6 Nations 2017: Italy v Ireland, 11th February

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ITALY v IRELAND
Date: Saturday 11 February 2017
Kick Off: 2:25pm (GMT)
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome

TV Coverage: Live on ITV

Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Angus Gardner (Australia) & Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)

Italy: 15-Edoardo Padovani, 14-Angelo Esposito, 13-Tommaso Benvenuti, 12-Luke Mclean, 11-Giovanbattista Venditti, 10-Carlo Canna, 9-Edoardo Gori; 1-Andrea Lovotti, 2-Leonardo Ghiraldini, 3-Lorenzo Cittadini, 4-Marco Fuser, 5-Andries Van Schalkwyk, 6-Maxime Mbanda, 7-Simone Favaro, 8-Sergio Parisse,

Replacements: 16-Ornel Gega, 17-Sami Panico, 18-Dario Chistolini, 19-George Biagi, 20-Abraham Steyn, 21-Giorgio Bronzini, 22-Tommaso Allan, 23-Michele Campagnaro.

Ireland: 15-Rob Kearney, 14-Keith Earls, 13-Garry Ringrose, 12-Robbie Henshaw, 11-Simon Zebo, 10-Paddy Jackson, 9-Conor Murray; 1-Cian Healy, 2-Rory Best (captain), 3-Tadhg Furlong, 4-Donnacha Ryan, 5-Devin Toner, 6-CJ Stander, 7-Sean O'Brien, 8-Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: 16-Niall Scannell, 17-Jack McGrath, 18-John Ryan, 19-Ultan Dillane, 20-Josh van der Flier, 21-Kieran Marmion, 22-Ian Keatley, 23-Craig Gilroy.

Pete330v2 wrote:Kearney probably has another 6 nations in him but Bowe doesn't. Bowe has an ongoing problem that's not going to go away so he may well be consigned to the Ulster shirt for now on.

Particularly as he'll be struggling to recover from the injuries he suffers on the upcoming Lions Tour...

miaow wrote:

Pete330v2 wrote:Kearney probably has another 6 nations in him but Bowe doesn't. Bowe has an ongoing problem that's not going to go away so he may well be consigned to the Ulster shirt for now on.

Particularly as he'll be struggling to recover from the injuries he suffers on the upcoming Lions Tour...

Bowe won't be going on the Lions tour unless he gets some match tickets

Pete330v2 wrote:

miaow wrote:

Pete330v2 wrote:Kearney probably has another 6 nations in him but Bowe doesn't. Bowe has an ongoing problem that's not going to go away so he may well be consigned to the Ulster shirt for now on.

Particularly as he'll be struggling to recover from the injuries he suffers on the upcoming Lions Tour...

Bowe won't be going on the Lions tour unless he gets some match tickets

I bet they said that about Shane Williams 4 years ago

Exactly. Pack your boots and your best singing voice, Tommy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8GnX_mjzGk

miaow wrote:Exactly. Pack your boots and your best singing voice, Tommy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8GnX_mjzGk

Are they doing another anthem for the Lions?

Oh god thats awful

I always felt that there were reasonable grounds for the song to be something like 'Too Drunk To F***' by the Dead Kennedys.

Rory Best is out sick. I think this is his first 6 nations game missed in 10 years. Scannell starts, Tracy comes onto the bench.

Well, BOD just answered the question of who was to blame for defensive lapse for Hogg's first try. Ringrose was pulled into an earlier tackle and should have repositioned out wide. Earls had far too many men to cover (but possibly could have made a better tackle on Hogg) and Kearney was forced to cover the last man.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Well, BOD just answered the question of who was to blame for defensive lapse for Hogg's first try. Ringrose was pulled into an earlier tackle and should have repositioned out wide. Earls had far too many men to cover (but possibly could have made a better tackle on Hogg) and Kearney was forced to cover the last man.

Im sure Earls going backwards instead of making a tackle made no difference at all

Fantastic difference of opinions on the back three.  I thought they were all poor but Earls at least looked dangerous with ball in hand.

Zebo looks awake this week so far, bus must have been on time.

Surely there was a yellow card there.

Zebo showing what he can do with a hint of space.

Bp done before half time. Nice, btw....how tall is toner? Must be scrapping 7ft!

Breadvan wrote:Bp done before half time. Nice, btw....how tall is toner? Must be scrapping 7ft!

Just one inch under I think.

Question on the rolling maul - didn't they change the laws making it a penalty offence for players going around the ball carrier i.e. you have to pass the ball back player to player now rather than the ball carrier sliding back?  Not that I have an issue with the scoreline - I've predicted Ireland by 31 on Superbru ...

Heaf wrote:Question on the rolling maul - didn't they change the laws making it a penalty offence for players going around the ball carrier i.e. you have to pass the ball back player to player now rather than the ball carrier sliding back?  Not that I have an issue with the scoreline - I've predicted Ireland by 31 on Superbru ...

I was thinking the same.

And there is CJ Stander with a hat-trick. I'm an idiot for not selecting him on the ESPN dream team.

Standar surely the starting 6 for the lions

He's better at 8. Plus, it would mean he is taking the position of a good line-out option at 6. I think that is one reason why the Irish line-out has suffered this year. We don't have as many good jumpers.

POM is still the best 6 in Ireland.

Jackson is a really inconsistent referee. That was a very long scrum advantage.

Game has died.

Italians have got a pretty good attacking game these days but their defense is nowhere near the standard required to be competitive at this level.

