This was a slog we just had to overcome
ROB KEARNEY admitted Ireland’s 26-3 win over Italy was a slog but said it was nothing more than what he expected.
While the 2015 Six Nations was kicked off in thrilling fashion on Friday night by England’s win over Wales, yesterday’s encounter at the Stadio Olimpico was more a battle of attrition as the defending champions laboured to victory.
Joe Schmidt’s men eventually prevailed in Rome through second-half tries from Conor Murray and Tommy O’Donnell, while Italy hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini was in the sin-bin.
The clash may not have been the best spectacle, but Kearney insisted Ireland never expected it to be easy.
‘It was a slog, but I don’t know if it was that frustrating. Any time you come to Rome that’s exactly what you’re expecting – a slog,’ the full-back said.
‘We knew that if we just kept chipping away and trying to build some phases that eventually we would break them down.’
Ireland suffered a blow minutes before kick-off when flanker Seán O’Brien was forced to pull out of the starting line-up, nursing his hamstring.
The injury-plagued 27year-old was poised to make his first Test appearance since November 2013 and Kearney said it was a ‘massive disappointment’ for his Leinster team-mate to miss out.
‘It was a bit of a shock for us just before kick-off but we prepped really well and the substitutes train hard during the week and they come in.
‘It didn’t move us off our groove too much but it’s a massive disappointment for him, he’s worked so hard to get back here.’