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Ireland confirmed its ranking as the No.3 Test side in the world with a 61-17 thumping of the Pacific Islands side at Lansdowne Road.

It was an eight tries to three winning margin in a game where debut first five-eighths Paddy Wallace scored 26 points, from a try, six conversions and three penalty goals.

Ireland led 30-12 at half-time.

Ireland made nine changes from the side which beat Australia but that was not evident in its opening.

It scored its first try when Wallace provided wing Denis Hickie with the touchdown five minutes into the game.

The Pacific Islanders replied seven minutes later when centre Seru Rabeni capitalised on some good work by left wing Kameli Ratuvou.

However, Wallace kept Ireland in front with his penalty goals. Prop Justin Va'a was sin-binned for pulling down a maul but a turnover saw wing Lome Fa'atau score.

Ireland replied in duplicate with a Wallace try followed by lock Malcolm O'Kelly crossing after a lineout stead.

Flanker Simon Easterby scored after being put into space by centre Brian O'Driscoll while second five-eighths Shane Horgan proved too strong in scoring another.

O'Driscoll was forced to leave the field with an injury but after Easterby crossed for a second try, O'Driscoll's replacement Isaac Boss put replacement hooker Rory Best in for another try.

Lock Paul O'Connell had the final say with the last try of the game.

First five-eighths Tusi Pisi scored the third Pacific Islands try.

Ireland's coach Eddie O'Sullivan will now by eyeing the Six Nations Championship with some confidence but said the side had taken as much out of the Autumn series as it could, "three very good performances and three very good wins" was his comment to the after-match press conference.