Andy Farrell wanted Ireland to be asked real questions by Italy and they found the right answers

Tony Ward

Bundee Aki dives over to score Ireland's third try in Rome. Photo: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

February 26 2023 08:00 PM

We knew the hosts would perform, and they did. We expected the visitors to prevail, and they did. And it was summed up perfectly by Andy Farrell in the immediate aftermath: “This was a proper Test match.”

Make no mistake – and this coming from one who has been critical and highly sceptical of the Italian presence in a lopsided Six Nations for some time – that emerging at last is more than just the cliched green shoots.

The development structures at underage and academy level that feed into the highest level show real reason to be optimistic about the future of the Italian game. It is something our own Stevie Aboud can be truly proud of.

In practical and immediate terms the Kieran Crowley imprint is massive. He is working with a group of young but clearly talented players and, much like Farrell, has given them a licence to play.

It’s not all wine and roses as they are still three defeats from three, but we are talking England, France and Ireland as the opposition and in all three matches the Azzurri input has been almost on a par with their more powerful opponents.

For Six Nations rugby, and more importantly for the game’s development in this football-daft nation, the right seeds are being sown in all the right places. Stadio Olimpico is set to become one of the great cathedrals of world rugby.

On Saturday half the 51,000 crowd, were decked in green. What a belter those of us privileged to be present were treated to, as Crowley’s Italy made sure Farrell’s Ireland were asked the searching questions the head coach had craved in advance of kick-off.

For me the critical period that eventually determined the outcome came following a rush of blood to the head from centre Juan Ignacio Brex towards the end of third quarter, when the heat was really turned up on the Irish defence.

The attempted Brex right-footed kick to the left corner with play coming from right to left is an extremely difficult skill to execute unless it was by a naturally left footer – like Paolo Garbisi with a pre-rehearsed play and ideally on the back of a penalty advantage.

The 22m dropout represented an undoubted let-off for the under-pressure defence but it was the tactical execution from there, leading to Mack Hansen’s match-winning second try, that will surely have pleased the Irish coaching team most of all.

The ball retention was patient, the off-loading measured and close in as the tactic of sucking in team energy and, by extension, that of the crowd was deliberate. In so many ways it was the perfect response to the type of pressure question Farrell wanted to be asked. In those crucial minutes the outcome was ultimately decided.

Psychologically, and given the magnitude of the Murrayfield test next up, this was in so many ways what the doctor had ordered. An imperfect Irish performance but a substantial one nonetheless.

In individual terms it was a mixed bag too. In an ideal world we would aspire, like every other nation, to mirror South Africa off the bench. Few, if any, rugby nations ever will but as a work in progress we are inching our way there.

Factor in the absent names of Sexton, Ringrose, Beirne, Furlong, Henshaw, Gibson-Park and you are talking some squad. On Saturday the impact off the bench was, through Dan Sheehan, Tom O’Toole (a revelation), Ryan Baird (likewise), Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray immediately effective and essential.

Of the starters, in terms of solidity and leading in moments of crisis, it was Hugo Keenan, Caelan Doris and Josh van der Flier who were once again the three standout performers.

All across the re-assembled backline – with the exception of Keenan – it was a helter skelter performance but still with enough positives to take away and with some of the attacking interplay, specifically involving Bundee Aki, Keenan and both wingers, a joy to behold.

I would also emphasise again the importance to our exit strategy of that highly-effective James Lowe left boot.

Piece it all together and it made for another small but important step in the right direction.

Plenty to review in the coming fortnight for those central to doing just that but the abiding feeling leaving the great stadium on Saturday was one of quiet satisfaction. We’ll take that at any time of asking.