Here’s open for a winning start MICHAEL’S

It’s up to Ireland how much they will triumph by today

GIVEN that Ireland have not lost a World Cup opener since 1995, today would be a rotten day to pick to buck that trend.

However, Ireland, while not taking this game for granted, will not expect a slip up against Romania in this afternoon’s match and the absence of some key names will not dampen the expectation.

Romania should be beaten and Ireland will want to kill the game off in the first half so they can run their bench.

In a pool where it is possible that three sides will finish on the same points, Ireland will want a convincing win.

You absolutely expect Ireland to put at least 60 points on Romania, but will they be going all out to rack up a maximum break? I think winning comprehensively and staying injuryfree is far more important.

I expect Ireland to do their business in the first half and then protect their squad thereafter. In the last World Cup the highest score was 71 and that was New Zealand against Namibia.

You can get Evens on Romania at +62 on the handicap and I will take a punt on that. If I lose it means Ireland’s World Cup has started in style.

I’m also having something on an Ireland player getting a hat-trick of tries, there should be at least nine or 10 of them in the match so one player getting three is hardly a stretch.

Worth

Hugo Keenan often pops up close to the tryline and at 17-2 he is worth a euro at least to go over it three times.

As for today’s other games, Italy ought to see off Namibia, but in the late game England could be on a hiding to nothing against Argentina.

I think England are a shambles, having lost six of their nine games in