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Italy will face Ireland in Dublin on Saturday in Round 2 of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations fresh from an opening day 18-15 victory over Scotland in Rome.
The Azzurri have yet to experience victory over Ireland in the Irish capital, and they have beaten them once. That win came in 2013 when Giovanbattista Venditti's try and a booming Gonzalo Garcia penalty from halfway helped Jacques Brunel’s team to a 22-15 victory.
Last season in Rome, Gonzalo Quesada’s team felt they had let Andy Farrell’s team off the hook when they lost 22-17, but their last two visits to Dublin have been disastrous, losing 57-6 in 2022, and 36-0 in 2024.
Here’s what ATR thinks they need to do to pull off a famous win…
Don’t Wait Around
Italy must match their intensity from their opening against Scotland. It might not yield two tries in the opening 15 minutes, but it might mean they don’t ship an early try that rocks the side back and gives Ireland an early confidence boost.
In 2022, Joey Carbery scored after three minutes, then in 2024 Jack Crowley crossed for the opening try with six minutes on the clock, the floodgates opened soon after and that was that.
This year, Ireland are far from the ebullient side of those years. Their confidence was hit in the autumn with defeats to New Zealand and South Africa, and their loss to France in Round 1 has rocked them further.
Italy need Niccolo and Lorenzo Cannone to be at their bruising best, and while they are at it send Tommaso Menoncello down the 10-12 channel to test the mettle of whoever Farrell picks there, because it was far from secure against France.
Mind The Penalty Count
Last weekend, it was Italy who topped the penalty count with 16 to Scotland’s 12. To that end, they were let off the hook by Scotland’s inability to capitalise on Italy’s ill-discipline.
Ireland, no matter their current travails, will not be so wasteful. Their lineout won 15 from 16 against France, and the likes of Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne, and Caelan Doris will lick their lips at the chance to fire up the rolling maul.
If Quesada wants to show them how they should conduct themselves, then he should show his charges the end of the Scotland match. For 30 phases they kept cool heads, and didn’t look at any stage that they might concede a penalty. Penalties come from a lack of trust in the system, and that defensive set showed their belief at the right time. Now they just need to extend it to the entire 80 minutes.
Twist Or Stick
After Saturday’s win, there were no doubt aching bodies galore, but Quesada has rewarded those who played against Scotland, despite his squad being reinforced by some of his frontline players. Neither Ange Capuozzo nor Stephen Varney make the 23-man squad.
The only change comes in the centre, where a family event means Juan Ignacio Brex drops out. They will miss his experience and his importance in attack and defence, something he showed against Scotland when he nudged through a grubber kick that Louis Lynagh swooped on for the first try.
It means Leonardo Marin moves into the centre, alongside Benneton teammate Tommaso Menoncello, who moves out one place and wears 13 as he so often does in the United Rugby Championship (URC). It also earns fullback Lorenzo Pani a Six Nations return. He scored the 2024 Try of the Championship the last time he played for the Azzurri.
Listen To The Boss
Quesada is a name that will stir uncomfortable memories for Irish fans of a certain age. Back in 1999 he was Argentina’s flyhalf (with a ridiculously drawn-out kicking style) as Los Pumas made their first mark in the international arena.
They met in the World Cup quarterfinal playoff at Stade Felix Bollaert in Lens, and while Ireland led 15-9 at halftime, a late Diego Albanese try and a Quesada conversion put Argentina ahead.
Then came nine minutes of Irish pressure, as Agustin Pichot’s side defended heroically on their tryline. Eventually the whistle came, to set off wild celebrations. It was a victory founded on heart and endeavour. That, Quesada’s kicking, and a monster pack was what Argentina offered at the time. Since then, they have layered on multiple facets to become a well-rounded team capable of backline brilliance and competing with the best in the world.
Italy have followed a similar model, albeit to nowhere near the same extent, but they are a much more rounded team than they were before. Still, they are built on heart and emotion, but after a draining match last weekend, Quesada may well recount his experience of 1999 to help bring them back to the pitch they found at the Stadio Olimpico.
