Irish one-two knocks out Italy

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

Pages: [1] 2 3 » Show All

  • 1.RL: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 09:04 am

    So the Paddies are to moer the Italians.

  • 2.HHS: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 09:10 am

    Time to throw my 84kg behind the Italian boys this morning.

  • 3.RL: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 09:20 am

    Convicts all over the full are supporting Italy.

  • 4.David: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 09:31 am

    I can’t help always being moved by the Irish rugby anthem, as it represents both the North and Eire. The one time both countries are united.

  • 5.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 09:39 am

    I think I bit my tongue during my sleep

    Jinne

  • 6.David: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 09:45 am

    @Dawn(Dawn)-5:
    Forget to take your teeth out? :lol:

  • 7.RL: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 09:57 am

    Filthy.

  • 8.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 09:57 am

    David you joining the likes of fake pops and stereotyping?

    Not nice.

  • 9.BishopsOD: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 09:58 am

    What are the permutations and subplots required to settle the quarterfinalists in this match, again?

  • 10.I am a stormer: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:00 am

    Could be a citing coming up.

  • 11.Getafix: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:01 am

    Italy have to win without Ireland getting 2 bonus points…..

  • 12.I am a stormer: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:02 am

    @BishopsOD(BishopsOD)-9:

    Ireland just need the win. Even a draw is good enough.

    Italy need a win with a bonus point and deny Ireland a point.

  • 13.Getafix: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:04 am

    Italy on 10
    Ireland on 13
    Italy must just win and not give away 2 bonus points

  • 14.David: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:04 am

    @Dawn(Dawn)-8:
    Not at all. I’d have made the same comment regardless of who it was.

  • 15.Getafix: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:05 am

    @Getafix(phil72)-13:
    And.. at this stage it looks that Kaplan is aware of this….

  • 16.Auntie Mavis: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:05 am

    Kaplan got the knock on or forward pass decision wrong

  • 17.cab: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:05 am

    Is italy win here, we play italy of hoe?

  • 18.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:07 am

    Kaplan is robbin’ Ireland.

  • 19.Getafix: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:07 am

    Go Italy!!!

  • 20.Auntie Mavis: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:07 am

    What on earth does “Is italy win here, we play italy of hoe?” mean?

  • 21.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:07 am

    @cab(cab)-17: Correct.

  • 22.cab: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:09 am

    @>^..^< katman(katman)-21:
    udankie

    shame looks like ireland getting upperhand.

  • 23.Auntie Mavis: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:10 am

    What about the eye gouging?

  • 24.David: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:11 am

    @cab(cab)-17:
    Isn’t it a bit early to be hitting the sauce? :lol:

  • 25.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:11 am

    @cab(cab)-22: Very even, in fact. Looks like it might erupt into a little fisticuffs at some point.

  • 26.JL1: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:12 am

    Will do wonders for rugby in Italy if they win

  • 27.RL: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:12 am

    Wales will moer these Paddies, easily.

  • 28.JL1: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:13 am

    @David(David)-24: Depends where in the world you are

  • 29.Getafix: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:14 am

    Kaplan is out secret weapon… might just have the X factor….

  • 30.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:14 am

    I love how, when a big runner sees O’Gara in front of him, the shoulder automatically drops and the speed picks up.

  • 31.JL1: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:15 am

    Nice cheating at that maul from Ireland

  • 32.JL1: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:17 am

    @>^..^< katman(katman)-30: Most runners offer him odds, as he is a gambler, you never know if he misses a tackle with intent or if he is just useless

  • 33.cab: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:17 am

    @David(David)-24:
    hehe, barely awake here – damn italian stallions are there own worst enemies, shouldve pulled level there, bergermasco dont have anything in that pip.

  • 34.I am a stormer: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:18 am

    An ill tempered match. And the unpunished eye gouging just added fuel to the fire.

  • 35.BishopsOD: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:27 am

    @I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-12: Wait a minute! So Italy can save the Boks and Australia from an unpleasant quarter if they beat Ireland but still get knocked out, regardless? Ireland will finish second, right?

    Hmmm… it’s not that Ireland will be dealt with easily if we do meet them…

  • 36.cane: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:30 am

    Come on you friggen BoggLeapers.
    After all your good work,
    don’t foork things up now.

    I want an Oz / Eye Gougers QF.

  • 37.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:31 am

    Is Martin CastrolGTX off the field?

  • 38.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:32 am

    Ireland will probably pick up the tempo and suffocate the eye gouging spoilers in the second half

  • 39.I am a stormer: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:32 am

    @BishopsOD(BishopsOD)-35:

    Italy can still have a say in this WC. They can come second – which I doubt – but can cause Ireland to finish 2nd.

  • 40.I am a stormer: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:33 am

    @>^..^< katman(katman)-37:

    Looks like he picked a back injury.

  • 41.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:33 am

    @cane(cane)-36: You sound rattled, Caner. Like you need the big guys to soften each other up before you attempt to pull off an upset against one of them.

  • 42.I am a stormer: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:34 am

    @cane(cane)-36:

    Easy bobby. The eye gougers are still playing. They’re in blue.

  • 43.RL: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:35 am

    @cane(cane)-36: don’t worry, the Paddies will take this one ……………….. easily.

    Be careful what you ask for …………….. your teams semi final assassins will be revealed this time next week.

    It’s just a shame that Carter will not be there for the choke.

  • 44.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:35 am

    Thats better BOD

  • 45.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:35 am

    Great try Ireland.

  • 46.David: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:35 am

    What I’ve found interesting is how the 15s of the other top tier nations are far more involved on attack than ours are.

  • 47.David: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:38 am

    @Robzim(Robzim)-44:
    Yep, the finest centre in world rugby for more than a decade. His support running is one of the things that sets him apart. His running off the ball is what made Roberts look so good for the B&ILs.

  • 48.Auntie Mavis: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:38 am

    Good 19-6

  • 49.Auntie Mavis: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:39 am

    This committee meeting for lineouts gives me the worm

  • 50.Getafix: Reply to this comment
    2 Oct 2011, 10:39 am

    Looking all over now…..

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