ROMAN HOLIDAY
Ireland f ind their mojo at last but it’s all too easy against abject Italians
IRELAND showed some much needed attacking verve in the first win of their Six Nations campaign with a six-try rout of a poor Italian side yesterday. However, whether Andy Farrell’s squad have truly turned the corner is still up for debate as the abject hosts provided little resistance in Rome.
Nonetheless, after losses to Wales and France in the opening rounds, this bonus-point victory will be a morale boost to Farrell and his players in a contest where they were rarely troubled by the Azzurri, who conceded 18 penalties and missed 26 tackles on their home turf.
The games against Scotland and England next month will provide far sterner examinations, but
Johnny Sexton feels this team is on an upward curve.
‘We have come in for some flak over the last few weeks but internally as a group I don’t think we have ever been more confident about where we are going and what we can produce,’ said the Ireland captain, who got through the full 80 minutes at Stadio Olimpico.
‘With the coaches that we have and the leadership group coming out of their shells, this group is on the right trajectory. I properly believe that.’ Sexton contributed 18 points from the boot with a flawless kicking display while Garry Ringrose, Hugo Keenan, Will Connors (two) and CJ Stander crossed for tries.
Munster scrum-half Craig Casey and Leinster lock Ryan Baird made their Test debuts from the bench in the second half and Sexton has backed the rookie pair to have big futures in the green jersey.
‘Those two guys are going to play a huge part in that,’ said the Ireland out-half.
‘Just their character. Like, Craig Casey, I didn’t know him that well
obviously – I had never played with him – but his attitude is ... it kind of reminds me what I read about Jonny Wilkinson – that is the only person I can relate him to.
‘It is inspiring for the rest of the group and for someone like me, at this stage in my career. I like to be last off the pitch and I am never last off the pitch with him around. He has been brilliant.
‘And Ryan was outstanding when he came on. He brought some energy, he is an incredible athlete.’
Attention will quickly turn to Ireland’s trip to Murrayfield to face the Scots on March 14. Gregor
Townsend’s side are still reeling from their narrow loss to Wales, while their meeting with France was postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak in the French camp.
And Farrell is braced for a big test in Edinburgh. ‘I think it will be a step-up,’ said the Ireland head coach.
‘The boys have worked incredibly hard over the last four or five weeks. We’ve been incredibly frustrated that we didn’t get the results that the work we put in, and we felt we deserved today.
‘We’ll learn from things from our performance, what kept them in the game, in terms of our discipline. We can’t do that over in Murrayfield, some soft penalties.
‘I don’t want to talk too much about Scotland at this stage, we’ll refocus when we meet back up.’
Jordan Larmour will be further assessed after the Leinster wing pulled up with a hip flexor injury at half-time, while Dave Kilcoyne failed a HIA and will now go through the return-to-play protocols. Tadhg Furlong (ankle) and Ronan Kelleher (calf) also left the field with injuries but Farrell believes both will be in the frame for selection next week.