Ireland finished bottom of the U20 Six Nations Championships for the first time after a 15-12 defeat to Italy at the Stadio Monigo in Treviso.
The visitors failed to take advantage of an early yellow card, when Italian hooker Nicolo Corvasce was sin-binned just three minutes in for a high tackle on Irish out-half Tom Wood.
Remarkably, the hosts scored two tries while down to 14 men, as Ireland were undone by a series of lineout turnovers and handling errors.
Winger Alessandro Drago finished off a counter-attack on seven minutes before temporary hooker Alessio Caiolo-Serra snuck in in front of the posts one minute before Corvasce returned. They added to Pietro Celi's early penalty for a 15-0 half-time lead.
IRELAND TRY '62
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) March 14, 2025
Italy 15-12 Ireland: Off a good lineout maul, Tom Wood is at the end of a flowing move and touches down; conversion added@SixNationsU20 @RTE2 @RTEplayer #rtesport
📺https://t.co/XnOP6grnB7… pic.twitter.com/hciFc3Q80n
Italy didn't score in the second half as Ireland regrouped, hooker Henry Walker driving over from a five-metre lineout in the 48th minute.
Wood touched down just after the hour following good work from Charlie Molony - when Italy were again down to 14 men - and replacement Sam Wisniewski added the conversion to cut the gap to three points.
However, Ireland struggled to fashion another clear scoring opportunity and knocked on in the Italian 22 in injury-time to conclude proceedings.
France are @SixNationsU20 champions for 2025. It's the wooden spoon for Ireland after Scotland secured a late bonus point against the French@IrishRugby #rtesport pic.twitter.com/BQdRTyQbwF
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) March 14, 2025
Meanwhile, France took advantage of Wales' surprise 23-13 win in Cardiff over England to win the title for the first time since 2018, hanging on in a 45-40 shootout against Scotland in Paris.
A late drop-goal for the Scots, the only team Ireland managed to beat, gave them a losing bonus point that elevated them above Neil Doak's side.
Ireland had finished third or higher in the last six editions of the tournament, winning the title three times.
Italy: G Pietramla (R Fasti 56); A Drago, F Zanandrea, E Todaro, M Faissal; P Celi (R Ioannucci 73), N Beni (M Bellotto 60); C Brasini (S Pelliccioli 48), N Corvasce (A Caiolo-Serra 53), B Valleis (N Bolognini 24); M Midena (E Opoku-Gyamfi 53), T Redondi; A Miranda, N Casartelli, G Milano (C Bianchi 62).
Ireland: D Green (S Wisniewski 60); C Molony; C Mangan, E Smyth, G O'Leary Kareem (C Fahy 69); T Wood, C Logan (C O’Connor 78); B Bohan (P Moore 58), H Walker (M Yarr 53), A Mullan (T McAllister 53); M Ronan (C Kennelly 53), B Corrigan; D Walsh (B Power half-time), M Foy, É McCarthy.
Referee: K Furuse (Japan)
