Full-time: Ireland 56-19 Italy
Eight tries later, and Ireland are most certainly back up and running. How about that, then? “We scored some really good tries, to put 56 points over a good Italy side, we will take that any day,” says Keith Earls. “It’s great to see Jacob getting in for two tries and Jordan on his debut, his quick feet.”
Thanks for your company.
For England v Wales, look no further:
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79 min: Bellini is rampaging towards the try-line after intercepting the ball deep inside Italy’s half. But for a Keith Earls tackle, he would have sailed over the line. Brilliant, brilliant tackle by Earls, who hunted him down.
Try! Ireland 56-19 Italy (Minozzi, 76 mins)
The substitute Matteo Minozzi’s wheels see him accelerate over the line. But Allan’s conversion is wayward. Can they nab a try-bonus point?
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74 min: Some neat and patient Italy buildup play comes undone on the wing, when they get sloppy. They cannot seem to figure out how to efficiently take advantage of inviting opportunities. Maybe that’s where Mike Catt comes in.
Try! Ireland 56-14 Italy (Stockdale, 70 mins)
A wonderful run from the Ulsterman sees Jacob Stockdale dig deep into the reserve tank to get over the line. He’s been marvellous this afternoon. And Joey Carbery makes it three conversions from three, from 37m.
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68 min: Cian Healy replaces McGrath, who exits the pitch after a solid, no-nonsense performance.
Meanwhile, earlier at the Stoop:
Try! Ireland 49-14 Italy (Gori, 66 mins)
An end-to-end game, as the substitute Edoardo Gori touches down, after bursting on to Parisse’s pass. There was a moment’s concern that it was a forward pass but it’s given. And Italy hit back, of sorts. Allan converts.
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Try! Ireland 49-7 Italy (Stockdale, 61 mins)
Stockdale holds his line, refrains from showing himself too early, and he dives in to get over the line. Carbery boots over the conversion. Normal order resumed.
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58 min: A couple of personnel changes for Italy: Marcella Violi is replaced by Edoardo Gobi, while Negri makes way for Ruzza.
Try! Ireland 42-7 Italy (Allan, 56 mins)
And right on cue, the Irish defensive line take their eye off the ball, and Tommy Allan can’t believe his luck as he drives over. He dusts himself down to then convert his own try. Conor O’Shea’s unsurprisingly a big fan.
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Try! Ireland 42-0 Italy (Best, 53 mins)
Rory Best gets over the line for his first test try in five years. Carbery then kicks over, his first slice of the action this afternoon. This score could be anything Ireland want it to be.
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51 min: Sexton is replaced by Joey Carbery.
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49 min: Sexton plays a mammoth pass to Stockdale on the left, who darts inside in search of wreaking more havoc. Best and Murray join the party and Ireland are prying for another try. It is oddly quiet in Dublin: perhaps they are too comfortable here.
46 min: Earls is knocked off stride, Italy are penalised for a high tackle and Ireland look to go again.
45 min: And here comes Jordan Larmour, the 20-year-old Leinster man for his debut. He will replace Robbie Henshaw, who looks in pain, surrounded by a flock of medics.
Try! Ireland 35-0 Italy (Henshaw, 44 mins)
Henshaw touches down but he looks to have injured his shoulder in the process. Before that, there was a horrible, bobbling first touch for Roux. Sexton’s kick flies over while Henshaw continues to received treatment.
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41 min: Quaglio has been stood down and replaced permanently as a result of that first-half HIA. CJ Stander is on for the Irish, as is Quinn Roux, with Conan and Henderson brought off respectively.
Peeeeeeeeeeeep!
And Johnny Sexton gets the second half of proceedings under way.
“Ireland showing that we can do the classy flashy stuff as well the grinding out thing,” says John McErneney via Twitter. “Once this has been put to bed expect to see the electrifying Leinster duo Joey C and Jordan L have a run, and boy those two can do damage.”
Half-time Six Nations reading:
Meanwhile, Leigh Halfpenny is expected to be missing for Wales:
And this, before Scotland v France:
Half-time: Ireland 28-0 Italy
Conor Murray boots it into touch and that caps a routine opening 40 minutes.
37 min: The independent doctor has requested that Quaglio comes off for a HIA. So we can expect the Italian prop to come off for a short period if nothing else. Andrea Lovotti is on.
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Try! Ireland 28-0 Italy (Earls, 36 mins)
And there it is. Parisse runs into trouble for Italy and Ireland are at total ease, after adding their fourth try of this afternoon. Keith Earls accelrates down the wing and that’s that. Sexton converts.
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34 min: Joe Schmidt looks very relaxed. It has been one-way traffic in Dublin.
33 min: Quaglio looks in trouble for Italy. He’s holding his jaw.
30 min: Sexton is loving this; he is just picking out passes, spraying the ball to Henshaw and Earles, who are lapping up his service. Ireland, very nearly, found a fourth try then. Italy try to gain some ground by kicking downfield but Stockdale will sweep that up.
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29 min: Ireland win a penalty, and opt to kick into touch for a lineout.
