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Injury scare for Jack Conan as Ireland ease past Italy

Updated / Saturday, 5 Aug 2023 22:13
Caelan Doris scored two tries for Ireland
Caelan Doris scored two tries for Ireland

In a game in which Ireland had very little to gain and a lot to lose, Andy Farrell's side will head for next week’s training camp in Portugal worrying more about injuries than this performance.

The main black mark against this win against Italy will be a first-half injury to Jack Conan, who walked out of the game with a knock after just over 35 minutes.

Nothing is known yet about the No 8’s injury, although he was spotted wearing a protective boot as he sat on the sideline for the second half.

The Leinster man had looked sharp in the time he had on the pitch, with two slick pieces of handling sending Ireland into the 22 in the moments before he took that knock. The fact that he walked straight off the pitch without even a limp is somewhat reassuring.

Jimmy O’Brien and Craig Casey also left with knocks, O’Brien coming off at the break with a shoulder issue, while Casey limped out with a leg injury early in the second half.

It’s unlikely Farrell will have learned a great deal from this win, which never really looked to be in doubt. As a first game of the season, it was only natural for the flow of the attack to meet a few clogs along the 80 minutes, particularly with a glut of substitutions just after half-time, debutants Tom Stewart, Ciarán Frawley and Calvin Nash among them.

Jack Crowley looked confident and sharp in the opening 40 minutes at out-half, before moving to full-back after O’Brien’s injury. The Munster playmaker kicked three conversions from four, and put his body on the line as he carried right up to the gainline.

Caelan Doris picked up where he left off last season with an all-action performance, scoring two tries and creating one which was finished off by Stuart McCloskey. Dave Kilcoyne had earlier barged over to score, as Ireland led 21-3 at half time.

Jack Conan departed with a first-half injury

Captain Iain Henderson played his first game since a fractured arm in March and led from the front, while his second row partner Joe McCarthy was impressive on his first Irish start.

Jacob Stockdale had a mixed night in his return to the Irish jersey, showing some nice touches in attack in the opening half before slipping off a tackle for Italy’s opening try on 51 minutes.

On the opposite wing, it was also frustrating at times for Keith Earls who didn’t see much ball in attack, while also missing the decisive tackle on Tommaso Menoncello’s try.

The second half was one to be endured rather than enjoyed as Cian Healy and Doris added tries for Ireland which cancelled out scores for the Italians.

It was the visitors who registered the opening points of the game after two minutes, Allan kicking a penalty from 30 metres to make it 3-0 after Kilcoyne was penalised at the scrum.

A well-judged kick in midfield from Crowley put Ireland on the attack shortly after, and although Italy reclaimed the ball, Casey was quick to pounce on a spillage at the ruck, playing in Henderson who ultimately lost possesion as he raced into the 22.

The bulk of the opening quarter was being played in the Italian half, and after 13 minutes Andy Farrell's side got the breakthrough when Kilcoyne burrowed over to score.

Having won a penalty a few metres out from the Italian line, Ireland opted for a five-metre tap and go, and after Rob Herring was initially stopped short, Kilcoyne forced his way over from close range as Crowley’s conversion made it 7-3.

There was almost a wonderful second try on 20 minutes, a move in which several players played their part. It started in midfield where Stockdale claimed a roaring catch off a Casey box-kick, and after securing quick ruck ball, Crowley moved it wide instantly.

The ball made its way to Earls on the right wing, and his grubber towards the line was chased down by O’Brien, but the full-back was just beaten to the touchdown by the left hand of Menoncello.

Having lost tighthead Marco Riccioni to injury, Italy then saw loosehead Danilo Fischetti sent to the sin bin on 27 minutes after he prevented Casey taking a quick-tap penalty.

Ireland made that numerical advantage count instantly, mauling their way over to score a second try through Doris with he, Conan and Herring smartly breaking towards the line just as Italy tried to send the pack towards touch. Crowley added the conversion as Ireland moved 14-3 ahead.

Doris had been the best player on the pitch in the opening half, and it was his relentless work in defence that led to the third Irish try on 37 minutes.

The flanker harried scrum-half Stephen Varney deep in the Italian 22 to drive him backwards and after Henderson shipped in to help with the counter-ruck, Ireland turned the ball over just short of the line and McCloskey pounced to dive in and score under the posts, as Crowley again tapped over the extras to leave it 21-3 at the break.

With a flurry of substitutions coming before, during and after half-time, Ireland’s game turned scrappy in the third quarter, Frawley and Tom Stewart were introduced for their debuts, while Prendergast, Blade, Healy and Furlong were all introduced early.

On 51 minutes Italy found their way over for their opening try, a lovely set-piece strike play in the 22 putting Lorenzo Pani over in the corner, although Stockdale will be disappointed at slipping off the final tackle.

By the hour mark, Ireland’s replacements were starting to bed in, and the fourth try arrived on 64 minutes as Healy drove his way over to score, with Stewart, McCarthy and Baird all previously contributing big carries off the back of a maul into the 22.

Trailing 26-10, Italy came back into the game with a Menoncello try 12 minutes from time, but it was quickly cancelled out by Doris’ second of the night. The flanker started and finished the move, with deft handling putting Prendergast into space, and after Nash was stopped short of the line, Ireland shifted it left to Doris who reached over to score.

With Crowley receiving treatment for a late tackle, it was Frawley who tapped over his first international points to make it 33-17 and put the final touches on the victory.

Ireland: Jimmy O'Brien; Keith Earls, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Dave Kilcoyne, Rob Herring, Tom O'Toole; Iain Henderson (capt), Joe McCarthy; Ryan Baird, Caelan Doris, Jack Conan.

Replacements: Tom Stewart, Cian Healy, Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, Cian Prendergast, Caolin Blade, Ciarán Frawley, Calvin Nash.

Italy: Tommaso Allan; Paolo Odogwu, Juan Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello, Monty Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera, Marco Riccioni; Dino Lamb, Federico Ruzza (capt); Sebastian Negri, Manuel Zuliani, Lorenzo Cannone.

Replacements: Luca Bigi, Paolo Buonfiglio, Simone Ferrari, Niccolo Cannone, Michele Lamaro, Giovanni Pettinelli, Alessandro Fusco, Lorenzo Pani.

Referee: Mathieu Raynal (FFR).

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Neil Treacy

RTÉ Sport Journalist