Zebo runs the show as Ireland soar at Wembley

A WORLD CUP record attendance of 89,267 warranted some cheer — and Ireland’s back three of Simon Zebo, Tommy Bowe and Keith Earls were only too pleased to oblige. While full-back Zebo provided not so much the X Factor as the Z Factor, the wingers came in with two tries each to make victory a formality against brave Romania at Wembley. Having racked up a halfcentury against Canada, a team with a more second-string look about it ended 44-10 winners at the home of football, packed to the rafters for the oval-ball game. Fly-half Ian Madigan, who kicked two penalties and four conversions, orchestrated things behind the scrum to give flight to Earls, Bowe and Zebo (right), all of whom are running into form in timely fashion. The wingers scored in each half, with Earls’ brace equalling the seven World Cup tries scored by Brian O’Driscoll. Rob Kearney also got in on the try-scoring act, as did Chris Henry — who a year ago needed heart surgery — to secure a bonus-point win. Romania got a last-gasp consolation when Ovidiu Tonita battled his way under the posts. ‘There are a number of players who did well and they are going to give us a few selection headaches,’ said beaming Ireland coach Joe Schmidt afterwards. ‘We are never totally satisfied because you can’t have the perfect game, but it’s a difficult thing to work your way through games when you are favoured. ‘To have banked the 10 points is important and for us it starts now because next weekend we qualify if we win. Italy becomes a kind of top-16 game.’ He singled out the dynamic Earls for praise, particularly after reaching his landmark: ‘It’s nice for him to be mentioned in the same sentence as O’Driscoll, because that’s the standard anyone in the Irish back line wants to reach.’ Schmidt was unfazed by knocks to Earls and Kearney, reporting that the latter had jarred his hip when touching down. As for the sea of green in the Wembley stands, Irish No 8 Jamie Heaslip said: ‘We thought last week was loud but this was unbelievable, it has blown us away.’