Dull second half. Ireland have done what they needed, Italy are dead. In some ways this is a disadvantage of TBPs, in the past, your points difference against Italy was more likely to decide the tournament

Typical Gilroy try. Ireland need a little more of that pace and the offloading that led to it.

Ringrose you get. Messed my prediction up..

Italy are dreadful, how did Wales not get a bonus point?

Luke McLean is dreadful whenever Italy start to put pressure on he mucks it up.

Gilroy to start every Ireland game from now on.

In future, taking large quantities of major tranquillisers as a defensive strategy will be known as "doing an Italian"

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Gilroy to start every Ireland game from now on.

Remember this is against a poor Italian collection of players, I can't say team as they are a shower of Poopie.

We need to start seeing some improvements from the Italians or their continued participation needs to be reassessed, too often has the championship been decided on points scored against them.

Very happy with the score. Might be needed come the final game.

Delighted for Gilroy getting his hat trick, even if against weak opposition.

Gilroy looks like hes bulked up a bit. Some sloppiness from us but can't complain about that score.

Great result after last week.
To score that many points even against Italy is great.
Great game from Stander. Ringrose looks a great prospect.

Well done Gilroy when he came on. Would like to see him start against France.

Would probably stick with Jackso also.

Great way to bounce back after last week.

You do wonder when Italy will be able to win 2 games in a tournament, never mind the odd win.

They seem a long way off.
Good luck to O'Shea though.

TightHEAD wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Gilroy to start every Ireland game from now on.

Remember this is against a poor Italian collection of players, I can't say team as they are a shower of Poopie.

/sarcasm

wolfball wrote:Gilroy looks like hes bulked up a bit. Some sloppiness from us but can't complain about that score.

Gilroy has bulked up over the last couple of seasons. He's a strong player, he's got a great step and he's fast. His weakness is he isn't the smartest in defense, and complicates things for himself by being a bit too showy at times, rather than run straight and hard.

marty2086 wrote:

miaow wrote:Exactly. Pack your boots and your best singing voice, Tommy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8GnX_mjzGk

Are they doing another anthem for the Lions?

Lol that was bad

That's a 6 nations record winning away margin. Lord I hope Wales win now to give us a chance at the championship

westisbest wrote:Great result after last week.
To score that many points even against Italy is great.
Great game from Stander. Ringrose looks a great prospect.

Well done Gilroy when he came on. Would like to see him start against France.

Would probably stick with Jackso also.

Great way to bounce back after last week.

You do wonder when Italy will be able to win 2 games in a tournament, never mind the odd win.

They seem a long way off.
Good luck to O'Shea though.

2013 they won two games and finished 4th above Ireland and France.
2007 they won two games and finished 4th above Wales and Scotland

in 2015, 2013, 2012,2007 2004,2003 they weren't bottom

It looks like they have improved since 2010, but a long way to go, I hope O'Shea manages to turn them into a force, imagine if they one a 6 nations how much more popular rugby would be in Italy and can only have a positive effect on the 6 nations and Pro 12

Didn't get to see the game but Jackson appears to have played very well, a steal of Sergio Parisse flawless off the tee, and seamed to be involved in a lot of positive moves.

Should he be the starting 10 when JS is back?

Kingshu wrote:Didn't get to see the game but Jackson appears to have played very well, a steal of Sergio Parisse flawless off the tee, and seamed to be involved in a lot of positive moves.

Should he be the starting 10 when JS is back?

I think Jackson should be the 10 going forward, Id like to see him kicking a bit more out of hand when the opportunity presents but his passing I think really brings others into the game and creates problems for defences

Personally? No. Jackson had an excellent game albeit against poor opposition. For me Sexton is the better player still by a margin, directs the team better, takes the ball flatter and defends better.

I would also have said better from the tee if Jackson hadn't gone 9 from 9 today.

Okay, so I understand that we made you a bit angry.

Italy are dreadful. Time for them to join the second tier of rugby again.

Outstanding performance by Ireland, looks like Joe Schmidt shoe up the backside this week worked absolute wonders, a pleasure to watch

maestegmafia wrote:Outstanding performance by Ireland England, looks like Joe Schmidt Eddie Jones's shoe up the backside this week worked absolute wonders, a pleasure to watch

Thanks fella

TightHEAD wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:Outstanding performance by Ireland England, looks like Joe Schmidt Eddie Jones's shoe up the backside this week worked absolute wonders, a pleasure to watch

Thanks fella

Why did you do that?

maestegmafia wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:Outstanding performance by Ireland England, looks like Joe Schmidt Eddie Jones's shoe up the backside this week worked absolute wonders, a pleasure to watch

Thanks fella

Why did you do that?

Why didn't you do that?

Looks lik we have a red voter in the house!

Lighten up fella life's too short.

Great games today chaps, and the banter has been great, pleasure to talk to real rugby people.

Well that's the two supposed 'weakest' sides done with............... it's all uphill from here!

Can't fault the team or their efforts. The minds were in the game from the off and the resolve was pleasing.  It's easy to ease off on the throttle when you start forging ahead but I suppose this points system keeps teams honest to the end - and being ruthless in Every game you play is what it's all about.

Italy are what they are but I just liked the aggressiveness that Ireland showed to pretty much keep hunting to the end.  It's hard to judge if that's a genuine improvement in Ireland or is it just all down to the quality of the opposition from week one to week two.
The Wales v England game was heavy duty 80 minute intensity stuff from the higher reaches of International quality.  France will tell us more about ourselves but Wales and England certainly look to have found their 6N feet and will be tough games both.