A spirited Russian side couldn't hold back a nine try onslaught from Ireland to maintain their lead in Pool C.
More than 25,600 spectators packed out the Rotorua International Stadium to watch Ireland beat Russia 62-12 today.
Waves of green, speckled with red supporters cheered, screamed and sang their way
through 80 minutes of rugby.
The party atmosphere around the ground flowed onto the pitch as Ireland looked to dominate early as the received the deep kick from Russian first five Konstantin Rachkov. Russia looked to gain field position but Ireland was determined to use the pace of the ball to get around the flanks.
The first points came in the fifth minute, after Russia were penalised for off side at the break down. Ronan O'Gara easily chipped over the penalty 10m out in front of the post.
Check out our tweets from the match for a taste of the atmosphere
Two minutes later Rachkov was sin binned after deliberately knocking the ball down when Ireland looked to be on their way to their first try. Ireland took the lineout 22m out and drove to the line only for Russia to bring the ruck down.
Ireland took the quick tap O'Gara chip kicked to the right wing finding the safe arms of Fergus McFadden and O'Gara extended the lead with a successful conversion.
Ireland was soon in again after some beautifully timed passing for Sean O'Brien to go over and O'Gara to convert to be 17-0 with 10 minutes on the clock.
The rain seemed to hold off but Russia were struggling to hold back the tide of the green machine. Ireland was strong right across the field with forwards and back linking well and the Russians holding on by a slim thread.
Russia's best chance for points came in the 20 minute mark, when they turned over some ruck ball 10m inside Ireland's half. They ran it left brought it back right with a two on one overlap inside the 22 but bombed it.
It seemed to give the Russian's confidence and began working the ball one or two out from the ruck then wide but were let down by handling errors.
Ireland weathered the Russian storm and was in for their third try just before the break after they opted for a tap penalty. They worked eight phases and were rewarded for their patience when halfback Isaac Boss dove over and for O'Gara to slot the conversion.
Irish centre Keith Earls was in for the bonus try shortly after the kick off, after he was put into space and raced 40m to score in the corner and for O'Gara to convert. The flood gates were open with 30 seconds left in the half when Andrew Trimble pounced on a loose ball to send his team into the break 36-0.
Ireland was full of running after the break looking to run the bigger Russian forwards around the field.
Earls open the scoring in the seventh minute when he broke the Russian's line to run 30m to score under the post and for the O'Gara to step up and chip over his fifth conversion.
Russian played well in spurts but poor body position going into the contact tended to find them turning over the ball.
However, the Russian fans had cause to celebrate when from a scrum 10m inside Ireland's half, Russian halfback Alexander Yanyshkin ran wide putting fullback Vasily Artemyev into a gap he easily beat the fullback Rob Kearney to score and for Rachkov to convert.
The try seemed to give the Russian's the belief and they were soon in for the second from a well worked backline move from a line out just inside Ireland's half. It was worked left and Russian centre Andrey Kuzin ran hard and straight at the defence giving his right winger Denis Simplikevich enough room to bust over in the corner to take the score to 43-12 with 60 minutes gone on the clock.
Ireland responded two minutes later after Russia failed to find touch inside Ireland's 22. Kearney ran it back sparking an 80m return from one side of the field to the other, with the ball going through several pairs of hands to eventually end up back in Kearney's hands to go over in the corner - O'Gara extended the lead with another conversion.
The game began to open up and started to resemble a sevens match with Ireland throwing short passes to team mates running into gaps.
Replacement forward Shane Jennings scored Ireland's eight try from some good pick and go two minutes later under the post for replacement first five Jonathan Sexton to convert.
Tony Buckley managed to get his name on the try scoring list just before the final whistle to end the game 62-12
Scorers:
Ireland: 62 (Fergus McFadden, Sean O'Brien, Isaac Boss, Keith Earls 2, Andrew Trimble, Rob Kearney, Shane Jennings, Tony Buckley tries; Ronan O'Gara 1 pen 6 con, Jonathan Sexton 1) Russia 12 (Vasily Artemyev, Denis Simplikevich tries; Konstantin Rachkov 1 con) Halftime: 36-0