Ireland cruise into Rugby World Cup quarter-finals by smashing Samoa
Ireland have crushed Samoa 47-5 despite playing more than half the contest with 14 men to secure their spot Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.
Flyhalf Johnny Sexton scored two of Ireland's seven tries and finished with 18 points, but Bundee Aki became the first Ireland player to be red-carded at the World Cup, in Fukuoka on Saturday night.
Ireland moved atop Pool A with 16 points ahead of hosts Japan's game against Scotland on Sunday.
Ireland flyhalf Johnny Sexton scores against Samoa at the Rugby World Cup. Getty
Scotland need to win that game to have any chance of progressing, but they will have to wait until World Rugby assess conditions in the wake of Typhoon Hagibis before knowing if the game will go ahead at Yokohama.
If the game is cancelled, it will be logged as a tie and both teams will be awarded two competition points, enough for Japan to qualify for the knockout stage for the first time.
The Irish needed to ensure they controlled their own quarter-final prospects with a big win over the Samoans, and had wrapped up a bonus point by half-time.
"I really liked the start. I think we've started really well in all four games and haven't continued it," Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt said.
"Today we did,"
But they had to play more than 50 minutes with 14 men after centre Bundee Aki became the first Ireland player sent off at a World Cup.
Aki, who is of Samoan descent, was red carded in the 29th minute for a dangerous high tackle on Ulupano Seuteni, leading with his shoulder in the flyhalf's face.
Ireland's Bundee Aki lays his red-card tackle on Ulupano Seuteni. Getty
Both head coaches considered it a fair tackle from Bundee, who risks being ruled out of the quarter-finals under World Rugby's crackdown on high tackles.
"It's all split-second stuff. We'll see what the judiciary decide. But once it's a red card you sense a loss of control over what happens next, no matter what you present," Schmidt said.
Samoa's head coach Steve Jackson threw his weight behind Bundee getting reprieved.
"I hope no further sanction comes to him. People don't go out there to make head contact," Jackson said.
Bundee Aki sees red and may now face suspension at he Rugby World Cup. Getty
It took the tournament tally for reds to a record-extending seven.
The score was 21-5 when Aki went off - Ireland's tries coming from hooker Rory Best, prop Tadhg Furlong and Sexton - and 26 unanswered points followed.
Sexton got his second try of the game right on the halftime buzzer, fed quickly by Murray on the blind side from a close-range scrum, and converted fullback Jordan Larmour scored early into the second half after Murray's smart cut-out pass fooled Samoa's ragged defence.
No. 8 CJ Stander and replacement winger Andrew Conway added further tries.
They were converted by Sexton's flyhalf replacement, Joey Carbery, who also set up Conway with a neat grubber kick.
Backrower Jack Lam scored Samoa's only try, although both teams had a second-half try ruled out by TMO.
