International Rugby

Wales put Ireland to the sword in the 2017 Six Nations, defeating the visitors 22-9 in a pulsating game in Cardiff on Friday night.

The victory improves table-topping England's chance to reclaim the title if they defeat fourth-placed Scotland on Saturday.

In a punishing display that saw both teams fight with incredible ferocity, the hosts had to withstand a late drive by Ireland as they battled to the limit.

Here is Friday's Six Nations result:

Here is the latest table, per BBC 5 live Sport:

Friday Recap 

Wales climbed to third in the standings after a bruising encounter under the lights at the Principality Stadium, defeating an Irish side that simply wouldn't give up.

After a cagey and close first half, the hosts took control shortly after the second-half restart as George North scored two tries to help open up a nine-point lead.

Ireland immediately responded, and with Johnny Sexton in splendid form, they pinned back Wales with constant attacks.

North continued to cause the Irish problems with powerful wing play, but it was Jamie Roberts' try two minutes from time that settled the contest.

The ever-reliable boot of Leigh Halfpenny helped the Welsh over the line, just as Ireland had begun to gain momentum in the contest.

Tom Rostance of BBC Sport quoted Wales coach Rob Howley after the battle, who congratulated his team on a hard win:

We knew there would be a reaction and against one of the best sides in rugby you have to play like that both with and without the ball.

I'm delighted for the players, they have taken a lot of stick and we beat Ireland emphatically.

George North? When you praise them too much they sit back, if you criticise them too much they go into their shell so it's a fine balance.

It was a great advert for Six Nations rugby.

I'm delighted and proud. Between 68 and 72 minutes was the key, we held Ireland up, had a fortunate penalty and got out of trouble.

Former England international Matt Dawson was in awe at the full-time whistle:

The result opens the door for England to win the championship on Saturday, but a shock result for Scotland will throw up a host of differing scenarios. A win would give the Red Rose at least a seven-point margin, rendering their final match at Ireland on March 18 moot.

The English have home advantage in their match, and the Twickenham crowd will be in full voice as coach Eddie Jones sends his men out to claim glory. 

Wales ended Ireland's bid to win the 2017 Six Nations tournament in Round 4 on Friday, beating their rivals 22-9 in Cardiff.

George North and Jamie Roberts scored one try each, while Leigh Halfpenny was effective from the tee. Johnny Sexton and Paddy Jackson scored all of Ireland's points with the boot.

Wales took control early with a lineout, but a turnover halted the momentum, setting up a frantic opening period. The ball moved at a rapid pace, with both teams charging hard.

Ireland's scrum was very solid early on, and the visitors held a slight edge in play. Defensively, the Irish barely gave up space, while the attack led to this remark from Benchwarmers:

Sean O'Brien & Cj Stander looking good in the opening 20mins #WALvIRE pic.twitter.com/1MtpV4n2ye

— BenchWarmers (@BeWarmers) March 10, 2017

A high tackle from Rhys Webb gave Sexton his first chance at the posts, and unlike in the previous matches, Ireland took the three points.

Sexton intercepted a pass from Dan Biggar shortly after, as the visitors kept pushing their advantage. But an offside call at the ruck gave Wales the chance to win a ton of ground, pinning their opponents back deep.

Wales kept pushing, and the relentless pressure took its toll on their opponents. Sexton didn't get up after a hard clash with Jonathan Davies, who accidentally kneed the Irish star in the head. He went off for a head injury assessment but was able to return after 27 minutes.

Sportswriter Ewan MacKenna feared for Sexton after yet another head injury:

And Wales struck almost as soon as Sexton left the pitch, with North receiving the pass from Halfpenny and finishing off a lovely move from the hosts.

Per OptaJonny, his consistent scoring rate is astounding:

Halfpenny couldn't come through with the conversion, keeping the score at 5-3.

Ireland clusmily gave the ball away after gathering, but as soon as they recovered, the maul did its thing. Ireland patiently worked their way into Jackson's range, and as soon as they won a penalty from a makeable position, the substitute converted from the tee.

Wales won the scrum in a promising position with 10 minutes left in the half, but Ireland stood their ground until Conor Murray had to be checked by a doctor.

Wales pounced, and with just minutes left to play, Sexton was yellow-carded for killing the ball on the line. Halfpenny took the three points to give his team the lead heading into half-time, and with Murray nursing an injury and Sexton in the sin bin, things looked up for the hosts.

Unsurprisingly, Ireland found themselves under tremendous pressure as soon as the second half started. A huge kick set up a maul for the hosts, and Webb did well to attract the attention of the defenders before playing in North for his second try of the match.

Halfpenny nailed the conversion this time, per Welsh Rugby Union:

The Irish kept shooting themselves in the foot, coughing up possession almost immediately. Another lengthy bout of pressure almost resulted in more points, but fortunately for the visitors, an illegal collapse broke down the attack.

And with Sexton back on the pitch, the visitors started to improve. A high tackle from Biggar gave the fly-half another chance from the tee, and he easily reduced the deficit to six points.

Biggar continued his rough night by missing a drop goal with 20 minutes left to play, striking the post. 

A series of lineouts challenged the tired legs of both teams, and the Irish maul worked its way into Welsh territory, setting up another huge lineout. Robbie Henshaw seemed to score the vital try for Ireland, but referee Wayne Barnes made a huge call, giving a penalty to Wales.

Off The Ball agreed with the officiating:

Ireland returned and won the scrum five meters from the line, but an offside call allowed Wales to clear. The pressure from the visitors opened themselves up for counter-attacks, and Roberts found himself on the end of a booming kick from Sexton, ending Ireland's bid to win the Six Nations with another try.

Per Welsh Rugby Union, coach Rob Howley praised his squad after the win:

England host Scotland on Sunday, while France visit Italy. Wales will travel to France for their final match in Round 5, and Ireland take on England.

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There were victories for Scotland and Ireland as they defeated Wales and France, respectively, in the 2017 Six Nations on Saturday.

The Scots fought back to beat the Welsh 29-13 at the BT Murrayfield Stadium, while Ireland edged out France 19-9 in a war of attrition at the Aviva Stadium.

Ireland take control at the top of the table after their hard-fought win, before England face Italy on Sunday.

Here are Saturday's Six Nations results:

Here are the latest standings, per ITV Rugby:

Saturday Recap

Scotland earned a rare victory against the Welsh at Murrayfield—their first against their opponents in 10 years.

The visitors gave a dominant and physical display in the first half but could only hold a slim four-point lead at half-time.

The score was 13-9 to the Dragons at the second-half restart, but Scotland found another gear to initiate a solid comeback.

Tommy Seymour and Tim Visser crossed the try line for Scotland, with Wales labouring, and the boot of Finn Russell earned the hosts a total of 19 points as they prevailed 29-13.

The Scots shut down Wales' power game in the second half, halting coach Warren Gatland's tactics as they attempted to claim a fifth consecutive win in Edinburgh.

Scottish Rugby hailed the achievement:

Ireland ground out victory against an improving French outfit, winning 19-9 against Les Bleus in Dublin.

After a positive first half from France, the hosts slowly worked their way back into the game, holding a slim 7-6 advantage at the half-time interval.

Conor Murray's first-half try gave Ireland the springboard they needed to take control in difficult weather conditions at the Aviva.

The second half belonged to Johnny Sexton as the fly-half kicked 11 points to wrestle tactical control of the game.

France were continually penned back as the Irish searched for more tries, and the hosts played the conditions better than their visitors.

The French attempted to counter-attack late in the day, but the Irish controlled territory until the final moments of the battle. 

Murray was delighted after the game and said his team can go on to Six Nations success, per ITV Rugby:

Scotland and Ireland proved how open the championship is, both displaying endeavour when they needed vital victories.

England will believe they are favourites to retain their crown, but they cannot afford any slips when they face Italy in London. 

Ireland clung on to beat France during Saturday's 2017 Six Nations action, winning their Round 3 match 19-9.

Conor Murray scored the only try of the match, while the returning Johnny Sexton was excellent from the tee. Camille Lopez scored all of France's points.

With the win, Ireland remain England's main competitors for the Six Nations title. Unbeaten England face Italy in Rome on Sunday. 

France started the match on the front foot, with Lopez showing his excellent range with some booming kicks. Not to be outdone, Sexton also showed his range, giving the Irish solid field position.

The French maul did some damage until it was halted by a penalty, but Les Bleus kept pushing as soon as they gathered the ball. The visitors won a lineout, and a smart offload forced a first penalty in a dangerous area, with Lopez taking the three points well.

Straight from the restart, a knock-on gave the advantage back to Les Bleus, but Scott Spedding opted to clear with a kick.

Another kick led to a scrum deep in the Irish half, and after some lovely work, Gael Fickou seemed to have played in Remi Lamerat for the first try of the match.

As shared by Rugby World, TMO decided otherwise, however, and instead, Lopez kicked another penalty:

An Irish maul caused some panic in the French defence, with Tadhg Furlong showing an incredible burst. Sexton was nearly reached before a turnover allowed Spedding to clear once again, wasting the opportunity.

The hosts kept working, but the scrum was collapsed, again relieving the pressure on Les Bleus. Furlong led yet another attack, dragging two defenders toward the 22, before Sexton gave his team solid position with his boot.

Points seemed inevitable, and a powerful scrum eventually saw Jamie Heaslip create a little space for Murray, who dove over the line to give Ireland a chance at the lead.

Even Aldi Ireland were impressed:

Sexton added the conversion for a 7-6 Ireland lead.

France made a great start from the kick but were quickly penalised, as Lopez went off his feet. On the other side of the pitch, Murray threw a wayward pass out of bounds before Sexton kicked to touch. France were given a late warning for discipline, but there would be no more points scored in the half.

It took just six minutes of the second half for Sexton to add to the lead with his boot, following a penalty given away by Baptiste Serin, who held back an opponent.

And the hosts' momentum didn't stop there. A silly pass forward gave possession back to Ireland, and with the penalty advantage, Sexton took a chance and nailed a drop goal, making the score 13-6.

Spedding made another mistake on a high clearance, and after France failed to bind the scrum, Sexton had yet another look at the posts, this time to push the lead to multiple scores. The Irish star did just that, as France started to fall apart. 

A booming kick from Murray forced France into a lineout inside their own half, and Spedding made another error. Simon Zebo put in a remarkable shift to lead Ireland deep into the French half, but for once, Les Bleus stood their ground without giving up a penalty. 

Some French possession entering the final quarter finally gave Les Bleus the chance to catch their breath, and a good run from Fickou saw the ball advanced to a dangerous area. Uini Atonio was called for a dangerous tackle, however, wasting yet another opportunity.

Maxime Machenaud and Eddy Ben Arous led another French attack, and Devin Toner made a needless mistake that gave Lopez the chance to kick a penalty that reduced the gap to less than a converted try.

But Paddy Jackson restored the advantage shortly after with just minutes left to play,  and the Irish defended the lead from then onwards.

Per Murray Kinsella of The42.ie, Ireland coach Joe Schmidt praised his players after the win:

Ireland's next outing will be on the road against Wales, while France visit lowly Italy.  

The 2017 Six Nations tournament will continue in Round 3, as defending champions England put their win streak on the line against Italy, while Ireland host France and Wales visit Scotland.

All eyes will be on Les Bleus and Ireland at the Aviva Stadium―the Irish sit just two points behind England in the standings, and they have to win to keep pace with their rivals.

England are expected to cruise to another victory, while Wales and Scotland should serve up a competitive match. Here's a look at the schedule, complete with TV info and live-stream links:

To access the BBC iPlayer, click here. For the ITV Hub, click here.

Preview

Both Ireland and France got their first wins of the 2017 Six Nations in Round 2, and another solid result is needed in Round 3 to keep pace with England.

The hosts were the favourites to do so this year, but injuries have taken their toll. Star fly-half Johnny Sexton still isn't a certainty to start on Saturday, and in his absence, Ireland have struggled for creativity.

Head coach Joe Schmidt has been impressed with replacement Paddy Jackson, and assistant coach Richie Murphy told reporters his form is the main reason Sexton's status is unclear at this point, per Planet Rugby: “Will he get picked? That is a decision that has to be made."

Murphy added:

I am not trying to create any confusion. All I am saying is that there will be a decision made on the back of how he has performed over the last two days. Paddy Jackson has been brilliant. We have been very lucky that while Johnny has been out Paddy has been stepping in and filling that gap really well, since probably last summer.

France were solid in their win over Scotland, and Les Bleus tend to do lots of damage with the boot―Sexton's experience could prove vital in this match.

Italy once again look like the Six Nations' weakest team after two matchdays, and their visit to Twickenham Stadium is expected to be a one-sided affair. The Azzurri lack the quality to hang with Europe's elite, and England are playing some of the best rugby they've played in years.

The side will be boosted by the return of Mako Vunipola, making an already impressive outfit a little scarier.

Per BBC's Chris Jones, scrum coach Neal Hatley isn't sure he'll start against Italy, given the form his team has shown so far:

Scotland and Wales both battled hard in Round 2 but fell to France and England, respectively, and the Scots in particular will look to get back on track, with Vern Cotter stepping down as coach after the Six Nations.

They were never expected to win the Six Nations title, but they've been entertaining so far, and that should continue against a talented but inconsistent Welsh side.

France dented Scotland's hopes of winning the 2017 Six Nations on Sunday, as Les Bleus grabbed a 22-16 win in Paris in Round 2.

Camille Lopez was the key man for France, kicking four penalties and a conversion after Gael Fickou's try. He added a late penalty goal as well.

Stuart Hogg and Tim Swinson scored tries for the Scots, and Finn Russell added two conversions, but key misses from the tee made the difference.

France made a bright start, forcing an early turnover at the ruck. The Scots forced a turnover of their own after a penalty, with Sean Maitland making up plenty of ground, before Les Bleus hit back again and Huw Jones nearly came away with an interception.

Nick Eardley of BBC Scotland was entertained by the frantic start to the match:

Finn Russell tried to penetrate France's defence with a clever kick, but the hosts defended well and took the lead through Lopez after seven minutes. Josh Strauss was called for a knock-on at the ruck, and Lopez converted the penalty.

The Scots tried to hit back almost immediately, winning a scrum deep in French territory. Cyril Baille put in a tremendous shift, however, denying the visitors the first try of the match.

Still, Scotland kept pushing, and despite several great defensive plays, a try seemed inevitable. It was the in-form Hogg who broke through, scoring his third try of this year's Six Nations after a great pass from Jones.

Per the Sunday Times' Mark Palmer, Sunday's match was a special occasion for the full-back:

Greig Laidlaw's extra hit the crossbar, and just two minutes after that miss, Lopez restored France's lead with another penalty goal. Les Bleus were happy to keep attacking with risks, and it paid off.

Laidlaw was substituted with an ankle injury after just 25 minutes, a big blow for Scotland, who lost their primary kicker. Replacement Ali Price gave away a penalty just two minutes after coming on, but Lopez couldn't convert, nailing the post.

The hosts kept attacking thereafter, and Fickou split Hogg and Sean Maitland to score Les Bleus' only try of the afternoon. Following the conversion, the score was 13-5.

Scotland decreased the deficit before half-time, however, as Russell converted two more penalties. The second came just before the half and from a long way out, making the score 13-11.

The second half started with a bang, as Swinson scored a marvelous try to give the visitors the lead. A failed kick somehow landed up back with Tommy Seymour, who isolated Swinson for the score.

Per BBC Rugby Union, it was the substitute's first touch of the ball, but Russell missed a routine conversion:

That failure meant Lopez's penalty early in the second half tied things up at 16-16. Scott Spedding then tried his luck from a long way out, but he didn't come close to scoring. Hogg didn't have better luck shortly after.

Scotland were unfortunate with injuries, and things got even worse when Strauss went down, with no replacements left on the bench.

Les Bleus twice spurned seemingly easy attempts at three points in order to have a scrum deep in Scottish territory, and as the half wore on and the score remained tied, the home fans started to worry.

A massive scrum seemed to signal trouble for the Scots, but fortunately for the visitors, they were saved by a big penalty. Remi Lamerat thought that he had scored the host's second try, only to be denied by TMO Peter Fitzgibbon for losing control.

Maxime Machenaud won a penalty at the ruck that allowed Lopez to give his side the lead with eight minutes left to play.  

France kept dominating the scrum, and a late penalty goal from Lopez saw the lead increased to six points. Scotland needed a converted try to win, but France's defending was on point, and a clearance from Lopez sealed the deal.

Per James Gray of the Daily Express, Scotland coach Vern Cotter weighed in on the injury concerns of his team: "John Hardie and John Barclay have had their head assessments so we'll have to see how they come through their protocols. There's bumps and bruises all over—I think Barclay hurt his shoulder as well. We're hoping that everyone will be OK for the next one."

Scotland will host Wales in Round 3, while France visit Ireland.

England grabbed a dramatic late win against Wales in the 2017 Six Nations, defeating the home side 21-16 in Cardiff on Saturday.

Elliot Daly's try in the final minutes stretched the Red Rose's undefeated streak to 16 matches, as the Welsh couldn't hold on to their slim advantage in the second half.

Ireland scored nine tries as they destroyed Italy 63-10 in Rome, kickstarting their campaign after their opening-day defeat.

Hat-tricks from CJ Stander and Craig Gilroy gave the visitors the victory, with the hosts capitulating on home turf.

Here are Saturday's results and standings:

Saturday Recap

Welsh hearts were shattered by English persistence at the Principality Stadium after the visitors snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

Liam Williams' first-half try and the ever-reliable kicking of Leigh Halfpenny appeared to have got the hosts over the winning line, but England coach Eddie Jones' men kept pushing and were rewarded with the score they desperately required.

