Flyhalf Ian Madigan converted five penalties to lead Ireland to a 15-12 victory over a determined United States on Saturday in the first of two North American Tests for the Irish.
The United States, ranked 16th in the world, kept it impressively close against ninth-ranked Ireland in the match at BBVA Compass Arena, home of Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo.
The clash drew a crowd of 20,181, a record for a rugby match in the United States.
Interim head coach, Australian Les Kiss, was in charge of Ireland for the first time and had to make do without those players currently touring Australia with the British and Irish Lions.
Even so, Ireland notched their first victory since they defeated eventual champions Wales 30-22 in a Six Nations clash in Cardiff in February.
Fullback Chris Wyles converted four penalties for the hosts, who suffered their second defeat in two weeks after opening their Pacific Nations Cup campaign with a loss to Canada in Edmonton on May 25.
“We’re disappointed,” US coach Mike Tolkin said. “It was right within winning distance.”
“Early on we got into some penalty trouble. Obviously, a couple we’ll take responsibility for.”
Despite the disappointment, the United States can be encouraged by the result as they prepare to host Tonga on Saturday in the Pacific Nations Cup in Los Angeles.
On the same day, Ireland will play a Test against Canada in Toronto.
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