Sexton makes remarkable debut

Dublin: Ireland caught a glimpse of the future on Saturday when flyhalf Jonathan Sexton made a flawless debut in an easy 41-6 victory over Fiji at a slippery RDS.

Leinster's Sexton, one of eight changes from the side that drew 20-20 with Australia last weekend, kicked a perfect 16 points in an unnervingly confident first international outing to cap off a remarkable personal turnaround this year.

Coach Declan Kidney was first to praise the 24-year-old who briefly dropped down to club rugby level in January after losing his provincial squad place only to return to lead Leinster to a Heineken Cup final win five months later.

"He's shown great maturity and that's what I like about Jonathan, [that he showed maturity] last year in times of adversity," Kidney told a news conference.

"Last year when things mightn't have been going his way, he stuck at it and that's a real sign of the person that's come though today," he added.

Sexton, in place of regular outhalf Ronan O'Gara for the day, put the Six Nations champions in front of the generally disjointed visitors with a penalty on 10 minutes.

Quick move

Ireland were 10 in front 10 minutes later when a quick move off the back of a dominant scrum put Munster wing Keith Earls, another change from Sunday, in for a simple try.

Fiji found their feet towards the end of the first half and outhalf Nicky Little struck two successful penalties either side of another from Sexton to cut the deficit to a converted try.

However Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll, scorer of last week's last gasp equalising try, intercepted to score again after the break and, with help from fellow centre Gordon D'Arcy, put Earls in for a second just before the hour.