by Brendan Cole
1050 Highlights this evening are at 7.30pm. Ben Kay, Conor O'Shea and Shane Horgan are in studio.
Noel Butler (via e-mail): "The TMO said there was no foul play "IN GOAL". The TMO does not adjudicate on foul play otherwise. It was Kaplan's fault. The ref is responsible for awarding a penalty try."
1040 Paul O'Connell: "We got a few good carries going early in the second half and when you do that it is lot easier to create.
"We are luck we’ve a few guys in the squad who are obsessed with scrummaging. Mike Ross and these guys live for it. It came together against Australia and it came together today. Wales is going to be an incredibly tough game. They are very confident playing some good rugby."
1036 The Official man of the match is Sean O'Brien. We will have interviews with Brian O'Driscoll, Declan Kidney and O'Brien here on the site and on social media as the afternoon progresses.
1025 Brian O'Driscoll: "We are delighted with the win, we knew we needed it and we are glad to have been able to do it, ably helped by what has been the greatest crowd we have played in front of so far."
1024 Full-time analysis:
George Hook: "Five times in seven RWCs we have reached the quarter-finals. We have to win two Six Nations games to reach the final. I don't have to wear a green jersey or sing Amhrán na bhFiann. This is my team this is my country I am absolutely bloody well delighted!"
Conor O'Shea: "We are playing the hardest Six Nations team but if we get through we would be massive favourites in any semi-final. We have a team full of players used to beating Welsh districts in the League and Heineken Cup."
1020 Saturday morning - 6am, Ireland v Wales in Wellington is the date for your diary. All four quarter finals are live on RTÉ.
80 mins TRY! Ireland 36-6 Italy (Try Earls, Con Sexton)
And Ireland get their try! Rob Kearney runs back the dropout and off the ruck, Andrew Trimble gets through a gap. He then delayed for a second before passing to birthday boy Keith Earls who raced over for the try in the corner.
And all is good with Ireland as Jonny Sexton nails the touchline conversion.
Superb second half for Ireland.
78 mins Big scrum by Ireland and as a fight breaks out at one end, Tommy Bowe goes on an epic run down the field. Bowe gets it from D'Arcy, and then kicks it round Bergamasco and collects and kicks it again twice more and then as he dives for the ball looks to have scored.
Bowe looks upset as Kaplan turns to ask the TMO for a decision and the replay shows why. Bowe has been impeded by Benvenuti and prevented from grounding the ball.
The TMO is taking his time - checking the rulebook? - and has somehow decided that there has been no foul play. Rubbish, to be honest. 22 droput.
You can see the fight later, play goes on.
76 mins And Parisse walks off - a bit unsteadily. That hit by O'Brien and Donnacha Ryan was very hard. Italy had a penalty there as well - for the maul again - and again they punt for touch. Lo Cicero runs at Ireland but frantic work at the ruck by O'Brien and O'Callaghan forces Italy backwards and Reddan then fights for a ball and gets it.
Italy get a lucky call then as Kaplan decide Reddan has taken it in to a maul and not gotten it back. Scrum Italy, 10m from the Irish line.
75 mins Ireland win the lineout and after a Leamy midfield charge, Sexton puts up a high kick. It bounces but Parisse grabs it and Italy then win a penalty all a bit frantic. Bocchino punts to 10m from the Irish line.
Italy maul it the lineout and then Parisse tries a run but O'Brien again smashes him. Well marked. Parisse is slow do get up and when he does, his head is covered in blood.
74 mins And Ireland get another penalty at the scrum, under their own posts. Sexton punts that up to 10m beyond their own 22.
Twitter: @laherne95: Get O Gara off in case of injury... He has to start Vs Wales #rwc2011
72 mins 5m from the line, Ireland keep Italy out but give up a penalty for going off their feet. Gori - the sub 9 - taps and goes but Sexton gets in at him and Ireland hold up the ball off the deck and force the scrum call.
Here comes the subs - Ferris, O'Driscoll, and Healy go off along with Conor Murray. Tom Court, Reddan, and Leamy among those who come on.
Ball possession: Ireland 50% - Italy 50%.
Territory: Ireland 57% - Italy 43%.
Lineouts won: Ireland 11 - Italy 10.
Kurt McQuilkin: “You get the impression Ireland are really enjoying scrumtime. Very much like the Tongans against France the other night. It’s good to see that the Irish are prepared to move it from deep now. That’s a positive mistake.”
71 mins Ireland control the restart and after a Cronin run, Sexton again kicks long down the middle to Masi, who runs into Ferris. Ouch. Italy are playing on the halfway line and O'Driscoll almost gets the ball with an attempted strip but Italy get penalty advantage and as O'Brien hits Parisse, the penalty is given. Bocchino punts up to 5m from the Irish line. Can the defence hold?
No doubt Les Kiss and Gert Smal would like a clean sheet.
70 mins PENALTY Ireland 29-6 Italy (Sexton pen)
Sexton's kicking routine is still quite slow but he gets the kick from about 35m.
68 mins Ireland win scrappy ball at the lineout and Sexton kicks long - and slightly aimlessly downfield. But Italy make a mess in the deep, a terrible pas by Masi goes down and as Italy scramble to recover, D'Arcy is hit off the ball. Penalty Ireland, well inside the Italian half. Sexton will have a shot.........
67 mins Ireland win the the lineout and though Sexton is on, Healy stands at 10 and takes the ball and hammers a kick downfield. Odd. Italy return a kick to touch near the Ireland 22.
66 mins The lineout goes wrong for Italy, and Cronin manages to palm it to Ferris, who lines up Bocchino and runs over him. And Ireland then move the ball wide to O'Driscoll, who tries a grubber kick but doesn't really catch it correctly and it goes to touch.
Sexton is in for O'Gara now. Can he stake a claim for Wales?
65 mins Huge hit from both sides but this time it goes down. Healy must retain his discipline and Ronan O'Gara goes in to have a word. And then Healy slips around and loses his bind and the Italians get a penalty, which Bocchino kicks to touch right beside the Ireland line.
64 mins Another row breaks out as Italy get given a free-kick at that scrum. Perugini is again at the heart of it. Italy will scrum it down again. Healy suggests more play at the face from Perugini and he is trying to get a belt from Healy but Healy is resisting the urge. For now.
62 mins But Italy have gotten a penalty as Donnacha Ryan has gone for the Italian jumper before he hit the deck. Bocchino kicks up to the Irish 22, and they set the maul againo on Parisse. Irish men spill out the side of the maul but Jamie Heaslip is at the heart of the maul fighting away, and Kaplan eventually decides that they have not done enough and gives the scrum to Ireland.
60 mins So it is a scrum to Italy 10m or so from their own line. Another huge drive by Healy, he got well up and Parisse only just managed to get the ball out. But Gori kicks it high and to the wing and Earls takes it superbly with a leaping catch. And O'Brien then smashes through Bocchino and into the Italian 22 again. But the attack ends with an ill thought out chip by O'Driscoll, which Parisse marks.
They kick downfield but Earls collects then finds a lovely kick to the line deep inside the Italian half - just outside their 22.
Via twitter: @MarrenDooney @RTErugby Italy are still in the dressing room! #RWC11 #Ireland
57 mins Huge drive by Ireland but the ball slips over to the Italian side and they kick downfield where Kearney gets it and runs back and Ireland are hitting their straps now as Bowe, Earls and O'Brien combine. D'arcy is down and there is some concern but play continues.
Heaslip takes a nice line to inject momentum out wide and then Ferris has a charge but O'Gara's attempt to link with Kearney for the score fails and Ireland knock it on.
Paul O'Connell has also gone off. Replay shows a nasty hit on D'Arcy off the ball - an elbow into the ribs winded him.
56 mins And Ireland launch Healy at the Italians off a clever lineout move. Heaslip took it and then fed Healy, who was one of the lifters. Ireland went wide quickly then and D'Arcy hesitated a bit before feeding Kearney, and his game effort at the line is held up. Scrum Ireland 5m from the Italy line.
Can they get a penalty try? Healy would certainly like that. Gori is in for Semenzato at nine for Italy.
55 mins Another penalty for Ireland - as the Italy scrum again felt the pressure. Third scrum penalty. O'Gara punts up to the Italian 22m line.
"No scrum, no game" is the French saying, reports Donal Lenihan.
54 mins Italy got their hands on the restart but Parisse has knocked it on in a carry. Scrum Ireland on the 10m line. Cronin is on for Best - the Ulsterman went off limping.
53 mins TRY! Ireland 26-6 Italy (Try Earls, Con O'Gara)
From the lineout, D'Arcy slices the first Italian defensive line open, crashing up the middle. Italy just manage to stop him, Masi making the tackle. Ross carries, and Ireland attack down the right flank, where Best gets it on the wing and sets it up again back infield. The ball is then moved to Ferris and he takes, handles two tacklers, delays his pass and the feeds Earls as he gets over.
A truly fantastic play by Ferris. And O'Gara stictches the kick to add two more points.
Ball possession: Ireland 45% - Italy 55%.
Territory: Ireland 59% - Italy 41%.
50 mins The ball is knocked on by O'Connell and Italy get a scrum at the restart. Perugini gets a telling off for trying to go head to head and then is penalised when Healy forces him to break his bind. Huge smile from Healy, that one felt good.
O'Gara then punts up beyond the Italian 10m line.
48 mins TRY IRELAND Ireland 19-6 Italy (Try O'Driscoll, Con O'Gara)
Superb try for Ireland, the ball was moved to D'Arcy from off the top ball by O'Callaghan at the lineout, and Bowe took the ball going like a train from that ruck inside the Italy 22, dragged the Italians wide and then turned and fed O'Driscoll inside him and the captain got in just beside the posts.
O'Gara then slots the extras!
46 mins Earls get the dropout and off the ruck, O'Gara tries to kick the corner but Masi gets to it and kicks up to the Italian 10m line. Back to square one.
45 mins Heaslip takes the lineout and Ireland drive a quick maul forward. Ferris then charges and Ireland recover from a small handling error by Murray. O'Brien and Ferris drive it on again - superb from both - and O'Gara drops back for the drop goal but he doesn't catch it and it is an Italy 22m dropout.
Frankie Sheahan (via Twitter) #ireland 9 #Italy 6, Going well, need to defend mauls better #rugby #RWC2011 hard to see Italy scoring try's so discipline is essential
43 mins O'Brien again catches and though he spills the ball running it back, it goes back and Murray recovers. Geldenhuys is then penalised for a ruck offence and O'Gara punts it up into the Italian half - on their 10m line.
42 mins From 38 metres, and quite central, O'Gara stitches it.
Ireland 12-6 Italy (O'Gara Penalty)
41 mins O'Brien catches the kick-off and runs back to the Italy 22. Stephen Ferris then charges out and O'Gara puts up a high kick which O'Driscoll hares after and he hits Masi as the Italy full-back caught the ball. Italy grubber kick to Kearney and he moves it to the far side, where Heaslip is one of those who makes inroards.
O'Driscoll and D'Arcy are getting plenty of touches as Ireland move it back across again and Kearney then runs into contact. And the next attack sees Ireland force a penalty for the tackler not rolling away on Paul O'Connell - Lo Cicero guilty.
Parisse complains but to no avail.
0927 Italy are on the field, and Ireland just walk out. Riccardo Bocchino looks to be on the field - meaning Luciano Orquera has gone off.
Half-time:
Conor O'Shea says the 'eye-area' incident is not gouging, and that we need to be careful because the Italian player did not know where his hand was. If Ireland attack the Italian lineout in the air, they are vulnerable to the maul on the gound adds O'Shea.
George Hook: Cian Healy should not be getting involved with things off the ball. The Italian maul is a danger to Ireland and Ireland's failure to defend to maul properly is a worry.
Brent Pope says that Tommy Bowe's try should have been a try and a zoom in replay shows that he is almost certainly correct.
VIA Twitter:
@aidanodr Groundhog day. Ireland score then gift Italy with a score on other end. #rterugby
@dun_h Murray has been poor, Reddan for second half #rterugby
HALF-TIME: Ireland 9-6 Italy
Ball possession: Ireland 43% - Italy 57%.
Territory: Ireland 63% - Italy 37%.
40 mins And the Italians set a powerful maul and drive into the Irish 22 and then get a penalty for it being hauled over. But there is another row, Healy again targetted with Mauro Bergamasco attacking his face.
And the penalty is reversed and punted to touch by Murray. Ireland up 9-6.
39 mins And now Bergamasco hits the post! And Sean O'Brien, in the midst of changing his jersey and with scrum cap half on - gets it and kicks it out.
37 mins Ireland punt up to near half-way and O'Callaghan wins the lineout and Ireland try to maul it but they are disrupted and almost put into touch. Bowe then gets it and tries to run infield but he spills it forward in the tackle and Ghiraldini gets it and charges at O'Gara, who stops him. And at the ruck, the ball is interefered with a hand - or maybe side entry - and Italy get a penalty.
36 mins And then Ireland get the shove on and power through the Italy scrum and force a penalty! Perugini is now at tighthead, with Lo Cicero at loosehead. Massive boost for Ireland.
35 mins O'Brien takes the kick and sets it up but Murray makes the error at the base of that ruck, knocking it forward as he went to box kick it. Second error (at least) at restart. Scrum Italy on the Irish 22.
Can Ireland attack this scrum? The first one is a free kick to Italy for early engage but they will choose to scrum again.
33 mins The scrum is reset once and then Ireland get a free kick for a crooked feed. And they run it but it slips out the side of the ruck and Zanni grabs it. Masi kicks long but not to touch and Ireland run back through Bowe, who is hit hard by Parisse but falls forward to maintain the momentum.
And Ireland attack out wide through D'Arcy, who feeds Kearney and he half-breaks a tackle. And then Canale is penalised for not rolling away - penalty Ireland, near dead in front of the Italian posts.
Castrogiovanni looks like he is struggling and Lo Cicero is going to come on.
Kurt McQuilkin: "All the huffing and puffing during the week about the Italian scrum and he havn’t seen too much yet. I think the Irish are really getting up these Italians."
Handling errors: Ireland 4-2 Italy.
Kurt McQuilkin: "Good work from Ireland. Slowly turning the screw on the Italian defenders. Making them work and putting them through the phases."
30 mins Ireland get a shove on but Parisse gets it out and Italy run the ball down the right. But Ireland turn it over and attack quickly through the middle - superb steal by Heaslip - and O'Brien smashes Orquera and then feeds Bowe, who is in under the sticks!
But Kaplan calls the play back, saying there had been a knock forward or forward pass. Bowe adjusted the ball as he caught it, but the replay is not clear.
In any case, it is a scrum for Italy on their 22 again.
Kurt McQuilkin RTE Radio: "That was a flat ball. That was try time."
28 mins Murray is the heart of the attack of the scrum again but his effort to feed O'Driscoll sees him pass it way forward. Timing not right there as Murray tried to pass it late.
Scrum Italy on their own 22.
27 mins The scrum is secured and Heaslip feeds Murray, who passes to O'Gara and then gets it again on the loop. He charges into the Italy 22 and Italy scramble, with Parrisse making the tackle.
The ball is then moved back across to D'Arcy on the far side, where Italy disrupt the attack but knock it on as they do so.
Michael Corcoran on RTE Radio 1: "Luciano Orquera mightn't be able to tackle his grandmother, but he's a fine kicker"
26 mins The ball is delivered off the top by Zanni and moved wide to Masi, who is tackled by O'Driscoll. They move it back across the field but a pass by Castrogiovanni goes to deck and ireland get a scrum.
25 mins Ireland win lineout ball off the top but their attempt to attack the wide channel fails as Earls is shoved out. Lineout Italy in their own 22 and they win it and then get a maul going and a penalty as O'Connell is pinged for entering from the side. Orquera kicks up to the Irish 10m line.
23 mins Italy got that penalty and they kick up to the 22. But Paul O'Connell forces a turnover and it is then kicked up to the Italy 10m line, where Bergamasco touches the ball before it goes out. Lineout Ireland. Ireland had a penalty in the previous sequence before Kaplan reversed, so justice done.
22 mins The ball is caught and Semenzato kicks it.
"I think there is an allegation of gouging" says Donal Lenihan.
Kaplan and O'Driscoll talk about it and replays show a finger in the eye of Healy! It is Ghiraldini's finger and Ireland are incensed. But Italy get the penalty as Ireland over-reacted. Shocking scenes really in the replay.
21 mins PENALTY Ireland 6-6 Italy (Bergamasco pen) And he gets it.
Lineouts won: Italy 3 Ireland 3
20 mins Impressive maul by Italy, they are almost over! An a massive drive from Castro is just stopped short them.
They had penalty advantage straight away after O'Connell knelt in front of the maul and almost dropped it and Kaplan goes back after that drive - close call for Ireland. Italy penalty from the right of the posts, on the 22m line.
19 mins O'Brien catches this one well and Murray puts up a huge high kick. It bounces as Parrisse misses it but Semenzato gets it and runs back at Ireland, round Best. Italy then probe the far side, and eventually Canale chips a low ball which Murray has to kick to touch off the deck. Lineout Italy 8m from the Irish line.
15 mins Ireland 6-3 Italy (O'Gara pen)
Ireland are given another penalty. Parisse got the lineout with an impressive lift and catch, but they formed their maul illegally. O'Gara will have another shot from out on the left and this time he makes no mistake, straight over the dot.
Ball possession: Ireland 45%, Italy 55%.
Territory: Ireland 62%, Italy 38%.
14 mins Ireland win ball off the top through O'Connell, who taps to Murray and Murray darts through the first line of defence and into the heart of the Italian 22. Ireland crash O'Brien at the defence and then go wide, where O'Driscoll tries to get Earls in in the corner but the space is not there and he is shoved to touch. Lineout Italy on their own 5m line.
13 mins And it hits the post! Tommy Bowe chasing up tries to tap it back but Garcia gets that for Italy and they run it out. Huge hit by Ferris on Castrogiovanni stops that momentum, and Semenzato then box kicks straight to touch. Lineout Ireland just outside the Italy 22.
11 mins Italy claim the restsart and kick to Earls, who catches and runs it back. Ireland attack down the right, with Kearney half-breaking a tackle. Ireland have penalty advantage from Kaplan and after another phase or two. It is out on the right, the opposite side to last time, and O'Gara will have a shot.
10 mins PENALTY Ireland 3-3 Italy (Bergamasco pen)
Bergamasco slots it with his characteristic draw from right to left. Back to level.
9 mins Italy get the power on this time and the Irish scrum buckles a bit. The scrum then goes down and Kaplan opts to reset it. The second scrum sees Italy get the hit again and they power through Healy on the loosehead side and this time, they are awarded the penalty.
Bergamasco will have a shot.
8 mins The kick-off is spilled by Sean O'Brien on the Irish 22 - he had the ball but dropped it as he turned to run. Scrum Italy on the Irish 22. 10m from the Irish right touchline.
7 mins PENALTY Ireland 3-0 Italy (O'Gara pen)
Ronan O'Gara takes the kick and it is a pure strike right through the middle from right out on the left touchline.
5 mins Zanni wins uncontested for Italy and Semenzato launches another box kick, which Bowe takes under no pressure. He feeds Kearney infield, and he runs and checks back towards the touchline instead of moving the ball and sets it up.
O'Gara then launches Bowe up the middle and Ireland start smashing up their big runners. Healy and O'Connell run at Italy. But the ball is then spilled out wide, Keith Earls failing to catch a pass.
But the linesman comes in to talk to Gonzalo Canale (Italy 13), who has taken a man without the ball - D'Arcy - over near the touchline. Penalty Ireland, and O'Gara will take a shot at goal.
4 mins Good lineout win for Ireland and Ferris crashes it up the middle. It is then moved to O'Driscoll who slides a low kick into touch inside the Italian 22.
3 mins The ball is passed to O'Gara and he tries to kick the corner but the kick does not quite come off and is collected by Benvenuti and passed to Masi, who punts to touch near half-way.
2 mins Ireland get the shove on as Italy take the ball out quickly. Mike Ross got his side up. But Parrisse has got it away and Italy try to attack. But they can't get anything going and knock it forward. Scrum Ireland, inside the Italy half.
1 min O'Gara kicks to the backs' side where Bergamasco claims and sets it up. Semenzato launches a box kick which Rob Kearney claims well on halfway and sets it up. Ireland opt to run the ball and move it to Rory Best. He goes in but is too high and help up by Italy, they get men on the ball and keep it in the air to win the scrum call just inside the Irish half.
Scrum Italy, huge moment.
Ireland: Rob Kearney, Tommy Bowe, Brian O'Driscoll (capt), Gordon D'Arcy, Keith Earls, Ronan O'Gara, Conor Murray; Cian Healy, Rory Best, Mike Ross, Donncha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell, Stephen Ferris, Sean O'Brien, Jamie Heaslip. Replacements: Sean Cronin, Tom Court, Donnacha Ryan, Denis Leamy, Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton, Andrew Trimble.
Italy: A Masi; T Benvenuti, G Canale, G Garcia, Mirco Bergamasco; L Orquera, F Semenzato; S Perugini, L Ghiraldini, M Castrogiovanni, Q Geldenhuys, C van Zyl, A Zanni, Mauro Bergamasco, S Parisse (capt). Replacements: F Ongaro, A lo Cicero, M Bortolami, P Derbyshire, E Gori, R Bocchino, L McLean.
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
0831 Some of the Ireland players take a minute to put some more spray on their hands - it may be greasy and sticky despite the roof. Seconds from the off, the players are lined up. Ireland will kick-off.
Donal Lenihan: "Heaslip needs a big game."
0830 Ireland's call is up now. Ferris looks focussed, Kearney serious and Murray nervous. Mike Ross looks ready to do a job and Brian O'Driscoll looks as calm as he usually does.
That's over and we are a minute from kick-off.
0828 Time for the Italian anthem. It never fails to get them going and there are some close to tears as they sing it, every man with his right hand on his hear. Mirco Bergamasco is particularly emotional. Martin Castrogiovanni finishes with a roar.
0826 RTÉ Rugby Facebook: "Mick Yates Lets get ready to RUMBLE"
0825 Final bit of discussion among the panel. O'Shea points out that Declan Kidney has a habit of surprise switches at scrum-half.
Players on the way out on to the way out onto the pitch - two lines alongside eachother emerging to a huge roar and the atmosphere is electric.
Hook: Ireland should and probably will win.
Pope: Ireland by 10 points, pulling away in the last 10 minutes.
O'Shea: White-knuckle ride, but Ireland will win.
0820 Via Twitter:
@hgadolcdemps Getting ready to watch #rterugby with @aidandempsey come on Ireland let's make all these earlier mornings woth it.
@markcummins #ireland #rterugby Come on Ireland. Early start!
@DublinKev Terrible shame about Dan Carter. Huge blow for the All Blacks and for the fella personally. Sport can be cruel.
@Emmetd85 Ireland to win by 20, I think we'll be a force of will strength and skill! Destroy them ROG #rterugby
0818 RTÉ Facebook: Keith O'Shea "Best of luck Ireland, lets get the WC show on the road!"
0815 STATS: Italy and Ireland have clashed 19 times. Ireland have won 16 - including Italy have won three.
Italy's three wins all come in the 1990s – the golden age of Italian rugby. Italy beat Ireland 22-12 in Stadio di Monigo in 1995; 37-29 in Lansdowne Road in 1997; and 37-22 in 1997.
The nearest Italy have come to beating Ireland in the last 15 meetings was this year, 2011, in the Six Nations. Ireland only won 13-11 in Stadio Flaminio; a last minute drop-goal snatched victory from the jaws of defeat for Ireland. This is the first time ever Ireland and Italy have met in the Rugby World Cup.
0805 Wales have beaten Fiji by 66-0 in driving rain at Hamilton and they have secured the second spot from Pool D. If Ireland win this one, they will play Warren Gatland's men in Wellington next.
Brent Pope, George Hook and Conor O'Shea are in studio.
Dan Carter is the first subject.
Pope: Carter is one of the best ever to wear the number 10 shift, it is devastating for him and New Zealand should have brought Nick Evans back from Harlequins.
Ireland's match is up for discussion next.
O'Shea: Ireland have to win because the missed out on the BP against USA. He is extremely nervous - this is their Australia match, their World Cup final.
Hook: It is Ireland's seventh different half-back pair in seven games but O'Gara is the right player for this match. It is about game management and O'Gara must play for territory and manage the game well.
0755 Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll will win his 116th cap today. Remarkably, Ronan O'Gara is just one behind and will get number 115. Paul O'Connell will win number 81 and Donncha O'Callaghan number 79.
Those four are the only men in the top 10 caps winners in today's squad. Geordan Murphy - currently on 72 - is not in today's matchday squad.
TV show starting in 5 minutes.
0745 Some stats before this one - Andrew Trimble did not score between RWC 2007 and RWC 2011 but his four appearances in the warm-up series, along with last week's run out against Russia, have helped make him the Irish player with the most appearances (7) in season 2011-2012 so far.
Hard to blame Trimble for not racking up the tries in that period as Ireland have generally struggled to crack the 25 point barrier and he has been in and out of favour. On the bench today, and no doubt itching for a chance to show what he can do.
0735 There is driving rain at the Wales v Fiji clash - with Wales now 59-0 up.
That won't be a major factor for Ireland - here is the stadium roof Ireland will play under today:
0720 Wales are demolishing Fiji - they have not been helped by some of Wayne Barnes' refereeing but have racked up 45 points with 20 minutes to go.
Off the field, yet more trouble for England has come to light, with Martin Johnson telling a press conference he is angry with three of his players over their behaviour in a hotel.
He said he had left them in "no doubt" about his anger following complaints from a female hotel worker.
James Haskell, Dylan Hartley and Chris Ashton were made to formally apologise to Annabel Newton after she was reportedly teased with lewd comments.
According to the Sunday Mirror, Ms Newton, 23, said the men "treated me with no respect" after she was called into a hotel room to retrieve her walkie-talkie.
Addressing the allegations over player conduct in the team hotel, Johnson said: "I was angry with them. It is just the sort of thing we have talked about.
"What they thought was humour and a light-hearted exchange has clearly not been taken that way by Annabel, the girl involved.
"At the time they apologised when they realised they had stepped over the mark. They had no idea how upset she subsequently became.
"We were in Queenstown for a few days. When we returned I spoke to the hotel manager, apologised to him for the disturbance we had caused to him and his staff.
"The guys formally apologised. They were shocked when they understood how upset she had become. We investigated the facts fully. They have been disciplined. They have been reprimanded for their behaviour and left in no doubt."
"If you leave yourself open for these headlines to be written it drags us all into it and that is what makes me particularly angry."
0700 The Ireland v Italy kick-off is an hour-and-a-half away and we will have all the news and buildup as it happens here on the RTÉ.ie/sport live tracker.
TV coverage is from 8am and the radio team will be on air shortly after on RTÉ Radio 1.
It has already been a busy day in New Zealand - it started with the news that Dan Carter had been ruled out of RWC 2011 due to a groin injury earlier today.
The All Blacks still managed a comprehensive 79-15 win over Canada with Colin Slade filling in at out-half. Argentina will face them next after scoring three tries to beat Georgia 25-7 and secure their place in the next round.
Argentina out-half Felipe Contepomi: "We have to rest now and start analysing the All Blacks and try to see their weakest points, if they have any."
Wales have already secured their place in the quarter-final by racking up four tries against Fiji in the first half of their match. The second 40 minutes is just about to get underway.
If Ireland can win against Italy, Wales are now certain to be their quarter-final opponent.
Meanwhile, England's discipline troubles continue with Delon Armitage cited for a "dangerous high tackle" on Chris Paterson in England's World Cup victory over Scotland.
There are also concerns about the fitness of Jonny Wilkinson, who was replaced near the end of England's 16-12 victory over Scotland yesterday, had a scan on his right forearm.
In Pool C, it has been confirmed that Australia's Drew Mitchell is out of the tournament due to the hamstring strain he suffered against Russia.
