Ireland 21
Italy 27
IRELAND WERE LEFT to rue a series of missed opportunites as Italy survived a late rally to leave the RDS with a bonus-point Six Nations win.
Scott Bemand’s side scored three tries, courtesy of Neve Jones, Katie Corrigan and an early penalty try, but left a series of scoring opportunities behind them as a clinical Italian side battled hard to secure a 27-21 victory, with Corrigan’s late score securing a losing bonus point.
The home side also clocked up 27 handling errors and conceded 17 turnovers in a game they will feel they should have won.
The IRFU reported a record attendance of 6,505 for this Easter Sunday clash and under beautiful blue skies at the RDS, Ireland made a blistering start as they looked to build on last weekend’s spirited performance in France.
Their first promising attack started with Beibhinn Parsons breaking free out wide to carry Ireland into the Italy 22. The move eventually broke down, but Italy failed to find touch with the resulting penalty, allowing the home side a second shot at landing the first blow. Ireland built good pressure again but couldn’t find a way through.
Ireland continued to attack in waves, second row Sam Monaghan enjoying some nice touches on her return to the side while Aoife Wafter led the way with her aggressive ball-carrying.
Italy were hanging in, and when Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi stuck out a hand to block Eve Higgins’ pass wide to Parsons, referee Hollie Davidson awarded Ireland a penalty try and sent the Italian fullback to the bin.
It was a perfect start for Ireland, who enjoyed 90% of the possession across a dominant start to the game.
Yet time and again, Ireland failed to capitalise on their territory as some poor handling errors crept into their game.
Wafer made another strong break off a scrum, and while Ireland had numbers up on the edge of the 22, Dannah O’Brien – preferred at 10 ahead of Nicole Fowley – hung a crossfield kick in the air, with Wafer then knocking-on the dropping ball.
Italy were barely getting a sniff but when their chances came, they made them count.
They hit back in the 24th minute, winning a lineout in the Ireland 22 before a strong driving maul sent hooker Vittoria Vecchini over the line. Centre Beatrice Rigoni lined up the conversion, but saw her effort bounce back off the crossbar.
Ireland then paid the price for a series of poor decisions around the half-hour mark. Awarded a penalty in a very kickable position, Ireland turned down the posts to go for the corner, but O’Brien’s kick failed to find touch.
To compound that error, Parsons then spilled a Sofia Stefan box-kick, and moments after finding themselves defending deep in their own half, Italy had a lineout in the Ireland 22.
The visitors secured the ball and hammered at the Ireland tryline, flanker Sara Tounesi carrying hard before Valeria Fedrighi finished from close range. Rigoni converted and Italy led 12-7.
There was then a long stoppage towards the end of the half as Lauren Delany received treatment on the pitch. Attacking from deep on kick return, Delany ran the ball across the Ireland tryline before being tackled by Alyssa D’Inca and conceding a penalty under the posts. The Sale Sharks played eventually left the action on a stretcher, with Fowley taking her place.
Rigoni kicked the conversion and Italy took an eight-point lead into the break.
Ireland had chances to cut the deficit early in the second period but again, weren’t clinical enough to make those moments count.
Katie Corrigan threatened in the corner as the home side countered from a poor kick by Italy number eight Ilaria Arrighetti but was forced into touch, before Fowley failed to find touch after Ireland again decided against a shot at the posts.
Ireland’s execution then let them down again when Parsons spilled Enya Breen’s pass when she had a clean path to the tryline.
Italy responded with a clinical attack started in their own 22, D’Inca almost going the length of the pitch after breaking through Monaghan’s tackle. The winger was eventually stopped by Breen and Corrigan, but Italy recycled the ball across the pitch and Vecchini struck for her second try of the afternoon. Rigoni converted and with just over 20 minutes to play, Ireland trailed by 15.
After a frustrating third quarter, Ireland finally hit back.
First, O’Brien found touch with an excellent kick into the corner. Neve Jones then hit Monaghan in the lineout, before the Ireland hooker joined the maul and powered over. O’Brien took full advantage by draining a superb conversion from the sideline, and Italy’s lead was cut back to eight points.
It looked as though Italy had pounced for the bonus-point score try with their next attack, Aura Muzzo finishing in the corner, but the score was crossed off for a forward pass.
Ireland’s relief was short-lived. Just moments later Muzzo was diving over the line again after another lovely passing move from the visitors. This time, the score was good, with Rigoni’s conversion attempt dropping short.
It was another clinical move from the Italians, who hit the four-try mark while enjoying just 36% of the territory.
Ireland continued to search for a route back into the game, Parsons threatening again before some excellent scramble defence from Italy killed the move.
With a minute left to play, Corrigan then broke free to run in Ireland’s third, O’Brien converting to set up a tense finish.
The home side had one last chance when O’Brien measured another lovely kick to the corner. Ireland won the lineout clean but the maul was stopped short. The home side recycled the ball and went through the phases, but with the pressure mounting Italy managed to turn the ball over and end the game, securing a deserved win.
Ireland now head into a break week before hosting Wales in Cork on 13 April.
Ireland scorers:
Tries – Penalty, Jones, Corrigan
Conversions – O’Brien [2/2]
Italy scorers:
Tries – Vecchini [2], Fedrighi, Muzzo.
Penalty – Rigoni [1/1]
Conversions – Rigoni [2/4]
IRELAND: Lauren Delany (Nicole Fowley, 36); Katie Corrigan, Eve Higgins, Enya Breen (Aoife Dalton 59), Béibhinn Parsons; Dannah O’Brien, Aoibheann Reilly (Molly Scuffil-McCabe, 59); Linda Djougang (Niamh O’Dowd 77), Neve Jones, Christy Haney (Sadhbh McGrath, 64); Dorothy Wall (Eimear Corri, 67), Sam Monaghan (capt); Grace Moore (Fiona Tuite, 55), Aoife Wafer, Brittany Hogan.
ITALY: Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi; Aura Muzzo, Beatrice Rigoni, Emma Stevanin, Alyssa D’Inca; Veronica Madia (Francesca Granzotto, 75), Sofia Stefan; Silvia Turani (Gaia Maris, 15), Vittoria Vecchini (Laura Gurioli, 79), Sara Seye (Lucia Gai, 75); Valeria Fedrighi, Giorana Duca; Sara Tounesi (Isabella Locatelli, 71), Francesca Sgorbini (Beatrice Veronese, 12), Ilaria Arrighetti (Alessandra Frangipani, 77).
Yellow card: Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi 7.
Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU).
Attendance: 6,605.
