IT WASN’T THE comprehensive, complete performance Ireland would have hoped to deliver against Italy, but the most important thing about today’s nervy 20-13 win was that Andy Farrell’s men came out on the right side of it.

Post-game, there was plenty for the Ireland boss to digest. Take snapshots of the best rugby his team pieced together, and they looked closer to the imperious, confident Ireland of old. Indeed, Farrell reckoned Robert Baloucoune’s second-half try was right up there with the best his team have scored while he’s been head coach. Farrell also highlighted the effort needed to keep Italy at bay in the closing minutes, as well as the impact of some of the newer faces in his starting team and the work from his bench reinforcements.

But this was another patchy Ireland performance and a mixed day when Italy will feel the result slipped away from them.

“I mean, that’s the bigger picture stuff that we’ve seen about the character, because we were playing against a very good Italian side that was never going to go away, because history shows us that, and how they’ve been performing,” Farrell said.

“But obviously, it was more than that, wasn’t it? They were trying to batter the door down at the end. So the resilience that we showed to win the game was fantastic to see. So, that’s the bigger picture stuff.

Ireland's head coach Andy Farrell waves to fans as he leaves the field. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO

“Obviously there’s too many errors within our game at certain times, but the character shown to come back and have the courage to play the type of rugby that we did at times was very encouraging. To say that we were under a bit of pressure. The (Robert Baloucoune) try that we scored with all those phases was as good a try as we’ve ever scored.

“So, it just shows that we’re able to back ourselves. I think, on top of that, the experience that some of these lads are getting is absolutely huge. The lads that are watching in the stand or at home who are not here, the big names, the lads that have been there and done that, they’ve been through all this. They’ve been through this type of pressure and come out the other side, and they’ve grown because of it. These lads that managed to do that today, to stand up tall, will certainly stand to them. So, (I am) delighted with the win against a very good Italian side.”

One of the areas in which Italy consistently managed to trouble Ireland was at the scrum. Farrell was asked how his team dealt with a scrum threat that was well flagged in advance of today’s game.

“Well, not too well at times obviously, Dan (Sheehan) and Tadhg (Furlong) getting their wings a couple of times said quite a bit, didn’t it?

“It’s phenomenal how quickly they’ve come on over the last year. Part of the reason I think – I’m just talking out loud here – of why South Africa was so dominant against us (in November) is because Italy put them massively under pressure the week before and there was a reaction to that.

Ireland’s Tadhg Furlong is lifted during a scrum. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO

“That doesn’t make it right, at no point, but the scrum has been phenomenal there for the last 12 months, that’s for sure. I thought probably one of the best parts of our game today was when Tom O’Toole came on and hadn’t much experience (at loosehead), certainly at this level anyway, but that scrum under our post five metres out, that was rock solid. That, being under pressure all afternoon for Jamie Osborne to put that ball out on the halfway line or near it was a big moment in the game for us.” 

In looking at the positives, the impact of Six Nations debutant Robert Baloucoune was an obvious place to start.

“Delighted for him because we’ve obviously had a few caps before, but it’s been a stop-start, and it’s been frustrating for him,” Farrell said.

“The talent for everyone to see when he puts the Ulster jersey on, to get the opportunity now coming back into fitness and to show what he can do at this type of level is very pleasing for him and for the rest of us.

To see him believing in himself and backing himself, not just beating people and scoring tries, but winning balls in the air. A very good defensive decision-maker as well, so I’m delighted for him.”

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So too that of Baloucoune’s Ulster team-mate Stuart McCloskey. The centre was arguably Ireland’s brightest performer in France and built on that today by getting his offloading game to the fore.

“He was excellent, yeah. He carried really well for us in parts last week, but there’s more to his game than that, and he knows there’s more to his game and he certainly addressed that this week as far as how he made others feel around the park as well. But his ability to not just take the ball for the line, but to offload. I thought it was a great line by Jamie (Osborne, for the first try), but Jamie knows who to follow because Stu is so good at that.”

The game ended on an Ireland error as Jack Crowley kicked the ball dead when Ireland had the opportunity to chase a bonus-point score. It was a disappointing moment given the Munster 10 was key to Ireland turning the game after he replaced Sam Prendergast in the second half.

“I thought Jack played outstandingly well when he came on, so I’m actually gutted for him because you know he wouldn’t normally do that.

“I mean, there’s a few things to check there as far as offside and jumping up and down in his eye line for the kick, but still it was a bit of a shank, but that (frustration) wouldn’t be the overriding thought of what I take from Jack’s game.

“I thought he was outstanding when he came on.”