We like Crowley but Italy keep finding terrible ways to lose
Let’s be candid: an upset result was never ever on the cards before kick-off in Dublin on Sunday. As much as we very much like what Kieran Crowley is trying to do as the new Italy boss – his blueprint for much-desired improvement was captured brilliantly in the recent RugbyPass behind the documentary on the Azzurri from November game versus the All Blacks – the enormous gap that exists between them and Ireland at Guinness Six Nations level was always going to be a chasm far too large to eradicate here in one fell swoop.
So it proved, Italy suffering their 100th Six Nations defeat since joining the championship in 2000 and their 35th loss on the bounce in the tournament stretching back to their last W in 2015. However, the way they lost was chastening as it showed how they keep making up new ways to lose.
Bad enough having to try and compete with a full complement of players but to try and survive 61 minutes a man down with a red card and 59 minutes with another man gone due to the necessity for uncontested scrums was a shambles that was then dubiously rounded off with the Italians having to play the final few minutes with just twelve players remaining after a silly yellow card.
That numerical calamity left them open to the dusting that duly materialised, Ireland’s 51-point winning margin surpassing anything they had managed against the Azzurri for quite some time. The average championship scoreline in recent years in these Irish-Italy fixtures under Andy Farrell had been 49-13, only marginally different from the 47-5 average score in the seven Six Nations games played with Joe Schmidt at the Ireland helm.
With Rome famed for not being built in a day, this encounter’s pressing question was always going to be by how wide a margin Ireland would win on this occasion and 57-6 was ultimately the painful answer. What we wanted from Ireland, though, was a more even-handed performance across a full 80 minutes.
Curiously of the 53 points that they had scored in their two previous Six Nations outings this month, 47 points happened in the opening 20 minutes of the first and second half period with just six points scored across the 20 to 40 and 60 to 80 segments of games.
Here, amid the macabre sight of uncontested scrums, it was the reverse. Ireland scored just 17 of their points in those two first 20-minute periods as handling errors stalled their momentum and left them waiting for flourishes later in the halves, especially in the closing ten minutes of the second period when the Italians were out on their feet at the end of an afternoon that never sparked the imagination.
It was thirteen minutes before the 3pm kick-off when the stadium lights show kicked into gear and the band marched onto the turf to generate some much-needed pre-match razzmatazz, enlivening the Sunday slumber that the slow build-up had been up to that point with about half the crowd yet to shuffle in to take their seats before a warmly received message about Six Nations and Ukrainian solidarity was followed by the anthems.
France and England had their issues in getting going against Italy and while Ireland needed just 220 seconds to cross the whitewash for their opening try, it wasn’t all plain sailing as the hosts were initially four-two down on the penalty count and only 7-3 ahead when the contest was ruined. There was merit in the red-carding of Italian sub hooker Hame Faiva for his head assault on Dan Sheehan, but no merit at all in the law surrounding uncontested scrums.
With Faiva having replaced the injured starter Gianmarco Lucchesi, Italy didn’t have another hooker to send on and they were forced to sacrifice No8 Toa Halafihi as a result. “That is the law”, repeated the referee to the perplexed and much confused Italians. Well, the law is an ass in this instance as it ruined the game as a spectacle.
Not that what followed was without some level of worthiness. Seeing Michael Lowry and James Lowe run in two tries each was lovely. So too the invigorating way the exciting Ryan Baird charged down a kick and then fastened onto the loose ball for his score.
In the end, nine tries was the generous Irish tally, one against 15 players, six against 13 and two more when it was 15 against twelve in the dying minutes of a game where the main two takeaways were that Italy – yet again – were brutal at Six Nations level and that Johnny Sexton will definitely be wearing the Ireland No10 jersey when they take on England in London in 13 days’ time.
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments