ITALY
No.Name
15Andrea Masi, FB
14Leonardo Sarto, W
13Michele Campagnaro, C
12Luca Morisi, C
11Luke McLean, W
10Kelly Haimona, FH
9Edoardo Gori, SH
1Matias Aguero, P
2Leonardo Ghiraldini, H
3Martin Castrogiovanni, P
4George Fabio Biagi, L
5Josh Furno, L
6Alessandro Zanni, FL
7Francesco Minto, FL
8Sergio Parisse, N8
Replacements
16Andrea Manici, H
17Alberto de Marchi, P
18Dario Chistolini, P
19Marco Fuser, R
20Marco Barbini, FL
21Guglielmo Palazzani, -
22Tommaso Allan, C
23Giovanbattista Venditti, FB

*Players currently on the pitch are shown in bold

Game Info

Venue: Stadio Olimpico
2:30 PM, February 7, 2015
Attendance: 57,700
All CommentaryKey Events

Match Commentary

82'Stay with ESPNscrum for all the reaction from this game, as well as live coverage of the final fixture of the opening weekend of the Six Nations - France v Scotland.
81'We're in to added time, a scrum five for Ireland, and this will likely get booted to touch as soon as they can. Ian Madigan does just that, and Ireland have a hard-earned win to get their Six Nations defence off to the start they wanted, if only the result rather than the performance.
81'3-26 End of half
81'3-26 End of half
81'3-26 End of second half
78'Italy are keeping Ireland pinned back in the closing stages. They have an advantage, but keep things moving enough for it to expire. McLean kicks forward, the ball bounces over Parisse and a couple of Irish defenders, and Kelly Haimona gathers for a consolation try. The try goes under review for a possible knock on by Parisse - and there's a good chance this is going to get ruled out for that. That's a pity for Italy, who just about deserved a try for their efforts today. Scrum five, knock on.
77'Player substituted - Andrea Masi , Italy
77'Substitute on - Giovanbattista Venditti , Italy
75'Andrea Manici steals the slippery ball at a lineout and this is a promising attack now for Italy. McLean looks outside, but there's nobody there as an Italian is down receiving treatment on the left wing. Good hands from McLean as the ball gets back to him in the 15th phase - and then Manici knocks on. A real shame for Italy after good recycling.
75'Player substituted - George Fabio Biagi , Italy
75'Substitute on - Marco Barbini , Italy
75'Substitute on - Francesco Minto , Italy
75'Player substituted - Leonardo Ghiraldini , Italy
74'The pivotal sin-bin period is now over - Italy are back to their full compliment. Too bad the match disappeared in the meantime.
73'Knock on by Ireland around halfway. The ball is turning into a bar of soap, and Ireland should probably be thankful they scored their tries before this downpour arrived.
70'Some Italian tempers beginning to flare now, which is somewhat understandable. They had kept this quite close for an hour, but two tries in two minutes has put a gloss on it that Ireland barely warrant.
69'Substitute on - Andrea Manici , Italy
69'Player substituted - Francesco Minto , Italy
69'Player substituted - Martin Castrogiovanni , Italy
69'Substitute on - Dario Chistolini , Italy
69'Substitute on - Isaac Boss , Ireland
69'Player substituted - Conor Murray , Ireland
68'It never rains but it pours. It is literally teeming down in Rome now. Just what this pitch needed, really.
68'3-26 Conversion - Ian Madigan , Ireland
68'Player substituted - Marco Barbini , Italy
68'Substitute on - Marco Fuser , Italy
68'Player substituted - Jared Payne , Ireland
68'Substitute on - Felix Jones , Ireland
68'Substitute on - James Cronin , Ireland
68'Player substituted - Jack McGrath , Ireland
67'3-24 Try - Tommy O'Donnell , Ireland
66'Buses, it's like buses! There are tries everywhere all of a sudden! Tommy O'Donnell, who was not even supposed to be starting this game, makes the break from 45 metres and the 14 men of Italy are capitulating in dramatic fashion.
66'Player substituted - Ian Keatley , Ireland
66'Substitute on - Ian Madigan , Ireland
66'3-19 Conversion - Ian Keatley , Ireland
66'Player substituted - Peter O'Mahony , Ireland
66'Substitute on - Iain Henderson , Ireland
65'3-17 Try - Conor Murray , Ireland
64'Lineout, and O'Connell leaps supremely to take it. Is it a try? It is a try! Sweet relief, we have a try in this match! Conor Murray is the man who has bundled the ball over by a fraction, and it took all of 25 seconds playing against 14 men for Ireland to make their pressure tell. Conversion is good, it's game over.
64'Yellow card - Leonardo Ghiraldini , Italy
64'Substitute on - Tommaso Allan , Italy
64'Player substituted - Michele Campagnaro , Italy
63'Ireland win the lineout and drive... drive... drive.... penalty conceded by Italy. 2-Blue (or Leonardo Ghiraldini to you and I) is called over, and is sent to the bin! That was probably a matter of the referee's patience finally running out, and 2-Blue being the most recent offender.
62'Knock on by Sarto as Keatley boots across field towards Zebo, and there's a penalty against Italy anyway for collapsing the maul. Keatley for goal again? Nope, Ireland go for the lineout. It's almost like they're challenging themselves out of their slumber.
61'Bowe tries a grubber on the right flank, and it hits off Masi's thigh and into touch. Ireland looking for a score that will all but seal the game.
60'Keatley, who had a ropey first few kicks from hand, has really settled into his first Six Nations match. That's another superb kick to touch, and the Italians have a lineout (a shortened one) just in front of their own 22. A semi chargedown by Jordi Murphy causes consternation, and Ireland are on the attack.
58'3-12 Penalty goal - Ian Keatley , Ireland
57'Penalty for Ireland, Italy allowing the scrum to wheel too far. It's in front of the posts, and Keatley goes for No.4. A breeze, 12-3.
56''Fields of Athenry' does the rounds in the Stadio Olimpico. It's worth a shot, to see if there can be some inspiration for the defending champions.
54'And now the referee gets in the way as Ireland are trying to get going. The match has followed the same fractured rhythm as the Italian band before kick-off.
53'Penalty to Italy as Ireland collapse the scrum. The pitch is not helping either side in the scrum, it must be said. It's a bit of a lottery as to who will infringe first.
53'Player substituted - Matias Aguero , Italy
53'Substitute on - Alberto de Marchi , Italy
52'Superb pass to the left flank by Zebo to Payne, and as Ireland pick up from the tackling area, they - yes, you've guessed it - knock on.
52'Player substituted - Mike Ross , Ireland
52'Substitute on - Marty Moore , Ireland
50'This is as close as Ireland have been to the try line - Zebo to Payne to Henshaw, who is tackled, and then Ireland knock on. Really disappointing ending to a really promising move, which has been far too rare from Ireland so far.
48'There's some serious groundwork needing done next to where Ireland are prepping this scrum - there's basically a sand crater opened up on the right of Italy's 22.
47'Key moment - for both sides. Keatley looks as though he might be setting up a terrific overlap opportunity, but Campagnaro guesses the play correctly and nearly intercepts it. If he had, all he had was grass between him and the try line.
47'Player substituted - Rory Best , Ireland
47'Substitute on - Sean Cronin , Ireland
47'Player substituted - Alessandro Zanni , Italy
47'Substitute on - Marco Barbini , Italy
44'Aguero fails to gather a lovely offload from Martin Castrogiovanni in midfield, breaking up a decent passage of play by Italy.
43'For what feels like the first time in the match, Ireland string four passes together across the back line. It doesn't last, Ireland failing to release and Italy being gifted a penalty. "You must release quickly the ball," says the referee, as if that actually needs said. Penalties speak louder than words.
41'Keatley's super kick to the right flank looks like it might release Tommy Bowe perfectly, but the ball takes a huge bounce straight in the air and is mopped up by Masi.
41'Ping, and Italy are on the board as time expires. Italy 3-9 Ireland - it hasn't been pretty, but it is setting itself up for a rousing second half.
41'3-9 End of first half
41'3-9 Penalty goal - Kelly Haimona , Italy
40'Haimona gathers the kick-off, and Italy boot deep into Ireland territory.
40'Enough of the cavalier attacking - this time Italy takes the points. Kelly Haimona lines this one up inside the Irish 22...
40'3-9 Start of second half
39'The crowd love that, but it's a big risk. Great take by Josh Furno at the lineout! Ireland penalised again for attacking the lifter and Paul O'Connell takes time to make his team's case while Peter O'Mahony receives treatment.
38'Italy - facing a first half shutout - are building things on Ireland's 22. Paul O'Connell makes a fine tackle to thwart one break, Gori tries to keep things moving, but Ireland are penalised for not releasing. Interestingly, Italy turn down easy points and go for touch...
36'0-9 Penalty goal - Ian Keatley , Ireland
35'A driving maul develops from the lineout. Best keeps ball in hand, it works wide to Murray, but he's dragged into touch. The referee brings them back for the maul being collapsed, and this is an easy attempt for Keatley for three points. Easy peasy, 9-0.
33'Stolen lineout by Ireland after the penalty kick to touch. Masi finally deals well with a deep kick in his own territory, and Gori boots high towards Keatley. Offside against Italy though, and Keatley again kicks deep to touch. This time, maybe, Ireland?
31'Ireland win the lineout and begin to build for the first time in the match inside Italy's 22. Simon Zebo pushes forward, then Rory Best, then Jack McGrath. Recycle, recycle, recycle. Then Zebo holds on too long, and it's a penalty to Italy for not releasing. Joe Schmidt can't be happy with that.
30'Italy penalised for collapsing - yet another - scrum. It's at halfway, and Ireland are having a think about whether it's worth a boot at goal from Keatley. Nope, to touch it goes.
28'Italy deal with that lineout well, and when Ireland are looking to break from halfway, Robbie Henshaw knocks on. Very typical passage of play, unfortunately.
27'Splendid kick from hand from Keatley to pile pressure on Italy inside their own 22. A glimmer of a chance here for Ireland.
26'The disjointedness of Italy's play summed up as scrum-half Edoardo Gori picks up from a scrum, looks to kick, and can't because Biagi is in his way! Gori tries to burst down the blindside instead, and is pushed into touch.
23'Italy get their crowd behind them with some passing play, at last. Across to the right it goes, then back to the left with a high kick, and Tommy Bowe does superbly to claim that 50-50. A lack of patience from Kelly Haimona, who put the up-and-under forward when Italy were building some momentum and had options.
21'0-6 Penalty goal - Ian Keatley , Ireland
20'Ireland penalised for an early push on the scrum, just after the Italian front row had been given a stern talking to about their binding. All very niggly. Then another up-and-under causes more palpitations in the Italian backs, and Andrea Masi's knock on leaves Luke McLean offside. Penalty Ireland, Keatley to take... Sure, true, 6-0.
18'Just as Ireland look to be making ground in the Italy half, there's an untimely knock on. Story of the match so far, really.
16'A Keatley kick is charged down and now Italy look to break. It falters quickly, and Ireland have regained the ball in their own half.
15'Deep kick from Keatley and it forces a mistake from Andrea Masi, the Italy fullback. He regains composure, but the kick into touch gives Ireland a lineout in Italy territory.
14'A roar from the Italian crowd - for the first time today - as they win a lineout, but the pressure doesn't last, Ireland being awarded the put-in at a scrum.
12'Ireland penalised for collapsing the scrum. Italy will clear from midway inside their own half.
11'Not much running rugby so far. Keatley breaks up the late Irish move with a forward pass, knocked on by Tommy O'Donnell.
10'Offside against Italy after a lineout on the Irish 22. Keatley will kick deep from there.
8'Terrific robbery from Conor Murray as Italy fail to deal with a garryowen. Italy eventually clear their lines but they are under the cosh, especially up front.
7'0-3 Penalty goal - Ian Keatley , Ireland
6'And a penalty to Ireland. Ian Keatley lining up... It's a slight pull, but it's through the uprights, and Ireland lead.
5'Some problems setting the scrum - the Stadio Olimpico pitch is tearing up terribly under the pressure of the packs hunkering down. That's going to be an issue, especially due to pre-match rain in Rome.
4'Italy are struggling now to get to grips with the game, a knock on from George Fabio Biagi giving Ireland a scrum midway inside Italian territory.
3'And from that scrum, a penalty for Ireland, as Matias Aguero fails to bind.
1'The teams are back out - and we're about to get the second half underway.
1'And we are go! Italy making the early running, and Luca Morisi is almost in the clear - but it was a forward pass. Scrum Ireland.
1'Hello and welcome to ESPNscrum's live coverage of the second game of this year's Six Nations championship - defending champions Ireland visit Italy in Rome, looking to avenge a shock defeat when they last visited this city in 2013.

We have dramatic breaking news: Sean O'Brien is OUT after getting injured in the warm-up. Tommy O'Donnell starts at No.7, Robbie Diack is added to the Ireland bench.

First up is the Irish anthem, and it's getting a rousing - if slightly uncoordinated - belting from the travelling fans. The Italian band appears to be playing it deliberately slowly...

No such syncopation problems for the Italian anthem, which is rattling along at its appropriately jaunty rate.
1'0-0 Start of first half

Six Nations Championship 2015 News