Ireland ran in three second-half tries against Italy in Dunedin on Saturday night and in the process advanced to the last eight of the World Cup thanks to a comprehensive 36-6 win at the Otago Stadium.
Keith Earls, celebrating his birthday in the best possible way, went over the whitewash 13 minutes into the second-half and again with what was nearly the last play of the game after captain Brian O'Driscoll had pushed Ireland 19-6 ahead eight minutes after the interval.
In effect Declan Kidney's charges have to win two Six Nations matches to reach the final of the tournament, firstly against ex-Ireland coach Warren Gatland's Wales and then against either England or France, with the former having off-field problems and the latter unable to get it together on the field.
Munster legend Ronan O'Gara was picked for his kicking ability and he got Ireland off the mark with eight minutes on the clock with a sweetly struck penalty.
Racing Metro's Mirco Bergamasco levelled things up three minutes later with a penalty of his own after Cian Healy was turned in the scrum.
O'Gara soon had a chance to move Ireland three ahead again but his effort came off the post but on 18 minutes he did convert his second penalty and Ireland deservedly led 6-3.
With 22 minutes played Bergamasco scored what proved to be Italy's last points - great work by the colossal Martin Castrogiovanni set up the penalty.
As the half-time whistled approached Ireland were knocking on the door and they were rewarded for their efforts when O'Gara split the posts with his third successful penalty.
The second-half saw Ireland run riot and add 27 points to their half-time total of nine and prove that Italy had little to offer outside of scrummaging.
O'Gara made it 12-6 to Ireland four minutes into the half before O'Driscoll played the captain's role and scored his 45th try in the green of Ireland following some superb work by the hugely impressive Bowe.
Five minutes later the game was effectively ended as a contest when Earls finished a fine Ireland move that had Gordon D'Arcy and Stephen Ferris at the heart of it.
Thirteen minutes from the end Jonathan Sexton replaced O'Gara and he hit the ground running with a penalty of his own on 70 minutes to move Ireland 29-6 ahead.
The Leinster out-half also added the extras after Earls put the finishing touches to a fine Ireland performance after some great work by substitute Andrew Trimble.