Ireland outclass Scotland to cruise into quarter-finals

Ireland produced another high-quality performance to thrash Scotland 36-14 and ease into the World Cup quarter-finals as Pool B winners on Saturday, taking South Africa along with them and sending the Scots home.

The permutations for qualification were complicated but the Irish rendered them all academic with a ninth straight win over Scotland and a 17th successive test victory.

Fullback Hugo Keenan scored two tries and winger James Lowe, lock Iain Henderson, hooker Dan Sheehan and centre Garry Ringrose also crossed as Ireland controlled the match with accurate forward play and took their chances ruthlessly.

Ireland will return to the Stade de France next Saturday to face three-times champions New Zealand, while the Springboks take on hosts France in another blockbuster quarter-final in the same arena on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Scrumhalf Danny Care scored the winning try seven minutes from time to spare England’s blushes and complete a 18-17 victory over superb Samoa in their Rugby World Cup Pool D clash.

Two tries from winger Nigel Ah-Wong had Samoa leading deep into the match, but their dreams of a first win over England were ended by poor discipline as they lost centre Tumua Manu to a yellow card and conceded repeated penalties that gave England the territory they needed.

Louis Rees-Zammit scored a hat-trick of tries as Wales maintained their momentum ahead of the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals with a six-try 43-19 win over Georgia to seal top spot in Pool C with a fourth successive victory.

Wales will likely play either Argentina or Japan in the knockout stages after another accomplished display in which they led 17-7 at halftime but had to withstand a Georgian rally in the second period.

They scored other tries through prop Tomas Francis, fullback Liam Williams and centre George North, and gained revenge for a shock 13-12 loss to Georgia in Cardiff last November, a result that hastened the exit of former coach Wayne Pivac.