Ben Youngs crossed the line early in the match as England started fast, but they were pegged back by a determined Welsh back row.

Wales bullied the English as they physically dominated the affair, but Owen Farrell's penalties kept the game tight at the half-time interval.

England never appeared out of the contest, and only two points separated the teams in the final moments.

The Red Rose drove forward, attacking the try line with vigour, but a Welsh turnover appeared to have suffocated England's hopes.

However, a poor clearance from the boot of Jonathan Davies gave the visitors one final chance from deep, and a swift attack from Daly gave the defending champions an unlikely win.

Jones was hugely complimentary of the Welsh after the battle, per BBC Wales Sport:

Former England international Austin Healey was quick to congratulate Jones' tactics:

Italy were outclassed by an Ireland side hell-bent on making a point, as the visitors collected a mammoth victory in Rome.

The scrum was the key for the travelling side, who were physically motivated, and Stander and Gilroy helped themselves to three tries each.

Keith Earls crossed the try line twice in the first half, as Italy's house of cards collapsed in double-quick time.

Italy scored a first-half penalty try, but it was merely a consolation for the hosts.

Garry Ringrose also scored a try for Ireland as the attacking rugby dominated the match, forcing the Italians into a perpetual state of retreat.

England lead the standings after their opening victories, and Jones will be delighted how his men have fought in the face of adversity. 

The Red Rose were second-best to the Welsh for periods of their encounter, but the reliability of Farrell's kicking allowed the English to claw their way back from the brink of defeat.

England's Elliot Daly scored a dramatic late try to break Welsh hearts at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, on Saturday, as the visitors notched a thrilling 21-16 win in the Six Nations. 

After a Ben Youngs try put England 8-3 ahead early on, Wales rallied to a 13-8 lead at the break thanks to a penalty from Leigh Halfpenny and a converted try from Liam Williams.

In the second half, Wales continued to turn the screw but couldn’t shake off a defensively diligent England team. Two Owen Farrell penalties either side of one from Halfpenny set up a tense finale, before Daly struck for the visitors with just four minutes remaining.

Earlier in the day, Ireland hammered Italy 63-10 in Rome. On Sunday, Scotland travel to Paris to take on France.

The Principality Stadium was a cauldron of noise as the match got started, and the home fans were even louder after just three minutes, as Halfpenny slotted a simple penalty to give Wales a 3-0 lead.

England didn’t take too long to find their feet, though, and they started to put together some forceful passages of play. One of those culminated in a penalty in the ninth minute, which Farrell put away, and following a period of pressure after 18 minutes, it was the visitors who scored the first try of the game.

Mike Brown came within inches of going over himself before Youngs picked up possession and hopped over the ruck to put England 8-3 up.

Per BBC Sport’s Tom Fordyce, England had built meticulously to fashion the try-scoring position:

Despite falling behind, Wales slowly regrouped and turned down the chance of an easy penalty in search of a try. Although they eventually spurned the opportunity, it was a signal of intent, and from there, they were able to smother England for much of the half.

Eventually, that pressure paid off. Scott Williams ran a superb dummy line off a Welsh scrum, and his namesake capitalised, touching down under the sticks. Halfpenny added the extra points, and the hosts had a 13-8 lead the break.

Double Olympic champion and Team Sky cyclist Geraint Thomas commented on the intensity and tension lacing the clash:

Wales carried that momentum into the second half and continued to force England back, with Ross Moriarty particularly impressive for the hosts. England were having to dig in to keep the Welsh out, and it was clear just how much of a physical toll it was taking on Eddie Jones’ side.

A cheap penalty conceded by the hosts allowed England to cut the deficit, with Farrell splitting the posts from 40 metres. Yet Wales were back on the front foot immediately, restoring their five-point advantage through a Halfpenny penalty with 20 minutes remaining.

Former England international Will Greenwood praised the fighting spirit from both sets of players as the match came toward the final stages:

The away side started to move through the gears late on, and the Cardiff fans grew even more nervy with 10 minutes remaining when a Farrell penalty meant Wales’ lead now stood at 16-14.

England capitalised on those doubts and marched down the field with the clock ticking down. When Wales had a chance to clear their lines, Jonathan Davies failed to find touch, clearing into the hands of George Ford; from there, England moved the ball wide to Daly, who surged into the corner to put England ahead with just four minutes left.

A conversion from Farrell saw England take a 21-16 lead, and Wales didn't have sufficient time to respond, giving the visitors a memorable triumph over their bitter rivals.

The visitors showed incredible determination, physical strength and composure to come away with the victory here. It's a testament to the work done by Jones, who has now won 15 straight matches since taking charge of the team, and his staff.

England have been far from their best in the 2017 Six Nations but have emerged with two wins from arguably their two most difficult matches. Another title and potentially another Grand Slam looks on the cards for this stellar outfit.

Reaction

Jones admitted afterwards that his team can't afford to leave things quite so late in the future. "I think we have used all of our get-out-of-jail cards," he said to BBC Sport. "I never think we are going to lose, but we don't want all our games to be that tight."

Meanwhile, Welsh lock Alun Wyn Jones lamented some late lapses in concentration from the home team. "It was a 75-minute performance from us," he told BBC. "I think that was the difference in the end. Ultimately, we didn't maintain that intensity for the whole of the second half."

Ireland secured their first win of the 2017 Six Nations on Saturday, as they hammered Italy 63-10 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. 

Flanker CJ Stander and substitute Craig Gilroy both grabbed hat-tricks, Keith Earls scored a brace and Garry Ringrose also went over in a dominant display from the men in green. Paddy Jackson also impressed with his kicking, converting all nine tries.

Later on Saturday, Wales will take on England in Cardiff, while France host Scotland in Paris on Sunday.

Having suffered a shock loss to Scotland in their first match of the competition, Ireland were always going to come out firing against Italy. It took them just 12 minutes to get their first score on the board, as Jackson fed Earls for a simple finish, per ITV Rugby:

After Jackson converted, Italy made it 7-3 through Carlo Canna just four minutes later after Ireland conceded a cheap penalty for offside. Nevertheless, the visitors were the dominant force, and even as Italy defended desperately to keep them out, another try was inevitable.

In the 18th minute, brilliant work from Jamie Heaslip set up a flowing passing move that ultimately culminated with Stander going over; another conversion from Jackson left Italy with an early mountain to climb.

Indeed, the hosts were already looking downtrodden, and with a bonus point up for grabs, Ireland were in no mood to take their foot off the gas. On 26 minutes, Earls found space again and grabbed his second of the game, handing Ireland that extra point.

Italy were able to cut the deficit before the break after a penalty try was awarded in their favour; however, the visitors responded immediately from the restart, with Stander spinning off a maul and bundling over the line; at the interval, the visitors had a 28-10 lead.

Despite the advantage, the Harpin’ On Rugby Twitter feed wanted to see more from the men in green:

After the break, any hopes of a comeback for Italy were quickly extinguished and an unlikely hero for the Irish confirmed.

Having scored twice already, Stander was evidently full of confidence when he picked the ball up on the 22-metre line, slaloming away from a couple of challenges and completing his hat-trick. Here’s the moment the flanker rounded off his unlikely treble:

As noted by Will Kelleher of the Daily Mail, it was a try that made Six Nations history:

After another successful conversion from Jackson, the contest descended into a lull, with Italy seeking to keep the scoreline down. Ireland upped the ante again heading into the final stages, though, putting together a devastating spell of rugby.

With 12 minutes left on the clock, Gilroy showed nifty feet to escape his man and finish under the posts. Then, just four minutes later, Ringrose surged forward from 40 yards out, breaking through some jaded Italian tackles for Ireland’s seventh try of the day.

With the clock ticking down, Gilroy scored for a second time after some tired Azzurri defending. The winger then completed a memorable substitute appearance with his third try of the afternoon.

Conversions from Jackson, who was immaculate with his kicking throughout the contest, made the score 63-10 in favour of the away side, as he slotted the extra points on all four late scores.

Ireland will be relieved to have gotten off the mark after their disappointment in Week 1 and performed well throughout here.

Italy kept Wales at bay for long spells last time out and have shown they can be a defensively determined side. So to have blown them away with some stirring attacking play is a big positive for the Irish, especially with three clashes against quality opposition to come in this Six Nations.

Reaction

Per the competition Twitter feed, Heaslip praised how ruthless the team were when scoring opportunities came about:

Afterwards, Ireland boss Joe Schmidt hailed the qualities of Stander, although he encouraged him not to get too carried away.

"He's got a fantastic engine," he said of the flanker, per Raf Diallo of Newstalk. "He just keeps working away and you also saw a few of his other skills of which kicking is not one. His kick did work out for [Gilroy]. But it probably isn't something he's going to pull out of the locker too often."