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'It doesn't mean everything is fixed now': Six-try Ireland critique their Italian job

(Photo by PA)

Johnny Sexton has refused to allow the 48-10 Ireland win over Italy in Rome to be a reason to gloss over what was a disappointing February, Andy Farrell’s side getting beaten in their opening matches by Wales and France. It was the worst start to a championship by the Irish in 23 years as you had to go back to 1998 to find when they had last lost their opening two matches. 

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That sequence was ended at the Stadio Olimpico, Ireland putting Italy to the sword in the first half to lead 27-10 and securing their four-try bonus point just three minutes into the second half. 

However, they lost their way in attack after that and were unable to drive home their dominance against an indisciplined Italian outfit that at one stage coming down the finishing straight was down to 13 players following two yellow cards.   

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Nigel Owens guests on the latest RugbyPass Offload with Simon Zebo and Ryan Wilson

Ireland will now complete their championship with games in six March days away to Scotland and at home to England and Sexton is hoping the opening half in Rome, where the Irish led 27-3 until conceding in first-half injury time, is a sign of better things to come.       

“Some brilliant stuff, especially first half,” said Ireland skipper Sexton. “It was very frustrating to concede just before half-time but our intent and our concentration and how clinical we were at times was very pleasing. Stuff that we were taught and did in training finally came out in glimpses today so I’m happy for everyone.

“If you think about the Wales game (a 16-21 defeat), we played with 14 men. We think we would have played like this (against Italy) in that game. We were frustrated after the French game (a 13-15 loss) in that the things we talked about during the week we didn’t deliver on. 

“That was the frustrating part and we will probably look back with regret in terms of we didn’t play to our potential and we didn’t execute the game plan as best we could. Each game was different and today was an accumulation of what we had coming together a little bit. 

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“It doesn’t mean everything is fixed now. We have got to keep improving and it’s a massive test ahead going to Murrayfield, it’s always incredibly tough, and then a six-day turnaround into England. It’s still all to do. If we can get results in our last couple of games it will be an okay championship. It will be one that might have been but we want to finish on a high. That is what we said after the French game.  

“It [Scotland away] will be a step up. To be honest I would just like to enjoy today… we’ll learn some things, what kept them [Italy] in the game in terms of our discipline. We definitely can’t do that over in Murrayfield.” 

Relieved under pressure coach Farrell added: “I’m really proud of the players. They have shown real character over the last couple of weeks. It’s not nice coming after two losses and waiting a couple of weeks to try and put that right. We talked about a test of character and they stayed strong, they stayed very united together and as a group, they all pulled together and showed leaderships in different ways.

“I thought we earned the right to score some points with the way we approached the game in the first half. I thought the attitude was top class. We approached the game in the right manner and we paid the game and Italy the right respect. We punched away in the first half and the game opened up in the end.

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“We know if we don’t get our own intensity right we don’t earn the right to score the tries we have today. That is what we did first and foremost. Does that prepare us well for Murrayfield? Look, we take a break now, we have got a weekend off and will prepare as best we can. 

“We have two weeks leading into this game and the question being asked in midweek was, ‘Are you on a hiding to nothing?’ Well, not for us because we judge our own performance and our performance and attitude was good today.”

Reflecting on injuries to Jordan Larmour, Tadhg Furlong, Ronan Kelleher and Dave Kilcoyne, Farrell said: “We need to assess in the morning [Sunday], especially after the flight home this evening. We’ll see how Jordan will pull up. He had a bit a tightness in his hip flexor so we had Keith (Earls) on early enough because we didn’t want to take a risk there. 

“Tadhg has just gone over his ankle but he seemed to walk off pretty well. Ronan has just got a dead calf so he is good, and Dave Kilcoyne failed his HIA but he is in good spirits in the changing room.”

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J
JPM 42 minutes ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Unfortunately you don't know anything about French rugby, coaches and players but still making a lot of assumptions and judgements to push your prefabricated and simplistic point of view that Dupont is manipulating everything and is a bad guy. I am not a NZ rugby specialist and wouldn't dare make such theories about what is going on within the ABs team. Therefore my advice to you is to do like Dupont and stay humble when you don't know all the background of the issues !!!


Firstly if you knew a bit of Galthié, he is not the type of coach who is going to ask advice to his players and even his captain about team selection. He is as stubborn as you...


Second Ramos has played a lot of times as 10 with Toulouse and therefore Dupont (in particular when Ntamack is injured and unfortunately it has often happened recently and for long periods). He even played 10 during the last 3 games of the 2024 6N and this was far better performance than the first two games with Jalibert as 10.


