Hello and welcome to Australia’s first game of the World Cup. They take on Italy at North Harbour Stadium in Albany

So Australia take the head of Pool C with Ireland v USA, the second match of the group, to come in just under an hours time.

The ball goes dead and the referee finally puts an end to the match with Australia comfortably securing the win after a strong second half performance

The clock ticks over to 80 with Italy in possession of the ball ...

Australia are finishing strong as Cooper looks to find O'Connor and the space ...

Samo makes a break for Australia before booting upfield for Burgess to chase. Burgess nearly gets there but Masi just manages to collect before the Aussie scrumhalf gets there

So close for Italy as they force their way over the line but they lose the ball at just the wrong moment and Scott Higginbotham dives on the loose ball for Australia

Italy lose the ball but they will come back for the penalty and in a change of tactic, they chose to go for the scrum ...

Italy are on the five metre line after a solid lineout. The Azzurri are playing advantage after Australia were caught pulling the maul down ...

Ioane nearly breaks through once again but Masi just holds on to the Wallabies centre before Castrogiovanni is forced to limp off for Italy

SERGIO PARISSE BREAKS FOR ITALY! The Italian skipper doesn't have the speed so he kicks the ball across the field. Semenzato does well to pick it up after protecting himself before finding Bergamasco on the outside. But Bergamasco is penalised for not releasing and Australia will escape

CONVERSION AUSTRALIA! 32-6! O'Connor adds another two points to the tally but most important for Australia will be the fact that that fourth try has grabbed them the bonus point

TRY AUSTRALIA! 30-6! The ball is flicked up by Samo from the back of the scrum for Burgess to collect. Burgess finds Ioane, who easily runs away towards the tryline, slipping a couple of tackles in the process before crossing over the line

Italy make a break for through Parisse but Australia eventually turn the ball over and make it up into the Italian half before Bergamasco is penalised for a knock-on. Australia will opt for the scrum

A shocking lineout from Italy ends up with the ball being comfortably overthrown and Burgess collecting out the back

Will Genia has had a fairly quiet game by his standard and is brought off in favour of Luke Burgess now that this game is pretty much won for the Wallabies

CONVERSION AUSTRALIA! 25-6! O'Connor is on target once again with his conversion, curling the ball inside the left post

TRY AUSTRALIA! 23-6! O'Connor dives over the line with ease to score Australia's third try right from the re-start. The Wallabies are running away with this now and there is still 20 minutes remaining

Beale finds Cooper from the base of the ruck before the Wallabies flyhalf goes back inside to O'Connor ...

CONVERSION AUSTRALIA! 18-6! This time O'Connor is on target with his conversion attempt and Australia stretch their lead even further

TRY AUSTRALIA! 16-6! Ashley-Cooper takes the ball on an angle and easily exposes a hole in the Italian defence before running unchallenged over the line for a second try