup quarterfinal clash with New Zealand next Saturday as a phenomenal, six-try performance powered them past Scotland in Paris, tonight.

By the break, the world’s number one side had shown why, 26-0 up and cruising having led inside two minutes and racked up the bonus point.

This crushing defeat eliminates the Scots, sending South Africa through as Pool B’s runners-up, Gregor Townsend’s men absolutely blitzed in a devastating display at a disbelievingly delighted, mostly, Stade de France atmosphere.  

Knowing this was must-win or go-home, Scotland started disastrously conceding just after a minute.

Garry Ringrose made the piercing line break, found Mack Hansen in space and the Connacht winger freed James Lowe on his left, sprinting in for a delirious, early score, a dream Irish start!

Johnny Sexton missed the conversion as the Scots then came sniffing up field, kicked to the corner only to see attacking play in the twenty-two go unyielded on the scoreboard, Caelan Doris momentous again in defence with a turnover.

Starting at a ferocious tempo, Scotland repeatedly declined shots at goal, but Ireland were immense defensively, standing tall and with Finn Russell’s fizz not unlocking the door, Ireland patiently won the ball back.

Winning his century of caps, flanker, Peter O’Mahony then scampered through, tried to feed Hansen only for the ball to stumble forward, gasps and drama aplenty amidst the Stade de France crowd.

Forced into two early changes due to injury, Blair Kinghorn and captain, Jamie Ritchie the unlucky duo, Scotland were pressured under the high ball, Darcy Graham jittery as Ireland pushed hard out of possession.

And from a set piece, Andy Farrell’s men struck again as Sexton conducted a wraparound, Bundee Aki amazingly found Stuart McCloskey, on for Hansen due to a HIA, who cooly slipped it wide to full-back, Hugo Keenan, the Leinster man cruising into the corner.

Sexton superbly landed the extras to make it 12-0 and soothe Ireland fans’ nerves.

It soon got even better for the men in green, Ulster man Iain Henderson, one of two changes, justifying the faith shown in him by Farrell, by burrowing over from close range, reward for more camping in the Scottish twenty-two.

Another Sexton conversion had Ireland in dreamland, 19-0 up and Scotland stunned.

Before half time, the cherry was on Ireland’s cake, Keenan bagging a brace from Sexton’s spun pass after the forwards made mighty ground, the number ten slotting his sixth points of the evening to send Ireland into the interval firmly in command, 26-0 up after a near-perfect first forty minutes.

Three tries in a devastating thirteen-minute spell to put daylight between the teams, bonus point already secured, sealed and rubber stamped in bags and bags of style.

The second half began with a scuffle, Scottish substitute, Ollie Smith tripping Sexton and causing a melee of argy-bargy, the replacement sent to the sin bin inside two minutes of the resumption.

Immediately, Ireland profited, Jamison Gibson-Park slinging it out wide to the rampaging, hooker, Dan Sheehan who sprinted in for his fifth international try, the celebrations unspoiled by Sexton’s wide conversion attempt.

Fifty minutes hadn’t elapsed, and Ireland emptied the bench, a likely quarterfinal date with the All Blacks looming large in a week’s time.  That the management were able to think that far ahead, so early on, will have been an unexpected luxury.

Scotland knocked hard on the door following those alterations but marshalled by McCloskey, Ireland, again, defended impeccably, slamming the try line shut firmly on the frustrated Scots.

Munster man, Jack Crowley, on for Sexton, made an eyewatering assist for Ireland’s sixth score, a deliciously weighted dink out wide, finding and collected by Ringrose who ran in and finished it with the minimum of fuss, Crowley’s conversion off target.

Past the hour, however, Scotland struck back with two scores in as many minutes.

First, replacement hooker, Ewan Ashman shimmied by Henderson and put them on the board after just five minutes of his introduction, Finn Russell adding the extras.

Then, from the restart, scrum half, Ali Price surged clear of a lagging defence to sprint in under the sticks, Russell again adding two more.

Finlay Bealham was repelled late on, Ireland having to settle for six tries in the end.

Despite a spirited second half showing from Scotland, ultimately it is another dispiriting exit at the group stages for them, an opportunity gone begging by the blitz of Ireland’s astounding first half.

Farrell and co now have a week to prepare for an even bigger encounter as knockout rugby descends upon the country, New Zealand next Saturday night, where as a nation, we will pray that we can end our quarterfinal hoodoo. 

A daunting test ahead, but one that with a performance of this level, could lead to a historic occasion and certainly one for the ages, regardless of the result on a night where emotions will, again inevitably, be sent on the wildest rollercoaster over eighty minutes.