Winger Akuila Uate scored three tries and had another disallowed as Fiji ran over Ireland 32-14 in the Rugby League World Cup at their home away from home on Monday.

Rochdale was the town where the first Fijians came to play rugby league in England in 1961, and helped launch the careers of Fiji’s first professional league players.

On Monday, with support from most of the sellout crowd of 8,800 in Spotland Stadium, the 2013 squad treated the town to six tries and some bone-rattling defence.

The Irish scored two tries in the last three minutes when the result was already beyond doubt, but they were generally overmatched.

Kevin Naiqama and brothers Tariq and Korbin Sims also scored tries for Fiji.

The result puts Fiji, a semi-finalist in 2008, on course for the quarter-finals.

The top three from Group A, which includes the Kangaroos and England, advance.

Fiji captain Petero Civoniceva will next face former side Australia on November 2.

The tournament is serving as Civoniceva’s swansong, the final chapter of the prop’s storied league career that featured 45 Tests for Australia, 33 State of Origins for Queensland and 309 NRL games for Brisbane and Penrith.