Hello and welcome along to our coverage of today’s Six Nations clash between Ireland and Italy.
Scott Bemand’s side began their campaign with a most encouraging display against France last weekend and will be hoping to continue that run today and pick up their first win of the tournament. Ireland will also be hoping for revenge too after losing this corresponding fixture in last year’s Six Nations.
We’ll have team line-ups for you shortly as we edge closer to the 3pm kick-off.
Le #Azzurre ritornano a casa: le 23 scelte dal C.T. Fabio #Roselli per affrontare l’Irlanda allo Stadio S. Lanfranchi 👇#ITAvIRE 🇮🇹☘ 🗓️ Domenica 30 Marzo ⏰ 16:00 🏟️ Sadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma 📺 @SkySport ▪ @RaiDue ▪ @NOWTV_It ▪ @RaiPlay
Italy get us underway as Ireland hope to overturn defeats to Italy in the last two Six Nations.
30 Mar 2025
3:02PM
1 min: Italy 0-0 Ireland
And that’s exactly the start they want. Erin King gets in over the ball, stops the offload and force a penalty call for Ireland which Dannah O’Brien kicks into the corner.
30 Mar 2025
3:03PM
1 min: Italy 0-0 Ireland
We’re going to a TMO check for a potential head-on-head contact while Edel McMahon was carrying the ball.
30 Mar 2025
3:04PM
1 min: Italy 0-0 Ireland
Yellow card for Italy’s Valeria Fedrighi . Big loss for the hosts and Ireland are mauling after winning the lineout.
Amazing start from Ireland! Aoife Dalton drives in at the corner for her fifth try for Ireland. Ireland worked the phases there to take possession across the field and break through.
Dannah O’Brien then slotted the conversion from a tricky angle. Ireland are already making use of that numerical advantage.
30 Mar 2025
3:09PM
5 mins: Italy 0-7 Ireland
Update on the yellow card: It will remain a yellow card, meaning Fedrighi will be back in soon.
30 Mar 2025
3:10PM
5 mins: Italy 0-7 Ireland
Italy stretch the Irish line with some really quick passes but Ireland hold them up well, force the error and will put in for a scrum.
More superb stuff from Ireland. Eve Higgins makes a blistering break to create a two-on-one. She times her pass brilliantly to put Anna McGann through for her first try for the Ireland 15s.
30 Mar 2025
3:15PM
11 mins: Italy 0-14 Ireland
Ireland fail to secure the lineout and Italy will look to create something now after taking those two early hits.
Aoife Wafter does well to take the sting out of their attack. O’Brien then rises to contest and up and under but her timing is a bit off and Italy keep possession for a lineout.
Italy really testing the Irish cover and Amee-Leigh Costigan does really well to get across and haul them down.
Neve Jones steals the ball momentarily as well after a brilliant turnover. But the ball is peeled away from her and the referee calls the play back for an Italy scrum.
Play is stopped to assess a neck injury on Aura Muzzo. Italy have a lot of the momentum now after breaking through to get that try.
30 Mar 2025
3:25PM
18 mins: Italy 5-14 Italy
Muzzo is back on her feet and seems to be ok to play on. There’s a bit of confusion over whether she is staying on but the referee is playing on with an Italy scrum.
Huge response from Ireland there after a period of intense Italy pressure.
They win the ball back and work the ball across at pace. Costigan then makes the final burst with that trademark speed and Ireland are back on top again.
Another O’Brien conversion follows to put her at 3 from 3 so far.
30 Mar 2025
3:33PM
23 mins: Italy 5-21 Ireland
Ireland are banging on the door again, looking for that bonus-point try. Referee awards a scrum about 10 metres from the line.
She’s not happy with the first attempt and calls for a reset.
Italy break away swiftly from a scrum. Ireland react well and Stacey Flood boots it away. Italy still have it though and Sofia Stefan sends it out on the full with an attempted kick over the top.
30 Mar 2025
3:45PM
34 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Ireland doing well with their lineouts, losing only one so far, and they keep possession again here.
But Italy win the ball back and have knock-on advantage. The referee does call it back and that’s a turnover they could have avoided.
30 Mar 2025
3:45PM
34 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
And again, Italy are given way too much space to attack from the scrum. We’re back near Ireland’s five-metre line, and Ireland are under a lot of pressure here.
30 Mar 2025
3:47PM
37 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Big let-off there.
Italy kick the ball away to give Ireland a breather as they put in for a scrum. O’Brien got caught and missed a tackle on Stefan but the hosts fail to capitalise.
The ball then comes back to O’Brien who kicks it out on the full.
30 Mar 2025
3:49PM
34 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Italy are back in the five metre territory again. How long can Ireland hold them out for?
30 Mar 2025
3:50PM
39 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Wafer got pushed back a few steps there which you don’t see every day.
Costigan gets a brilliant interception but Italy had advantage there and the referee calls it back again.
30 Mar 2025
3:52PM
39 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Italy are almost there but Ireland are repelling with their fingernails.
Niamh O’Dowd then shoots out to push Italy back. Crucially though, Italy are still short.
That feels like a massive moment in the game as Ireland manage to hold Italy up after they crashed over the line. But the referee says they didn’t touch the ball down and Ireland can head in with that huge lead.
They have the bonus point wrapped up following tries from Aoife Dalton, Amee-Leigh Costigan and two from Anna McGann. O’Brien’s kicking has been flawless, hitting four from four.
Ireland survive the first wave of Italian pressure after winning a turnover penalty. O’Brien kicks them further into territory and they will look to advance again with a lineout maul.
30 Mar 2025
4:12PM
43 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Ireland are down in the corner now. A lovely no-look pass from Wafer there which just shows how much confidence is in the Ireland team at the moment.
So, Aoife Wafer had bundled over for Ireland’s fifth try of the day but the TMO was called into action quickly. It seemed like it would be to investigate whether or not Wafer was guilty of a double movement. But it was actually to review the lineout which led to the try.
Niamh O’Dowd was penalised for blocking Italy and the score is wiped out.
30 Mar 2025
4:16PM
47 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Italy are on the hunt again, making their way down as far as the Ireland ’22. They spray the ball across but Ireland win the ball back. Neve Jones was in with the steal.
But Italy win a penalty for obstruction.
30 Mar 2025
4:19PM
48 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Ireland put themselves under pressure when clearing the ball out in their own five-metre line. It’s similar to an error that featured in the France game when they sent the ball back to O’Brien, putting her under undue pressure to kick the ball away when it should be a box-kick for scrum-half Aoibheann Reilly.
They survive again though.
30 Mar 2025
4:23PM
51 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
It’s Ireland’s turn to attack again. They’re just a few feet from the line. Ireland work through a few phases but the referee brings the play back for an Ireland scrum.
Ireland changes: Brittany Hogan and Dorothy Wall come on for Fiona Tuite and Aoife Wafer are off.
Yellow card: Linda Djougang, who has just scored a try, will go to the bin for a shoulder-high challenge.
Meanwhile, Siobhán McCarthy, Emily Lane and Enya Breen are all on for Niamh O’Dowd, Aoibheann Reilly and Eve Higgins.
30 Mar 2025
4:31PM
58 mins: Italy 5-35 Ireland
So with Ireland losing their tighthead, they will bring on Christy Haney and Edel McMahon is off. Grace Moore comes on too for Ruth Campbell.
30 Mar 2025
4:34PM
61 mins: Italy 5-35 Ireland
Brilliant pick and go from Brittany Hogan from an Ireland scrum. O’Brien pushes Italy back with the clearance and Ireland react well to the kickchase.
30 Mar 2025
4:36PM
62 mins: Italy 5-35 Ireland
Good news for Ireland as Linda Djougang’s yellow card will remain a yellow card. She just has to wait out the next few minutes.
30 Mar 2025
4:38PM
62 mins: Italy 5-35 Ireland
Brilliant run from Emily Lane to break Italy’s line. Ireland get the penalty call then after the ruck forms and they have a lineout at the Italy five-metre line.