27 min: A beautiful move between Sexton and Henshaw sees the latter fizz through a sea of blue Italy bodies, and almost advance to the try-line. A let-off for Italy but you sense it’s just a matter of time.
25 min: Allan finds Boni but Italy just cannot find a way past this stubborn Ireland bunch. They are still trying to play, though. For Ireland, this has been pretty simple without being totally convincing. Meanwhile, Johnny Sexton is angry about something.
Try! Ireland 21-0 Italy (Aki, 21 mins)
Bundee Aki scores his first try, bombing forward into a gaping hole in the Italy back row. This is turning into quite the rout. From 31m, Sexton does what he does best, and rattles the conversion between the posts.
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18 min: Sexton plays a neat ball inside for Earls, who for a moment looks as though he is going to charge to the try-line. But then Ireland get sloppy, Parisse attempts to kick the ball beyond Aki but they get away with it.
Try! Ireland 14-0 Italy (Murray, 14 mins)
Great interplay between Earls and Stockdale allows Murray to fly forward and finish a move he started. Lovely stuff by the Irish. And Sexton converts from an acute angle.
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12 min: Sexton’s kick causes Parisse problems, with Italy fumbling around in search of the ball. Italy make a mess of it, and Ireland, led by Conor Murray surge forward once more ...
Try! Ireland 7-0 Italy (Henshaw, 11 mins)
Boni is blindsided and Robbie Henshaw gets over the line. And Johnny Sexton does the honours with the conversion.
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9 min: Ireland fly forward, with Violi ultimately saving the day for the Italians. A fumble fell nicely for Henshaw, before Stockdale took over, and Bellini’s challenge on the latter might have just prevented him from touching down over the line. Ireland will go again ...
8 min: Italy are penalised for failing to release the ball and Ireland win a penalty, with Sexton opting to kick into touch. They creep closer to the try-line and earn the lineout.
5 min: The game is momentarily bogged down by a couple of scrums. Then Sexton is a fault, as the move breaks down inside their own 22. Italy look to build again through Tommaso Allan. Italy appear to be picking up from where they started against England. Ireland have been stop-start.
3 min: Tadhg Furlong looks in trouble. The Irishman is coming off, to be replaced by Andrew Porter. He will earn his fourth cap.
2 min: Ireland win the lineout and drive forward but Aki’s pass is knocked on. It looked a little forward too. Italy look for their own breakthrough but Parisse puts his hand in where it’s not needed and Ireland win another opportunity to throw-in.
1 min: Earls is forced to cut inside but Ireland make a fluid start down the right flank. They then switch to left, with a O’Mahony kick but Italy get bodies behind the ball before finding touch. A fast-paced start.
Peeeeeeeeeep!
Romain Poite, the referee, whistles and Italy get us under way in Dublin.
Here come the anthems. The Italian one is a real belter, isn’t it? Once the formalities are out of the way, kick-off will be upon us.
The teams are out of the tunnel and lineup before kick-off at the Aviva. Sergio Parisse looks a gentle giant as the handshakes get under way.
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At the Stoop, England are rampaging towards a 45-0 and counting win over Wales in the Women’s Six Nations. There is less than 10 minutes to play. In Dublin, the teams are going through the motions before kick-off.
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Italy’s last victory in the Six Nations? That came in 2015, a 22-19 victory at Murrayfield:
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Rory Best got married in 2009, the same year Jordan Larmour was a Leinster mascot. This afternoon in Dublin, the 20-year-old is expected to make his Ireland debut:
The teams!
Ireland: Kearney; Earls, Henshaw, Aki, Stockdale; Sexton, Murray; McGrath, Best, Furlong, Henderson, Toner, O’Mahony, Leavy, Conan
Replacements: Cronin, Healy, Porter, Roux, Stander, Marmion, Carbery, Larmour
Italy: Minozzi; Benvenuti, Boni, Castello, Bellini; Allan, Violi; Quaglio, Bigi, Ferrari, Zanni, Budd, Negri, Steyn, Parisse
Replacements: Ghiraldini, Lovotti, Pasquali, Ruzza, Mbanda, Gori, Canna, Hayward
Preamble
Ireland come into this match on an eight-match winning streak, and everything seems pretty dandy for Joe Schmidt’s side at present. The Irish head coach has shuffled the pack; Jack Conan starts at No8 Jordan Larmour, the Leinster back, could make his debut from the bench this afternoon, and his raw ability is typical of the excitement surrounding the Irish at present. “He is box office, isn’t he?” said Conor O’Shea this week.
A match-up to mirror that description would fit just nicely. Ireland are unbeaten on home turf in the Six Nations since a 2013 defeat by England and everything points to another impressive Irish outing. A bonus point would be exactly that. But, Italy’s opening loss displayed reasons to be cheerful, as well as some of their usual flaws. They have added a zest to their attacks and a couple more tries will be indicative of further progress. O’Shea makes three changes from that 46-15 defeat in Rome last weekend.
Kick-off: 2.15pm
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