Emerging Ireland 25
Emerging Italy 0
NORTHAMPTON-BOUND NUMBER 10 JJ Hanrahan was the creative force behind Ireland’s impressive first half flurry in today’s Tbilisi Cup opener.
The Kerry native assisted all three tries in the opening 27 minutes, including a brilliant cross-field kick to Andrew Conway and a break from his own half half to set up Stuart McCloskey.
Hanrahan’s first assist of the day came for the only other ‘Exile’ named in Allen Clarke’s squad. Eoin Griffin rounded off a fine move in broken play after Ireland had to scramble to recover their own line-out.
The Irish attack first flowed to the left, but made their way back and after a big carry from Stephen Archer and good service from Luke McGrath, Hanrahan put Griffin through the gap and over the line.
Hanrahan had already put Ireland 3 – 0 up with an early penalty before assisting the try for the London Irish centre, but he managed to convert only one of Ireland’s four tries.
Hanrahan showed there was little wrong with his boot for the second try, allowing the pack a short rumble with the maul before dropping an inch-perfect cross-field kick into the hands of fellow Munster man Andrew Conway.
By then Italy were down to 14 men with prop Federico Zani binned and Hanrahan again capitalised on the space on 27 minutes, bursting through a midfield gap in his own half and blazing a trail in to the 22. When he was eventually caught, Hanrahan had already picked his pass, a nicely timed right-hand delivery to McCloskey who cruised under the posts.
20 – 0 up at half-time, Ireland’s second half showing didn’t quite match up to their early standards. Once the raft of replacements bedded in, there was a late sense of fusion again when Ireland pressed for a fourth touchdown in the final five minutes and Tiernan O’Halloran dived in to the right corner to close the game with a try.
Scorers
Ireland
Tries: E Griffin, A Conway, S McCloskey, T O’Halloran.
Conversion: JJ Hanrahan
Penalty: JJ Hanrahan
EMERGING IRELAND: Tiernan O’Halloran (Buccaneers/Connacht); Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster), Eoin Griffin (London Irish), Stuart McCloskey (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Matt Healy (Lansdowne/Connacht); JJ Hanrahan (UL Bohemians/Munster), Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster); Denis Buckley (Corinthians/Connacht), Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Stephen Archer (Cork Constitution/Munster), Ben Marshall (Old Belvedere/Connacht), Billy Holland (Cork Constitution/Munster), Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) (capt), Dan Leavy (UCD/Leinster), Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster).
Replacements: Dave Heffernan (Buccaneers/Connacht), Andrew Warwick (Ballymena/Ulster), Finlay Bealham (Corinthians/Connacht), Andrew Browne (Galwegians/Connacht), Eoghan Masterson (Corinthians/Connacht), John Cooney (Terenure College/Connacht), Rory Scannell (Dolphin/Munster), Peter Nelson (Malone/Ulster).
EMERGING ITALY: Alberto Chiesa (Cammi Calvisano) (capt); Filippo Guarducci (Marchiol Mogliano), Roberto Quartaroli (Rugby Viadana 1970), Giovanni Massaro (Fiamme Oro Rugby Roma), Gabriele di Giulio (Cammi Calvisano); Carlo Canna (Fiamme Oro Rugby Roma), Simone Marinaro (Fiamme Oro Rugby Roma); Federico Zani (Petrarca Padova), Luca Bigi (Petrarca Padova), George Iacob (Petrarca Padova), Federico Ruzza (Rugby Viadana 1970), Filippo Gerosa (Rugby Viadana 1970), Matteo Corazzi (Marchiol Mogliano), Emiliano Caffini (Femi CZ Rugby Rovigo Delta), Maxime Mbanda’ (Cammi Calvisano).
Replacements: Oliviero Fabiani (Zebre Rugby), Giuseppe di Stefano (Fiamme Oro Rugby Roma), Pietro Ceccarelli (Macon Rugby), Alessio Zdrilich (Cammi Calvisano), Mirko Amenta (Fiamme Oro Rugby Roma), Simone Parisotto (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Giovanni Benvenuti (Marchiol Mogliano), Sebastian Negri (Hartpury RFC).
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
