Ireland had just enough firepower to suppress Italy and win an entertaining Six Nations rugby contest 34-20 at Stadio Olimpico.
The Irish notched a third win from three matches in the Six Nations for the first time since 2018, when the team last won the title with a Grand Slam.
Ireland nailed a bonus-point fourth try after 35 minutes but couldn’t be sure of victory against the determined Italians until the 71st minute when the visiting team scored a fifth and last try.
After beating defending champion France in the previous round, Ireland coach Andy Farrell expected his seven team changes to make a seamless transition and put Italy to the sword. After all, Farrell’s Ireland has averaged 41-point wins against Italy.
But the 14-point difference was a good measure of Italy’s growing skill set and self-belief in the past year. Italy threatened to shock France at home in the opening round but not the Irish, whom it struck two tries against and pushed all the way.
Italy’s fitness in past years faded in the last quarter but these Azzurri were still firing shots to the end in another immensely respectable effort.
The Irish, though, still got the job done with maximum points and now go to Scotland in two weeks.
Ireland started ominously in getting over the tryline after 84 seconds, but wing James Lowe bounced the ball. Moments later, he turned provider to send caretaker captain James Ryan charging across.
Ireland's James Ryan scores his side's opening try. Photo / AP
Italy worked the ball side to side until No 8 Lorenzo Cannone busted through, scrumhalf Stephen Varney scored off the ruck, and Paolo Garbisi’s conversion put them in front.
Another Cannone surge was turned over by Ireland’s Andrew Porter, and the visitors ended up scoring when fullback Hugo Keenan slipped two tackles to reach the posts.
When Lowe intercepted Garbisi and fed Aki to dot down, Ireland led 19-10 after a breathless first quarter.
Italy were full of non-stop ambition but were being outsmarted by the quicker-thinking Irish at the breakdown.
Ireland notched the bonus-point fourth try in the 35th from a tapped penalty that narrowed Italy’s defence too easily for wing Mack Hansen to score out wide.
Ireland looked set to finish the half with a fifth try, but Italy wing Pierre Bruno read the move well, intercepted Aki, and sprinted 65 metres up the middle to the posts.
The visitors deserved to lead at the break and Italy deserved to be right on their tail. The crowd was ecstatic.
Italy’s defence tightened up in the second half, and a penalty against Porter was kicked between the posts by Garbisi to narrow the gap to 24-20.
An Aki try was ruled out by a knock-on, and a Ross Byrne penalty restored a seven-point lead.
But Ireland’s energy lifted when Caelan Doris moved back to No 8 and reinforcements arrived in the shape of wise men Conor Murray and Peter O’Mahony. Between them, they freed Hansen to race between the posts and let Ireland finally breathe.
