Scrum of the Earth /

Just like Johnno, it's 100% for Ireland and Declan Kidney...

Eight tries, considering the horrendous conditions, was a decent return for the fresh-thinking Irish.

Better than their last effort?

Ireland's most recent clash with Canada ended in a drab draw and the itchy remains from a complacent World Cup campaign to forget seems to have been washed away in unforgiving Irish Sea.

The new-look backs caught the eye?

Kidney's bread and butter was Munster's pack, so it was encouraging to watch a fluent Irish back-line passing and moving with the fluency of the great Liverpool side of the 1970s.

Hometown hero Keith Earls couldn't have hoped for a better introduction?

After making the short journey [several hundred yards] to Thomond Park from his home, he raced over for the game's opening try, only three minutes into his debut. Alongside pacy pair, Tommy Bowe and Rob Kearney, Ireland now have the speed and guile in the backs to match the grunt and savvy of the pack.

So Kidney has a few tricky selection posers for the real test on Saturday.

Stephen Ferris' good work on the deck coupled with Jamie Heaslip's bulldozing breaks across the game line showed up well, but Richie McCaw awaits and he won't let the young Irish pups breathe let alone canter through tackles with such consummate ease.

Another week before we can measure the new coach's impact then?

Absolutely. But the early signals point towards a cracking blend of nous and youthful exuberance.