Irish one-two knocks out Italy
2 Oct 2011
Ireland beat Italy 36-6 in Dunedin to set up a quarter-final showdown with Wales in Wellington.
This result means the Wallabies finish second in Pool C and will play the Springboks next Sunday, also in Wellington, with the other two quarter-finals – England vs France and New Zealand vs Argentina – taking place in Auckland.
Italy came into this match needing an upset win to progress to the play-offs, but two Irish tries in the space of five minutes early in the second half shattered that dream.
First, winger Tommy Bowe sliced through a gaping hole in the Italy defence and sent captain Brian O’Driscoll away on his inside. Then Gordon D’Arcy burst through the midfield to take play back into Italy’s 22 and the ball was sent wide to winger Keith Earls, who dived over in the left-hand corner. Ronan O’Gara, who had an outstanding night with the boot, slotted both conversions.
The Irish should have been awarded a penalty try with two minutes to go when Bowe was tackled without the ball in Italy’s in-goal area, but Earls scored his second soon after to round off an emphatic win.
Ireland had led just 9-6 at half-time, but were unlucky to have a try disallowed when referee Jonathan Kaplan incorrectly ruled that flank Sean O’Brien’s pass had gone forward to Bowe, whose first touch went backwards before he regathered the ball.
However, the big talking point of the first half came in the 22nd minute when TV replays clearly showed Italy hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini eye-gouging Ireland loosehead Cian Healy. But none of the officials saw it and the Irish were penalised for retaliation.
Minutes before that incident, Italy had come close to scoring but their driving maul was collapsed by Paul O’Connell, who was lucky not to be yellow carded. Martin Castrogiovanni then had a crack at the line only to be tackled inches short.
The Italy tighthead was in top form and his injury late in the first half was a massive setback for his side considering how his loosehead Salvatore Perugini was struggling against Mike Ross.
By Simon Borchardt
133 Comments
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2 Oct 2011, 11:16 am
@Getafix(phil72)-89: and he’s wearing the green and gold now and playing with distinction…
2 Oct 2011, 11:16 am
No foul play? No try? Is this our Shaun Veldsman?
2 Oct 2011, 11:16 am
Funny ruling
2 Oct 2011, 11:16 am
Justice
2 Oct 2011, 11:17 am
Try anyway
2 Oct 2011, 11:17 am
@Robzim(Robzim)-92:
All good here, I have just done a run and am enjoying the Ireland try fest before breakfast now!!
2 Oct 2011, 11:17 am
@carol(carol)-90: the weather has been great!
2 Oct 2011, 11:18 am
36-6
2 Oct 2011, 11:18 am
@RL(RL)-93:
Nothing compared to Soda Joes winters tho….!!
2 Oct 2011, 11:19 am
Well done Ireland…
Laters folks…
2 Oct 2011, 11:20 am
@carol(carol)-106:
U done the run?
OK, I am now motivated, will take bluebird out for a spin
CU xx
2 Oct 2011, 11:20 am
So it’s the Paddies vs Wales …. my money is on Wales.
2 Oct 2011, 11:23 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-101</
Yes, he got to start because of injuries… but most rugby players can catch a ball and pass it, apart from that what does he offer
2 Oct 2011, 11:23 am
Ireland will beat Wales.
2 Oct 2011, 11:23 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-102: paddy told them NOT to comment on ‘in field’ infringements when asked to see if a TRY was scored.
2 Oct 2011, 11:24 am
Wales will be in the final against…?
2 Oct 2011, 11:25 am
@Getafix(phil72)-113:
2 Oct 2011, 11:25 am
Ireland v NZ final.
Easy NZ win.
2 Oct 2011, 11:25 am
@Getafix(phil72)-113: trying to convince a sharkievarkie that there are better fullbacks, who actually have pace and are more of threat than his slow guppy is futile … forget it
2 Oct 2011, 11:29 am
So the QF’s will be:
Ireland – Wales ……………………. Wellington.
England – France……………………….Auckland.
South Africa – Australia……….Wellington.
New Zealand – Argentina………….Auckland.
The Semi’s:
15/10 – 21:00Winner QF 1 – Winner QF 2Auckland.
16/10 – 21:00Winner QF 3 – Winner QF 4Auckland.
2 Oct 2011, 11:31 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-115:
Indeed he very pointedly said no foul play in th IN GOAL AREA.
The irish should blame paddy.
2 Oct 2011, 11:33 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-118:
Nothing can be taken for granted from here on in Spooner.
Except…….. NZ over Arg.
Argentina have looked very, very average to date.
And France need to pull themselves together somehow.
2 Oct 2011, 11:39 am
@cane(cane)-122: you’re allowed to put your neck on the line.
Wales v Ireland – 50%
England v France – 60% England
Australia v SA – 50%
NZ v Argentina – 99.9% NZ
France have been woeful and the coach has lost his players’ support. England have too many off field issues…
I reckon the winner of Wales/Ireland will make the final. Just have a sneaky feeling on Ireland.
NZ as you say are almost guaranteed a semi. Has NZ ever lost to Argentina?
A home semi against Aus or SA, either one NZ really should win at home.
NZ vs any NH team in the final will be a comfortable win.
2 Oct 2011, 11:39 am
@Gunther(gunther)-121: or kaplan, bryce lawrence & co for being too dikgat to run & see the early tackle themselves.
2 Oct 2011, 11:57 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-123: That Irish back row is looking very impressive in particular Sean O’Brian and All Blacks without Dan Carter, you never know O’Driscoll may just go down in history as the biggest legend Ireland has ever had…..
2 Oct 2011, 12:02 pm
Ireland, Wales & England will lose by 30+ against the Boks & NZ!
2 Oct 2011, 12:02 pm
Wales were lucky against the Boks in game 1!
2 Oct 2011, 12:09 pm
@poppa69(p0ppa69)-126: Ireland, Wales and England all have better packs then New Zealand and now Dan the man is out, its curtains for the All Blacks. 4 more years…….
2 Oct 2011, 13:43 pm
@HongKongSlong(HongKongSlong)-128: don’t fall for it…
This is p0ppa69 (with a numeric zero); rather than poppa69…
Besides, the real poop stain would never have anything good to say about SA anyway.
2 Oct 2011, 15:49 pm
I tip the Irish.
BOD, Ronan and Gordon should have a teling effect on the game. I do not see Jamie going over them.
Daddy ol legs vs youth. Good test like SA vs Aus
The game will be Rhys Priestland’s biggest test. I hope Gatland plays him and rests Jones as he has done for the last 8 weeks.
Faletau and Warburton will be in for it.
2 Oct 2011, 17:29 pm
Wales will take Ireland and England
The other half of the SH Russian Roulette lottery is anyone’s call
2 Oct 2011, 20:11 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-131:
Wales don’t have the physicality to stop this Irish pack, they have no one to counter the power and ball carrying of Healy, O’Connell, Ferris, Heaslip and O’Brien(who is probably the most powerful backrower in the world).
2 Oct 2011, 23:21 pm
@poppa69(p0ppa69)-126: Wales lost by 1 against the Boks.
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