AZZ YOU WERE FOR IRELAND
Slam still on after entertaining win in Rome
BY MICHAEL SCULLY RELIEF in Rome for Ireland as their Grand Slam ambitions were stretched to near breaking point by Italy.
Three wins from three in this year’s Six Nations and another winning bonus point bagged puts Andy Farrell’s side in a very strong position heading to Murrayfield in just over a fortnight’s time. However, it wasn’t until the 72nd minute, when man of the match Mack Hansen glided past golden boy Ange Capuozzo to score his second try, that the green-clad hordes in the Olimpico Stadium could relax. A decade on from the famous
Italian ambush of Declan Kidney’s depleted side, Ireland had to go the distance to see off the hugely improved hosts – the visitors’ 27 missed tackles highlighting how hot the Azzurri were to handle.
Denied a massive victory over France, Kieran Crowley’s side sensed a real opportunity to beat the world’s No.1 side as Farrell made seven personnel changes from last time out.
The loss of Johnny Sexton, Ireland’s skipper and driving force, allowed Farrell the opportunity to see how Ross Byrne fared.
He wasn’t the only half-back starting his first Six Nations fixture as scrum-half Craig Casey was in the same boat. While Byrne kicked well there wasn’t that control that is
nearly always there when the veteran Sexton plays and indiscipline crept into Ireland’s game.
That bonus point was earned before the break for four tries scored but an intercept gifted to the hosts on the stroke of half-time kept them in touch.
The second half was a tight affair and the Azzurri even came close to drawing level before Hansen finished it as a contest.
After highlighting the chances that Ireland butchered against France, Farrell will be disappointed a bunch more went the same way.
They put away one of two golden try-scoring chances created in the
opening three minutes. James Lowe dropped the first when he attempted to touch down one-handed as he was tackled by Capuozzo. But he redeemed himself with the assist for captain on the day James Ryan to dive over after Bundee Aki’s off-load out of two tackles was the highlight of a scintillating move. Byrne missed the conversion and, thrillingly for the home crowd, Italy stormed back to take a 7-5 lead in the seventh minute through scrum-half Stephen Varney before Paolo Garbisi added the extras. Hugo Keenan’s 13th-minute try
was the perfect response. Aki was released by Hansen in midfield and he found Keenan, who shrugged off two tackles to score and Byrne converted.
Casey’s scrambling defence denied Pierre Bruno a try and Garbisi nailed a penalty but Lowe’s turnover resulted in Aki scoring in the corner, with Byrne nailing that difficult two-pointer.
Ireland piled on the pressure and Stuart Mccloskey’s skip pass gave Hansen the space to cruise in for the fourth try.
Prop Finlay Bealham was forced off with a twisted knee and the visitors’ attempt to score again before the break saw Bruno (left) intercept Aki’s pass to race in. Garbisi’s conversion made it a seven-point game.
Bealham’s replacement Tom O’toole came up with two quick scrum wins, the second allowing Byrne to make it 27-17 in the 47th minute from a penalty. But Porter’s obstruction on Juan Ignacio Brex then saw Garbisi take the three points on offer.
Another Byrne three-pointer made it 27-20 on 64 minutes but Italy came hunting the converted try that would level it up – and they nearly nicked it.
Giovanni Pettinelli’s break had Ireland scrambling but Brex’s kick looking for Alessandro Fusco was over hit and bounced into touch.
It was too close for comfort and the visitors needed to close this one out.
Casey’s replacement Conor Murray conjured a superb off-load to release Hansen and that was that.
ITALY: Tries: Varney, Bruno; Cons: Garbisi (2); Pens: Garbisi 2
Tries: Ryan, Keenan, Aki, Hansen (2); Cons: Byrne (3); Pen: Byrne