6 Nations
Match Report: Ireland Scrape Past Energetic Italy
Ireland have kept their championship hopes alive with a fortunate win over Italy
Ireland were lucky to come away with a 26-16 win over an aggressive Italy side in the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.
#GuinnessSixNations
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 24, 2019
FULL TIME SCORE: Italy 16-26 IRELAND #TeamOfUs #ShoulderToShoulder #ITAvIRE pic.twitter.com/TlOoAQfTdO
Ireland who were looking to push on from their win over Scotland last time out caused most of their own problems with handling errors and silly penalties allowing Italy to stay in the game.
The visitors had a scrappy start up until the 12th minute when Quinn Roux finished off a 19 phase move after strong carries from the likes of Tadhg Furlong and Jacob Stockdale. Johnny Sexton kicked over the conversion to make it 7-0.
It seemed as though they might kick on from there, but within seven minutes Tomasso Allan got the hosts on the scoreboard with a penalty.
The Italian’s shot themselves in the foot immediately after scoring. Sexton kicked off, with Italy mistiming their catch, before a knock-on fell into Stockdale’s hands.
The winger did the rest, bursting through some defenders and touching down to give Ireland some breathing space. The kick was missed meaning it was 12-3 after 22 minutes.
Again, Ireland allowed Italy into the game, with Sean Cronin giving a penalty away for being offside which Allan slotted between the posts.
With the clock just ticking past the 30-minute mark Italy were in for their opening try of the game.
Edoardo Padovani capitalised on a Sean Cronin over-throw from a line-out. Jayden Hayward broke through the defence and after a couple of phases Allan sent a long-pass out to Padovani who scored.
Allan missed the extras, but it was a one-point game at 12-11.
With two minutes remaining in the first-half, Italy went in front. Breaking from their own 22, the Italian’s raced down the other end of the pitch with Luca Morisi getting the try. Again, the kick was missed, and it was 16-12 to Italy at half-time.
#GuinnessSixNations
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 24, 2019
HALF TIME SCORE: Italy 16-12 IRELAND #TeamOfUs #ShoulderToShoulder #ITAvIRE pic.twitter.com/fytAIK1Fpk
The second-half was filled with errors with two Irish tries the only highlights of the half.
Keith Earls scored with 49 minutes on the clock after sustained pressure from the men in green, Conor Murray took the kick this time and sent the ball flying over.
Ireland had to wait until the 66th minute for their bonus-point try, as Murray touched down after a rolling-maul from a line-out. He took the kick himself and scored once more to make it 26-16.
#GuinnessSixNations
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 24, 2019
Congratulations to @peterom6 who has been awarded Man of the Match! #TeamOfUs #ShoulderToShoulder #ITAvIRE pic.twitter.com/SXkVn1G0SH
That’s how it remained as Ireland picked up five points to move into third in the table and keep their championship hopes alive.
After the game Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt admitted his relief at getting the win but was not pleased with the overall performance.
“There’s a relief, it’s done, in the end we got our five points and that’s what we came for, but we were too inaccurate,” he said.
Winger and try-scorer Stockdale also spoke following the game and when asked why his team are not flourishing as they have been over the past couple of years, he couldn’t answer.
“That’s the million dollar question I suppose,” he said in relation to what his team’s problems are.
Ireland will have to be better when they host France in two weeks’ time if they want to have any chance of winning another title and while there were positives for Italy, they will play England next looking to now end a 20-game unbeaten run in the 6 Nations.
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Munster Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to confirm contract extensions for Conor Murray and Jack Daly with Brian Gleeson to be promoted from the Academy to the senior squad next season.
Murray and Daly have signed one-year extensions with Gleeson moving up to the senior squad on a two-year deal.
Gleeson is one of five Academy players moving up to the senior squad next year with Tony Butler, Ethan Coughlan, Mark Donnelly and Edwin Edogbo also signing two-year deals.
Conor Murray is one of the most decorated scrum-halfs in world rugby with 116 Ireland caps and three British & Irish Lions tours to his name.
A former St Munchin’s College student, the Garryowen man won his fifth 6 Nations title with Ireland last month and earned his second league title with Munster last season.
The 34-year-old has made 185 Munster appearances and scored 34 tries for the province to date and was named on World Rugby’s Team of the Decade in 2019.
25-year-old flanker Jack Daly came up through the ranks at Castleisland RFC and made his Munster debut against Zebre in 2020.
Daly joined the Academy in 2018, moved up to the senior squad in 2021 and plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen. A former Ireland U20 international, he made his Champions Cup debut against Toulouse in the quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium in 2022.
Try-scoring number 8 Brian Gleeson leads the charge for the Ireland Under-20s against France ©INPHO/Evan Treacy
20-year-old Gleeson moves up to the senior squad after just one year in the Academy that has seen him score one try in nine senior appearances.
Currently out of action with an ankle injury, he had already made three Champions Cup appearances before turning 20.
The powerful back-row forward was a Grand Slam winner with the Ireland U20s last year. plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen and came up through the ranks at Thurles RFC and Rockwell College.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against Scotland at Aviva Stadium (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Ireland – currently sitting top of the Six Nations table heading into Super Saturday – can clinch back-to-back Championship titles with victory over Scotland in Dublin.
Farrell has named an unchanged starting XV for the Round 5 clash, as Hugo Keenan, Calvin Nash and James Lowe continue in the Ireland back three. Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki are once again selected in midfield, with Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park the starting half-backs.
Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong pack down in the front row, with Joe McCarthy partnering Tadhg Beirne – who is set to win his 50th Test cap for Ireland – in the engine room.
Captain Peter O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have opted for a 5-3 split on the bench, with Rónan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan providing the reinforcements up front, and Conor Murray, Harry Byrne and the fit-again Garry Ringrose the backline options.
Saturday’s match is live on Virgin Media One and ITV, with live radio coverage available on RTE Radio 1.
Ireland Team & Replacements (v Scotland, Guinness Men’s Six Nations, Saturday, March 16, 4.45pm)
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(39)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(5)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(71)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(55)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(30)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(13)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(34)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(63)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(25)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(75)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(9)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(49)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(104)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(61)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(40)
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(30)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(128)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(39)
19. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(19)
20. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(45)
21. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(115)
22. Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster)(3)
23. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(57).
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Peter O’Mahony captains Ireland for the Round 4 visit to London, with Hugo Keenan returning to the starting XV after recovering from injury.
Keenan joins Calvin Nash and James Lowe in the Ireland back three, with Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw continuing their midfield partnership.
Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park are retained as the half-back pairing.
In the pack, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong are in the front row, with Joe McCarthy and Tadhg Beirne named in the engine room. Captain O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have selected a 6-2 split on the bench, as Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan provide the reinforcements in the pack.
Backs Conor Murray and Ciaran Frawley complete Ireland’s Match Day 23 to face England.
Saturday’s match is live on RTÉ2 and ITV.
Ireland:
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(38)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(4)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(70)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(54)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(29)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(12)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(33)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(62)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(24)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(74)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(8)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(48)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(103)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(60)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(39)
Replacements:
16. Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(29)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(127)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(38)
19. Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster)(80)
20. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(18)
21. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(44)
22. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(114)
23. Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(3)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
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