Ireland get their sixth try despite being down to 14 players. It’s another tick beside the set-piece after scoring directly from the lineout again. This time, it’s Dorothy Wall using her strength to break through for the score.
For the first time today, Dannah O’Brien misses a conversion.
Italy get their second try of the day as Beatrice Rigoni swivels over some bodies on the line for the try. The TMO was called in to review the score, and the footage looked like she was off her feet when she picked up the ball before scoring.
The referee ruled that a ruck had not formed however, and thankfully that score will not have much of a bearing on the outcome because it is certainly a controversial call.
30 Mar 2025
4:50PM
71 mins: Italy 12-40 Ireland
So unlucky for Emily Lane. She’s been having a big impact since her introduction. She was wheeling through for the try but a brilliant tackle brings her to the deck and the ball spills out of her hands.
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As it happened: Italy v Ireland, Women's Six Nations
Hello and welcome along to our coverage of today’s Six Nations clash between Ireland and Italy.
Scott Bemand’s side began their campaign with a most encouraging display against France last weekend and will be hoping to continue that run today and pick up their first win of the tournament. Ireland will also be hoping for revenge too after losing this corresponding fixture in last year’s Six Nations.
We’ll have team line-ups for you shortly as we edge closer to the 3pm kick-off.
Here’s how Ireland will be lining out
15. Stacey Flood
14. Anna McGann
13. Aoife Dalton
12. Eve Higgins
11. Amee-Leigh Costigan
10. Dannah O’Brien
9. Aoibheann Reilly
1. Niamh O’Dowd
2. Neve Jones
3. Linda Djougang
4. Ruth Campbell
5. Fiona Tuite
6. Edel McMahon
7. Erin King
8. Aoife Wafer
Replacements:
16. Cliodhna Moloney
17. Siobhán McCarthy
18. Christy Haney
19. Grace Moore
20. Dorothy Wall
21. Brittany Hogan
22. Emily Lane
23. Enya Breen
And here is the Italy team
Just before kick-off, below is a little light reading with Aoife Dalton
21-year-old Dalton hopes to help Ireland shut Italy down
The teams are coming out now. Not long to go!
And now it’s National Anthem time.
Kick-Off! Italy v Ireland
1 min: Italy 0-0 Ireland
Italy get us underway as Ireland hope to overturn defeats to Italy in the last two Six Nations.
1 min: Italy 0-0 Ireland
And that’s exactly the start they want. Erin King gets in over the ball, stops the offload and force a penalty call for Ireland which Dannah O’Brien kicks into the corner.
1 min: Italy 0-0 Ireland
We’re going to a TMO check for a potential head-on-head contact while Edel McMahon was carrying the ball.
1 min: Italy 0-0 Ireland
Yellow card for Italy’s Valeria Fedrighi . Big loss for the hosts and Ireland are mauling after winning the lineout.
TRY! Italy 0-7 Ireland (Aoife Dalton 2 mins)
3 mins: Italy 0-7 Ireland
Amazing start from Ireland! Aoife Dalton drives in at the corner for her fifth try for Ireland. Ireland worked the phases there to take possession across the field and break through.
Dannah O’Brien then slotted the conversion from a tricky angle. Ireland are already making use of that numerical advantage.
5 mins: Italy 0-7 Ireland
Update on the yellow card: It will remain a yellow card, meaning Fedrighi will be back in soon.
5 mins: Italy 0-7 Ireland
Italy stretch the Irish line with some really quick passes but Ireland hold them up well, force the error and will put in for a scrum.
TRY! Italy 0-14 Ireland (McGann 8 mins)
9 mins: Italy 0-14 Ireland
More superb stuff from Ireland. Eve Higgins makes a blistering break to create a two-on-one. She times her pass brilliantly to put Anna McGann through for her first try for the Ireland 15s.
11 mins: Italy 0-14 Ireland
Ireland fail to secure the lineout and Italy will look to create something now after taking those two early hits.
Aoife Wafter does well to take the sting out of their attack. O’Brien then rises to contest and up and under but her timing is a bit off and Italy keep possession for a lineout.
What a kick from Dannah O’Brien
13 mins: Italy 0-14 Ireland
Italy really testing the Irish cover and Amee-Leigh Costigan does really well to get across and haul them down.
Neve Jones steals the ball momentarily as well after a brilliant turnover. But the ball is peeled away from her and the referee calls the play back for an Italy scrum.
TRY! Italy 5-14 Ireland (Stefan 13 mins)
17 mins: Italy 5-14 Ireland
Play is stopped to assess a neck injury on Aura Muzzo. Italy have a lot of the momentum now after breaking through to get that try.
18 mins: Italy 5-14 Italy
Muzzo is back on her feet and seems to be ok to play on. There’s a bit of confusion over whether she is staying on but the referee is playing on with an Italy scrum.
TRY! Italy 5-21 Ireland (Amee-Leigh Costigan 19 mins)
20 mins: Italy 5-21 Ireland
Huge response from Ireland there after a period of intense Italy pressure.
They win the ball back and work the ball across at pace. Costigan then makes the final burst with that trademark speed and Ireland are back on top again.
Another O’Brien conversion follows to put her at 3 from 3 so far.
23 mins: Italy 5-21 Ireland
Ireland are banging on the door again, looking for that bonus-point try. Referee awards a scrum about 10 metres from the line.
She’s not happy with the first attempt and calls for a reset.
BONUS-POINT TRY! Italy 5-28 Ireland (McGann 24 mins)
27 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Bonus point – Check
Dannah O’Brien 4 from 4 conversions – Check
Anna McGann second try – Check
More brilliant stuff from Ireland. Lovely crisp passing, something they were lacking in badly against France.
27 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
30 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Italy break away swiftly from a scrum. Ireland react well and Stacey Flood boots it away. Italy still have it though and Sofia Stefan sends it out on the full with an attempted kick over the top.
34 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Ireland doing well with their lineouts, losing only one so far, and they keep possession again here.
But Italy win the ball back and have knock-on advantage. The referee does call it back and that’s a turnover they could have avoided.
34 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
And again, Italy are given way too much space to attack from the scrum. We’re back near Ireland’s five-metre line, and Ireland are under a lot of pressure here.
37 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Big let-off there.
Italy kick the ball away to give Ireland a breather as they put in for a scrum. O’Brien got caught and missed a tackle on Stefan but the hosts fail to capitalise.
The ball then comes back to O’Brien who kicks it out on the full.
34 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Italy are back in the five metre territory again. How long can Ireland hold them out for?
39 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Wafer got pushed back a few steps there which you don’t see every day.
Costigan gets a brilliant interception but Italy had advantage there and the referee calls it back again.
39 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Italy are almost there but Ireland are repelling with their fingernails.
Niamh O’Dowd then shoots out to push Italy back. Crucially though, Italy are still short.
39 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
HELD UP!
Super defensive effort from Ireland.
Half-Time! Italy 5-28 Ireland
Italy 5-28 Ireland
That feels like a massive moment in the game as Ireland manage to hold Italy up after they crashed over the line. But the referee says they didn’t touch the ball down and Ireland can head in with that huge lead.
They have the bonus point wrapped up following tries from Aoife Dalton, Amee-Leigh Costigan and two from Anna McGann. O’Brien’s kicking has been flawless, hitting four from four.
A huge improvement on the display against France.
Second-Half: Italy 5-28 Ireland
We’re back underway in Parma.
40 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Ireland survive the first wave of Italian pressure after winning a turnover penalty. O’Brien kicks them further into territory and they will look to advance again with a lineout maul.
43 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Ireland are down in the corner now. A lovely no-look pass from Wafer there which just shows how much confidence is in the Ireland team at the moment.
45 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
IRELAND TRY RULED OUT!
So, Aoife Wafer had bundled over for Ireland’s fifth try of the day but the TMO was called into action quickly. It seemed like it would be to investigate whether or not Wafer was guilty of a double movement. But it was actually to review the lineout which led to the try.
