IRISH CRUISE TO WIN OVER ITALY – BUT AT A PRICE
IRELAND 29 ITALY 10
Joey Carbery suffered a knee injury scare yesterday as Ireland eased past Italy in their first World Cup warm-up match in Dublin.
Ireland will open theirworld Cup by taking on Scotland on September 22, so any significant knee issue now would threaten Carbery’s participation in Japan.
Ireland were sloppy from the start, a curious Carbery crossfield bomb from his own 22 an unusual – and unsuccessful – exit strategy. Dave Kearney then botched a nailed-on try, knocking on at the whitewash when attempting to scoop up Carbery’s hack through.
Italy struck first then, converting a driven lineout when the aggressive Mbanda dived home.
Carbery quickly levelled up the try count, cantering home through the 12 channel having traded places in Ireland’s backline with Farrell.
But just when Ireland expected to pull away, the Italians inflicted another flesh wound.
Giulio Bisegni’s cute grubberkick caught out Jordan Larmour in Ireland’s backfield, and Carlo Canna reached the bouncing ball to double the visitors’ try count.
Finally Ireland approached something resembling a rhythm, stringing the phases together deep
in Azzurri territory. Dave Kearney made amends for his early howler with a neat finish in the left corner, that owed everything to Garry Ringrose’s pass out of the tackle. It enabled Larmour to fire out wide, and Kearney junior did the rest.
Andrew Conway walked in a third to leave Ireland leading 19-10 at the interval.
No. 8 Jordi Murphy capped a driven lineout for Ireland’s fourth try, in a solid second-half opening.
Both sides meandered through an utterly-forgettable third quarter, save for that worrying injury to Carbery.
Replacement scrum-half Marmion charged down Test debutant and Italy counterpart Callum Braley to claim the hosts’ fifth score.
n Australia crushed 14-man world champions New Zealand 47-26 in the Rugby Championship at Perth’s Optus Stadium.
And the result means that Six Nations champions Wales can end New Zealand’s 10-year reign as world No. 1 if they avoid defeat against England today.
The All Blacks had lock Scott Barrett sent off by French referee Jerome Garces just before halftime for a shoulder-led charge to the neck and face of Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper.