It came at a massive cost though with Marco Riccioni and Tomasso Menoncello picking up injuries that put their World Cup in doubt.
Meanwhile for Ireland there was the satisfaction of seeing Jack Crowley complete a composed night at the helm at fly-half which, as ever, could be a problem position if Johnny Sexton encounters injury problems at the World Cup.
Italy suffered early dislocation with No.8 Toa Halafihi injured in the warm-up and then Saracens prop Riccioni was helped off after 10 minutes with a serious looking knee injury. A big blow as Riccioni is the rock around which Italy’s scrum is built. An anxious wait beckons ahead of the World Cup.
Despite that they drew first blood with a penalty from Tomasso Allen – playing full-back after a run out at his preferred fly-half position against Scotland last week – but Ireland soon hit their groove and laid siege to the Italy line.
The Italians resisted stoutly but eventually Dave Kilcoyne forced his way over although Ireland might argue that Jack Conan was offside as he paved the way ahead of his prop. No matter referee Mathieu Reynal was convinced, and Crowley added the conversion.
Denne historien er fra August 06, 2023-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Denne historien er fra August 06, 2023-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Harrow keep their nerve for double joy
HARROW saw off QEGS Wakefield to defend their Continental Tyres National School Cup title in emphatic fashion at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Wales all washed up with nowhere to go...
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Lynn's hoping for fantastic farewell
GLOUCESTER-Hartpury have the chance to send boss Sean Lynn off with a perfect farewell as they chase an unprecedented hat-trick of consecutive titles.
Red Roses want to make it seven in a row - Mitchell
ENGLAND head coach John Mitchell has had to prepare for his title defence without players in the PWR final.
Lions' support team keeps on growing
The 1974 Lions took off from Heathrow with a management team of two. No specialist coaches, no analysts, no spin doctors, no physios, not even a bucket-and-sponge man.
Chiefs are too good for Blues in thriller
In a repeat of last season’s final, the Chiefs beat the Blues in a thriller to go top and continue the champions’ nightmare title defence.
Battling Italy make it tough for Ireland
ITALY, despite a succession of serious injuries and self-inflicted disciplinary problems, pushed Ireland all the way at the Olympic Stadium in a game that summed up both their respective campaigns.
Nice are planning a quick reversal
You may not have heard of Stade Marcel Volot – the one-stand 3,000-capacity home of ProD2 basement side Nice, which sits next to the Var river up the road from the rather larger and better-known Allianz Riviera home of the city’s Ligue 1 football team.
France in seventh heaven
FRANCE overcame a spirited Scotland display in a breathless finale in Paris to secure a record-equalling seventh Six Nations title – drawing level with England – and their first since 2022.
Time to talk about the 1995 you-know-what
It’s ODD how some Grand Slams get lost in the mists of time, seemingly never to be mentioned again. Take England in 1995. Thirty years ago this weekend Will Carling’s team were closing out their third Slam in five years with a 24-12 victory over Scotland at Twickenham with Rob Andrew kicking seven penalties and a dropped goal for the men in white.
