The positives and negatives of each team's game came home to roost as Ireland's U20s won convincingly over the USA U20s in the Junior World Championship Tuesday in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Ireland came into the game as one of the best in the competition at ball retention and ruck success. The USA came into the game with one of the lowest tackle success rates.
This set up perfectly for Ireland a chance to put up a big score, and they did, winning 73-22. Center Sean David Walsh and flyhalf Charlie O'Shea each scored three tries.
At 27 minutes it didn't seem that bad of a situation for the Americans, as Ireland held a 19-3 lead that was not insurmountable. However, with starting flyhalf Declan Cadden having had to leave the field right after that third Irish try, forcing Jack Firebrace into the breech early, things weren't ideal for the Junior Eagles.
Ireland exposed all of that with four tries, three converted, in the space of 10 minutes leading into halftime.
Down 45-3 at the break the USA team was struggling.