Thirdly Jalibert lacked of respect to a La Rochelle player so your theory is once again out.


Fourth as I explained to you Galthié went for a 6-2 bench and Jalibert can only play 10 which doesn't fit that plan. Furthermore as 15 Buros is better under high balls than Ramos and everybody is prepared for a tactical kicking game.


So you can blame Galthié for a lot of things (as you clearly enjoy doing at the end of your post and you should be very happy as an AB fan) but certainly not Dupont. Sorry once more for your conspiracy theory.


And don't worry about potential disharmony in the French team; they are excellent mates around their captain. Jalibert is well known in the French rugby circles to have not a strong character (and we saw that in the WC quarter finals as he is very nervous in any decisive international game unlike Ntamack and Ramos as for his late penalty kick vs England this year).


In conclusion enjoy the game tmrw night. It is good that the ABs are very upset; we should watch a great game of rugby. I hope for running rugby and not too much kicking. With 5 key players injured on our side (Ntamack, Baille, Atonio, Cros and Penaud) and 2 on your side I and various French fans see you as favourites. I obviously hope for another result.


If you are interested you can read a good article in the Guardian on the subject of France-NZ games.

92 Go to comments
K
KB 44 minutes ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

Consistency hasnt been there they have many great players SA were also not unbeaten in the 2023 WC - NZ were in 2015 WC McCaw and Carter Nonu and Smith - SA did not have those Marque players in those postions in 2019 or 2023 - I wouldnt rank them ahead of the 20I5 ABs - They clocked up 60 points against France in the QF - Furthermore I do not believe for one moment SA won 2023 fairly no way - they were so favoured it became obvious that behind the scenes SA the nation bought the title - Their last 3 matches were won by a solitary point there were many contentious decisions that went their way that it became obvious it wasnt coincidence - Sport has been hijacked by a satanic cult just as is Politics

Some players coaches officials and sponsors are involved - they know who they are - its called Freemasonry - any sport that allows betting is corrupt - its not all about money either for these parasites its also about control - Lots of American NFL players have spoken openly about games being scripted - Football is also rigged Referees have been caught on film showing freemason hand signs - The 95 RWC final ranks as the highest and most obvious attempt at cheating There was no way SA were going to allow NZ to gate crash Nelson Mandelas reunification party - NZ were so good they had to posion almost the entire team to get a 3 point win - a Hollywood Movie ( theres your Red Flag ) was made about SAs triumph called Invictus


William Henley wrote a poem called Invictus


It starts


Out of the night that covers me BLACK ( All Blacks ) as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever GODS maybe for my unconquerable Soul ...( Olan says INVICTUS is an evil Malevolent entity who corrupted the Titans ... this is Mandelas double meaning speech ( hes a fraud ) - of thanks for helping overcome SA's adversary NZ - There is only ONE true God Yahuah - Only a false god would be complicit in Cheating Corruption and Harming others to win a RWC for a sick and sinful Nation ) the poem ends with


I am the CAPTAIN of my soul


SA will forever bear the stain of guilt and disgrace over their involvement in poisoning the ABs a day before the 95 RWC Final

10 Go to comments
C
CO 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

I cannot believe that you don't think the French rugby team coach and captain are not discussing putting Jalibert on the bench in favour of Duponts club teammate that doesn't even play at 10.


This is a terrible, massive insult to a 10 and I'm sure Dupont would also be very enraged if benched for a player that doesn't even play halfback.


A good captain would've insisted to the coach that it was an idea of madness and either select Jalibert or replace him with another 10 if you want him to be reserve.


Jalibert may not be the world's finest tacklers but that's often not a tens main strength that the loose forwards and second five cover. An intercept pass is never great but they happen.


When any player is playing for his club then it's club first, respect doesn't need to be shown to opposition players simply because they're internationals.


Who exactly are you claiming Jalibert hasn't respected? If it's Toulouse international players then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this bench demotion out.


The outcome of selecting Jalibert to the bench and he then throwing his croissants out the window of the team bus immediately prior to playing the Allblacks is a disaster that will be team disharmony as any team mates of Jalibert are in a state of anger and revolt so a performance that will be sub optimal against a team that is thirsting for revenge against France.


I don't know about you but the Allblacks are very upset they've lost twice in a row to France and want to put out a statement performance so this preparation by Galthie of creating havoc looks to me like a coach that is clueless.

92 Go to comments
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