Long before the finish at Centralny Stadium in Kraznoyarsk yesterday this was shaping up as another episode of take the money and run. Or in Ireland's case, drag yourself off the park.

The team from the first world of rugby nations scored four tries and conceded none against a third-world outfit. And even that modest return took a whole heap of effort from the jaded travellers.

Fatigue was the recurring theme in the post-match analysis. Having travelled across seven time zones Ireland were just glad enough to get out of here in one piece. Patently the travel was a factor, for having touched down on Siberian soil at 3am local time Thursday morning, the players were expected to be at Test standard less than 40 hours later. They weren't.

For the moment Ireland are safe enough, as indeed they were by half-time yesterday. The margin at that stage was only 18 points, and having scored a good try in just over a minute they would have expected more. When Ronan O'Gara floated a perfectly weighted kick to the corner, after Keith Wood and John Hayes had done some good approach work, Girvan Dempsey gathered on the full to score in comfort.

It made the worst possible start for the Russians, who were desperate to give their enthusiastic fans something to sustain them. Indeed the thirst of the 12,000 locals for something to cheer could be measured by their response to their team's opening score. It was a penalty, and it came with two minutes of normal time remaining. They welcomed it as if it heralded a spectacular comeback.

In fairness to Sergei Segeev and his big, physical crew they did well enough to come back from that early score to give Ireland plenty of biff in the opening quarter. They got stuck in at ruck time, and with extraordinary latitude from referee Joël Jutge they piled across the line-out gap before the ball was thrown.

In the second half it was Woods' zest and good running that gave Ireland their opening try . For a change Ireland had managed to get some real momentum into their loose playWith a couple of quick phases the gap opened and O'Gara's conversion put Ireland out to 25-0.

Fittingly it was O'Kelly who reached and scored just after the hour mark after Anthony Foley had taken a quickly tapped penalty close to the Russian line. By then the gameplan was no more exciting than playing for position and conserving energy. And when they got another prime spot O'Gara stepped up to kick another penalty, but when you're opting for the three points long after the game is safe it tells you something of the Irish mindset. Having had a close-up look at how the other half lives, they were happy enough to get on with the marathon journey home.

Ireland Tries : Dempsey (2), Wood, O'Kelly. Cons: O'Gara (3). Pens: O'Gara (3)

Russia Pen: Pieterse

att: 12,000 :