Niamh O’Dowd was penalised for blocking Italy and the score is wiped out.
47 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Italy are on the hunt again, making their way down as far as the Ireland ’22. They spray the ball across but Ireland win the ball back. Neve Jones was in with the steal.
But Italy win a penalty for obstruction.
48 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
Ireland put themselves under pressure when clearing the ball out in their own five-metre line. It’s similar to an error that featured in the France game when they sent the ball back to O’Brien, putting her under undue pressure to kick the ball away when it should be a box-kick for scrum-half Aoibheann Reilly.
They survive again though.
51 mins: Italy 5-28 Ireland
It’s Ireland’s turn to attack again. They’re just a few feet from the line. Ireland work through a few phases but the referee brings the play back for an Ireland scrum.
Ireland changes: Brittany Hogan and Dorothy Wall come on for Fiona Tuite and Aoife Wafer are off.
TRY! Italy 5-35 Ireland (Linda Djougang 54 mins)
57 mins: Italy 5-35 Ireland
Brilliant set-piece play again from Ireland. Linda Djougang shoves her way over a lineout and a quick transfer of the ball.
O’Brien swings over her fifth conversion of the day and some of those kicks have not been easy. Fantastic kicking from her today.
57 mins: Italy 5-35 Ireland
58 mins: Italy 5-35 Ireland
Yellow card: Linda Djougang, who has just scored a try, will go to the bin for a shoulder-high challenge.
Meanwhile, Siobhán McCarthy, Emily Lane and Enya Breen are all on for Niamh O’Dowd, Aoibheann Reilly and Eve Higgins.
58 mins: Italy 5-35 Ireland
So with Ireland losing their tighthead, they will bring on Christy Haney and Edel McMahon is off. Grace Moore comes on too for Ruth Campbell.
61 mins: Italy 5-35 Ireland
Brilliant pick and go from Brittany Hogan from an Ireland scrum. O’Brien pushes Italy back with the clearance and Ireland react well to the kickchase.
62 mins: Italy 5-35 Ireland
Good news for Ireland as Linda Djougang’s yellow card will remain a yellow card. She just has to wait out the next few minutes.
62 mins: Italy 5-35 Ireland
Brilliant run from Emily Lane to break Italy’s line. Ireland get the penalty call then after the ruck forms and they have a lineout at the Italy five-metre line.
TRY! Italy 5-40 Ireland (Dorothy Wall 64 mins)
66 mins: Italy 5-40 Ireland
Ireland get their sixth try despite being down to 14 players. It’s another tick beside the set-piece after scoring directly from the lineout again. This time, it’s Dorothy Wall using her strength to break through for the score.
For the first time today, Dannah O’Brien misses a conversion.
TRY! Italy 12-40 Ireland (Beatrice Rigoni 67 mins)
68 mins: Italy 12-40 Ireland
Italy get their second try of the day as Beatrice Rigoni swivels over some bodies on the line for the try. The TMO was called in to review the score, and the footage looked like she was off her feet when she picked up the ball before scoring.
The referee ruled that a ruck had not formed however, and thankfully that score will not have much of a bearing on the outcome because it is certainly a controversial call.
71 mins: Italy 12-40 Ireland
So unlucky for Emily Lane. She’s been having a big impact since her introduction. She was wheeling through for the try but a brilliant tackle brings her to the deck and the ball spills out of her hands.
TRY! Italy 12-47 Ireland (Brittany Hogan 78 mins)
FULL-TIME! Italy 12-54 Ireland
Italy 12-54 Ireland
What a game from Ireland?
Eight tries and only missed conversion kick from Dannah O’Brien. Dominant from the start and defeats from the last two seasons have been duly avenged.
The rate of progression in this Ireland team under Scott Bemand has been exceptional. And most importantly, that’s their first win of the Six Nations.
Well, that’s all from us folks. We hope you enjoyed that try-fest and look forward to having you with us again soon.
Goodbye for now.
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