Ireland finally nabbed their first win of this year’s Six Nations but it took a second-half spurt to make it comfortable.
The final score, 42-10 to Ireland, may make it seem like the home side dominated the game but right up to half-time Italy were right with us. Well, right up until about minute before the whistle to be precise when Tommy Bowe crossed for his first try after a fine pass by Stephen Ferris.
Jonny Sexton did the business with the tricky conversion and Ireland led 17-10 at the break. That momentum was carried into the second half and as Italy tired and Declan Kidney threw in some fresh, and impressive, legs, Ireland pulled away.
But the opening exchanges were far from pretty. Italy, well Tobie Botes to be exact, blew a very early penalty chance, a score that would have allowed them to get a grip on the game and quieten the already fairly moribund Aviva crowd.
Botes did nab the game’s first score a few minutes later with another penalty but Sexton, after receiving a nasty knock to the head, levelled matters.
The first try came appropriately from Keith Earls, the man who did the damage when these sides met in New Zealand at the World Cup. Thankfully back in the team after having to miss the game with Wales, Earls looked bright and he burrowed past Botes after 15 minutes following some last-ditch Azzurri defending that had denied Sexton.
Italy were playing tough, if slightly aimless, rugby and after a botched Irish lineout, Sergio Parisse went in to level the game with Italy’s only try as we approached half-time.
If Italy had made it to the whistle without conceding who knows how the game would have gone but they didn’t and Ireland were more clinical in the second 40.
Perhaps if Botes hadn’t botched a simple penalty Italy could have battled back but he did and they couldn’t. Instead a couple of Sexton penalties (the Leinster man only missed one kick from eight) pushed Ireland further ahead and then the tries began to flow, mainly because Eoin Reddan replaced Conor Murray, making the Irish backline much more dangerous.
A super pass by Reddan teed up Bowe for his second on the hour mark and as Italy gave up the ghost a Tom Court try and a fine breakaway run by Andrew Trimble right on the final whistle made the scoreline look very pretty.
Reddan looked very good, Peter O’Mahony, in for Sean O’Brien, also did well in his cameo and the confidence should now be high heading to Paris again. We even saw some interesting formations like Bowe in the centre alongside Sexton in that last 20.
Will we see it again, maybe against France? Could be a very interesting night in Paris next week if we do.
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