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Osborne (16'), Conan (42'), Baloucoune (56')
Tries
Nicotera (32')
Crowley (57')
Conversions
Garbisi (33')
Crowley (62')
Penalties
Garbisi (20', 65')
Italy came close to their first win against Ireland in Dublin, and even led at halftime, but they eventually lost 20-13 in Round 2 of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations.
Hooker Giacomo Nicotera scored their try, and flyhalf Paolo Garbisi weighed in eight points from the tee, which meant that the Azzurri win their first bonus point of this years Championship.
Gonzalo Quesada’s team had Andy Farrell’s side on the ropes at time and will look back and rue letting them off the hook for second year in a row. That said, the seven point gaps puts behind them their three most recent visits when Ireland scored 36, 57, and 50 points.
Here’s what ATR thinks Italy can take from their visit to the Aviva Stadium…
Cool Heads And Firey Hearts
We all know teams want to make a strong start. Italy did so against Scotland with two tries in 20 minutes, but against Ireland the strong start came in defence. For their past two visits to Dublin the Azzurri conceded tries in the first 10 minutes, tries that flooded the green shirts with confidence and led to large scores.
Ireland certainly enjoyed the early exchanges, and when Louis Lynagh picked up an early yellow card, it appeared the floodgates would open. They didn’t thanks to clever defence that meant they were happy for Ireland to fire the ball wide to James Lowe knowing he would cut in off his wing where a posse of blue shirted tacklers were waiting.
It appeared that the penalty against Dan Sheehan for trying to leap over a ruck was the end of it, but Stuart McCloskey’s agility, Manuel Zuliani’s weak shoulder, and Jamie Osbourne’s support line meant Ireland eventually broke through, but the tone had been set, and it wasn’t going to change.
Taking Their Chances
Against Scotland, Italy were clinical, against Ireland they missed a huge chance when Lorenzo Pani’s rushed pass and Michele Lamaro’s cold hands let slip a huge chance in the first half.
There was a similar story in the second half, where Lynagh had a try ruled out for a forward pass. Again, a touch more time, a touch more composure and Italy have five points more. They aren’t the sort of chances an improving and ambitious team can let slip.
Big Hole From Brex
Juan Ignacio Brex’s absence for family reasons meant that his long term partnership with Tommaso Menoncello was broken up. Menoncello moved to outside centre (where he has played for Benetton) and Leonardo Marin moved forward from fullback to inside centre.
The change, though necessary, didn’t really work. Marin is a ball-playing centre, as opposed to Menoncello’s hard running, hard hitting 12. It meant they lacked his physicality when Ireland went direct, and that he couldn’t offer himself as a carrying option when Italy had the ball.
Menoncello’s defensive positioning played its part in Robert Baloucoune’s try, with him trying to rush out of defence, but leaving Marin inside him, and Monty Ioane outside him exposed. It was the sort of thing that Brex wouldn’t have done, and they will welcome him back with open arms.
Cool Heads At The Close
If Italy’s defence at the start showed the ice in their veins, the same can’t be said for their attack at the end. As the 80th minute approached the blue shirted hordes swept wave after wave at the Irish line, without finding a way through.
Eventually, Ireland began to drive them back, their shape faltered, and with desperation kicking in Ioane flung out a desperate pass that Lowe gobbled up, and that was that.
Very few teams have the ability to reset in attack when they are facing a rabid defence at the best of times, let alone when bodies are aching and 80 minutes of effort is being felt. Still, it is something that Quesada is likely to have noted down, and such is his diligence that he has probably already put a plan in place for the next time they face such a situation.
