Key events
“Worrying to see three Italian forwards out of the game with injury in the opening 30 minutes,” James Cavell opined to me via email. “Didn’t see what happened to Negri and Cannone, but after all the kerfuffle regarding the knee destroying clearout on Dupont last week, I expected World Rugby to be looking at clearout dangers more closely. … There is rightfully so much focus on head injuries, with tournament-altering red cards being issues for illegal tackles that don’t cause injury. Yet, we have seen at least two serious injuries resulting from ‘controversial’ cleanouts that are deemed ‘rugby incidents’. Where is the consistency around player safety?”
A mixed day for Jack Crowley, I’d say. He was only one from four when it came to conversions and the nature of the game meant he didn’t get ball in hand a lot. However, when he did have it, I thought the Munster fly-half did some very classy things (one or two which did not count due to the ol’ TMO). So it probably doesn’t settle the No 10 debate by any means, but I don’t think he hurt his chances.
The man of the match, Dan Sheehan, explains why Ireland couldn’t locate their usual fluency: “I think Italy went after our breakdown quite well. Fair play to Italy, they put us under massive pressure.” He says he will be keeping an eye on the last two games, maybe with a pint. Well deserved.
Well, Ireland got the result they wanted. Of a kind. They finish on 19 points so an England defeat (or draw) coupled with Scotland shocking France in Paris would hand them an unlikely Six Nations title.
Italy will be rueing with poor discipline. They were right in the game throughout the first half and there were some fine moments from Menoncello and Capuozzo. But three players in the sin-bin – albeit one right at the finish – tells a story.
FULL TIME: Italy 17-22 Ireland
It was scrappy, it wasn’t always pretty – but a bonus-point win, via Dan Sheehan’s hat-trick, means Ireland’s Six Nations hopes remain alive. Just about.
79 min: Yet another card for Italy, Giacomo Nicotera with a nasty clearout on Jack Boyle. But it may not matter …
79 min: Capuozzo tries to break and that is a terrific tap tackle from Bundee Aki to stop him in his tracks.
78 min: Italy’s turn to put some pressure on! We’re getting a tense finish here; Brex testing the Ireland defence. Time is ticking ….
76 min: Sam Prendergast and Jack Boyle came on for Ireland and the former tries to weave some magic, but overthrows it for Gus McCarthy and it’s out.
74 min: Hansen bullocks forwards. He’s been the standout player of the second half for my money. Ireland’s scrum in Italy’s half – the game is still on the line.
72 min: Gus McCarthy is on, unstoppable try accumulator Dan Sheehan is off. Now; Ireland on the attack at the line, James Lowe just steps out (does he?). Italy’s lineout but Ireland are not happy with that.
69 min: Curious game this. Italy seemed like they had the momentum in the first half but went in at the break behind. It’s felt like it has been all Ireland for much of this half, yet that Capuozzo-inspired try means it is just a five-point game. What next?
67 min: Conor Murray is on for the 125th and final time in an Ireland shirt. Stretch your hamstrings; it’s another deserved standing ovation.
TRY! Italy 17-22 Ireland (Varney)
Ange Capuozzo, you magician. He races at Ireland with raw pace, his kick catches out Ireland and Hanson can’t quite get to the ball, Stephen Varney touches the ball down – but that was all about Capuozzo. So much for Italy not having a sniff … that’s livened the home crowd up. Allan converts!
61 min: Now Ireland are throwing the ball around with some freedom; Italy, scuppered by being down a man and clearly rattled by it, have not had a sniff since the very start of this half.
TRY! Italy 10-22 Ireland (Sheehan)
Dan Sheehan hat-trick! But that was all about Gibson-Park’s inch-perfect kick, a spiralling arc, Mack Hansen leaps to keep it in play and Sheehan is perfectly placed to dot down. Now that was a lovely move. Bonus point: secured (if conversion: missed).
56 min: Ross Vintcent news: his card is upgraded to a red, but a 20-minute one. Bundee Aki is on for Henshaw. No respite for Italy, eh?
54 min: No try! That seemed to be coming – Jack Crowley with the classy composure on the line, he finds Hugo Keenan for his second try of the afternoon. Or is it? Did the ball come forward off Caelan Doris’s right hand earlier in the play… the TMO are looking at this. It is ruled out.
53 min: Ireland on top. Hansen with another line-breaking run. They can smell that fourth try …
51 min: Among all that, Tadhg Furlong came on. His first appearance of this Six Nations. But that is about to be overshadowed … Peter O’Mahony is on for the last time in an Ireland shirt. A standing ovation, as you would expect.
48 min: Ross Vintcent is in the sin-bin for crashing head-on-head into Hugo Keenan. And this one is going to the TMO; the yellow could be upgraded to a red. The “good” news for Italy: Lamaro is on again, so they’re back up to, erm, 14.
TRY! Italy 10-17 Ireland (Sheehan)
Ireland force the ball over once again. It’s Dan ‘that man’ Sheehan once again who does the honours after another maul. Crowley’s tricky conversion goes just wide of the right upright.
