Ireland were lucky to come away with a 26-16 win over an aggressive Italy side in the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.
FULL TIME SCORE: Italy 16-26 IRELAND #TeamOfUs #ShoulderToShoulder #ITAvIRE pic.twitter.com/TlOoAQfTdO
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 24, 2025
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.
HALF TIME SCORE: Italy 16-12 IRELAND #TeamOfUs #ShoulderToShoulder #ITAvIRE pic.twitter.com/fytAIK1Fpk
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 24, 2025
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.
Congratulations to @peterom6 who has been awarded Man of the Match! #TeamOfUs #ShoulderToShoulder #ITAvIRE pic.twitter.com/SXkVn1G0SH
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 24, 2025
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.