47 min: Ireland so close to a try! It’s a real melee in the corner. The TMO is looking at this … James Lowe has touched it down, but James Ryan is penalised for losing it on the floor. I think. No try, anyway.
46 min: Page-Relo goes off hurt, just how many players are Italy going to lose here? Stephen Varney is on.
45 min: Superb break from Mack Hanson! He bursts through Italy’s defence, passes to Ringrose. Ireland falter after that, but that was much more like it.
43 min: Gibson-Park tries to open Italy up but his pass is too ambitious and goes out. He’s not quite found his range today. Yet.
42 min: Italy’s scrum inside Ireland’s half, Brex powers into Ireland – but a forward pass undoes their attack. Still six minutes until Lamaro returns.
Second half!
Italy receive to get us back under way.
So, Ireland will start against 14 players. They exploited their two real openings in that first half – so maximum points for efficiency – but did not look creative or cohesive enough. A rocket from Simon Easterby, perhaps? The good news for the visitors is that they can utilise their superior bench while Italy’s is weakened by three enforced first-half changes.
Half-time: Italy 10-12 Ireland
For a lot of that half, Italy looked the better side – but Ireland have too much veteran craft not to look a gift horse in the mouth. After Lamaro’s brain freeze, they pounced to capitalise on the stroke of the break. They have a slender advantage.
TRY! Italy 10-12 Ireland (Sheehan)
Ireland sense blood and punish the 14 men with ruthless efficiency! They win the linout, maul their way to the line and Dan Sheehan goes over. Crowley misses the kick from far out wide.
38 min: yellow card for Michele Michele Lamaro. He’s in the sin-bin for a silly error: his hands out as Gibson-Park lifted the ball. Lamaro tosses his gumshield to the floor but he’s only got himself to blame
PENALTY! Italy 10-7 Ireland (Allan)
Take a bow, Tommaso Allan. A fine kick from fairly wide and fairly far, right through the posts. Garry Ringrose was the guilty party giving away the penalty, picking up the ball from offside.
30 min: It’s the hosts hogging the ball since Ireland’s try, despite the trio of changes. Page-Relo punctures the defence with a fine run.
29 min: A second Italy change already. Lorenzo Cannone goes off, Ross Vintcent replaces him. Hang on … a third swap! Now Sebastian Negri, his leg already strapped, limps off. Michele Lamaro is on. Italy running out of players.
28 min: Italy’s turn to test the Ireland defence. Garbisi attempts to play the conductor as play is spread, but the Irish defence is solid.
26 min: Oof. Massive tackle from Monty Ioane on Mack Hansen. You love to see it, because it is fair and Hansen is fine. We have an Italy scrum just in Ireland’s half.
TRY! Italy 7-7 Ireland (Keenan)
This one does count! Ireland play out brilliantly from the scrum, Crowley quickly to Hugo Keenan and he dives over. The kick is good and we have a level game.
23 min: Gritty Italian defending after Ireland’s tap and go. Yet they couldn’t force the ball over this time. It’s an Ireland scrum near the line and …
20 min: No try! It looked like Irish power had come good. Pressure right on the Italian line at last – and Finlay Bealham bulldozed over. But the TMO rules it out! A double movement from the prop. We go again …
18 min: An injury to Dino Lamb causes a halt in play. The big lock is holding his right shoulder. He’s coming off – Niccolò Cannone the replacement.
16 min: Brex plays nicely to Menoncello, who breaks! Ireland stopped him but they looked wide open for a moment there. The visitors are rocking.
14 min: You cannot say Italy do not deserve their early lead. James Lowe tries to get his side up and firing but the kick is too long. Ireland are yet to get going at all.
Try! Italy 7-0 Ireland (Ioane)
That’s a terrific Italian try. Menoncello plays a key role in a really sensation move, there’s a grubber kick from Garbisi and Monty Ioane is first to it. So slick and the conversion is good from out wide! Game on.
9 min: It’s a Game of Lineouts so far. A lineoutfest; Ireland win the latest. Gibson-Park eventually gives it away though! Loose play and Henshaw has to absolutely race back and spare his teammate’s blushes.
6 min: Italy’s scrum, they keep the ball but very quickly Ireland snatch it back. But they lose possession. Neither team seem to want to keep the ball thus far. Interesting.
3 min: Fairly scrappy early on. Both sides probing. Italy win another lineout, but Page-Relo steps out of touch while trying to break. Ireland’s lineout now.
1 min: Italy win their first lineout and look to test the visiting defence early on, but cede possession and it’s with Ireland. Crowley, a big day for him, has it.
Kick-off!
The referee Luke Pearce blows long and loud, we are under way at Stadio Olimpico!
Ireland’s Call gets a rousing reception from the tens of thousands of green-shirted fans in attendance and presumably any friendly locals. Italy’s anthem, which is by any standard a banger, is belted out by Brex and co. We are ready to start.
The teams emerge from the tunnel – it looks a lovely sunny day for those there in the Eternal City. I’m not envious; you are. Perfect conditions for rugby.
A great Six Nations nugget from Robert Kitson’s preview: “A mere seven more tries will make the 2025 championship the highest-scoring in history, eclipsing the current record aggregate of 91 set in 2023.”
If we see seven total tries in Rome, we’ll break that record with two games to spare. Making history, people!
On ITV, they are paying tribute to Ireland’s departing centurions: Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray and Cian Healy. The last of those is not in the match-day 23 against Italy, so Healy has played his last game – but is with the squad today – and will finish on a record 137 caps. O’Mahony and Murray could come of the bench. All three have been tremendous servants to Ireland.
Let Robert Kitson set the Super Saturday scene for you in style ahead of today’s three games. It is Six Nations judgment day, as Kitson rightly says. (Or Tryminator 2: Judgment Day, as he rightly doesn’t say.)
Ireland team
Six changes from the Ireland side that started against France. The headline switch is Jack Crowley starting at fly-half in place of Sam Prendergast. The Munster man played every minute of his side’s Six Nations triumph last year but has had a bit-part role until now. Can Crowley – with rumours swirling of a hefty contract offer from Leicester – stake a claim to the No 10 shirt?
Elsewhere, Mack Hansen and Garry Ringrose are back from injury and suspension respectively. James Lowe, sorely missed after he was forced to pull out in the warm-up last weekend, returns. Jack Conan replaces Peter O’Mahony, one of a trio of retiring centurions, while James Ryan is in for Joe McCarthy.
Frankly, the players returning from injury and suspension mean this Ireland side has a stronger look than the one who faced France. Ireland would likely have swapped such a scenario. C’est la vie, as they probably say somewhere.
Ireland: 15 Keenan, 14 Hansen, 13 Ringrose, 12 Henshaw, 11 Lowe, 10 Crowley, 9 Gibson-Park; 1 Porter, 2 Sheehan, 3 Bealham, 4 Ryan, 5 Beirne, 6 Conan, 7 Van der Flier, 8 Doris (capt)
Replacements: 16 G McCarthy, 17 Boyle, 18 Furlong, 19 McCarthy, 20 O’Mahony, 21 Murray, 22 Prendergast, 23 Aki
Italy team
Gonzalo Quesada makes seven changes to his Azzurri side that took on England, the eye-catching one is the captain, Michele Lamaro, being benched. Manuel Zuliani comes in to replace him, while the experienced centre Juan Ignacio Brex will skipper the side.
Giacomo Nicotera and Niccolo Cannone also drop to the bench, as does Ross Vintcent, despite his try at Twickenham, replaced at No 8 by Lorenzo Cannone. Gotta have a Cannone in there, it seems. Tommaso Allan slots back in at full-back.
On the decision to drop captain Lamaro after 24 consecutive Six Nations starts, Quesada said: “Zuliani deserved the opportunity from the first minute and at the same time we want to have greater leadership on the pitch in the final stages of the game.” No harm in resting weary bodies, we’ll see if Lamaro can have an impact off the bench.
Italy: 15 Allan, 14 Capuozzo, 13 Brex (capt), 12 Menoncello, 11 Ioane, 10 Garbisi, 9 Page-Relo; 1 Fischetti, 2 Lucchesi, 3 Ferrari, 4 Lamb, 5 Ruzza, 6 Negri, 7 Zuliani, 8 L Cannone
Replacements: 16 Nicotera, 17 Spagnolo, 18 Zilocchi, 19 N Cannone, 20 Lamaro, 21 Vintcent, 22 Varney, 23 Marin
Preamble
A Six Nations that began in January with images of captains in the Colosseum ends – for Italy and Ireland – in Rome. And it’s two sets of battle-worn gladiators who face off. Ireland completed the triple crown but are smarting from that 42-27 defeat in Dublin by France, while Italy also started positively – battling against Scotland, seeing off Wales – but have shipped 120 total points in their last two games.
Irish hopes of a historic three-peat are hanging by a thread – but they are not altogether dashed. Which brings us to every fan’s favourite final-round championship chat: permutations! Let’s not drill too deep or else we’ll end up on how, mathematically at least, Scotland can still triumph (it involves thumping France by 52 points in Paris, among other things).
Realistically, Ireland have to get a bonus-point victory here, then hope England fail to beat Wales (or win but without a bonus point and end up with an inferior points difference to the Irish), then that Scotland pull off the upset and defeat France. Clear as a muddy pitch? We thought so.
It’s the longest of long shots for Ireland but after a tough week, Simon Easterby’s side will want first and foremost to remind everyone that one bad half against a fired-up France does not make them a poor rugby team. Italy for their part are only a point ahead of Wales as they aim to finish above the wooden spoon spot for a second successive championship. Their sole Six Nations win against Ireland in 25 attempts came at this stadium 12 years ago. Can they pull off an almighty upset? We find out with kick-off at 2.30pm GMT.
