‘Wounded Ireland aim to end Six Nations on a high’

Italy vs. Ireland: Men’s Six Nations

Rome’s Stadio Olimpico Date: Saturday, March 15 Kick-off: 14:15 GMT

Ireland has made a point of writing their own Six Nations tales over the past few years.

The Grand Slam was won on home soil in 2023 by an eventual victory over England.

The title was in Dublin a year ago when Scotland won their final game versus them.

Ireland knew winning would be enough to finish top both of those games, but the outlook is surprisingly bleak this time around.

Even a convincing bonus point win over Italy on Saturday will not suffice to keep their slim hopes of completing the hat-trick. What happens in the two subsequent games determines whether those hopes are realized or not.

A group that has spent the last two years looking down from the top have a hard time taking the lead in the narrative, but last week’s devastating defeat to France puts them in an unviable position to start Super Saturday third in the table.

When Wales host second-placed England and leaders France take on Scotland in Paris if they defeat Italy, they must let fate take hold.

For Saturday, Ireland had much higher hopes. The Eternal City was intended to serve as the epic backdrop for another Grand Slam and the penultimate finale for retiring stars Conor Murray, Cian Healy, and Peter O’Mahony.

They were on top of their game after their three-round victories, only for France to rock up to Dublin and toss Irish plans.

Caelan Doris, the captain, claims that the 30 000 Irish fans who will line up at Stadio Olimpico are approaching Super Saturday with an anti-climax even though they may not have experienced it.

“Obviously, last week was very disappointing, and it changes how we feel about the conclusion,” we said. The rest is beyond our control, Doris said.

However, the three young men, O’Mahony, Murray, and Healy, have made a strong effort to finish the week with our best performance.

It can be difficult to see some of the back-and-images and the frustration surrounding that because it was obviously quite a bit of disappointment for 24 hours post-game.

However, interim boss Simon Easterby has provided a reason for wonder by resigning Jack Crowley as his starting fly-half at the end of a week, when much rumors surround the player’s future.

Crowley has featured predominately at full back in his recent off-the-shelf appearances, but Sam Prendergast surpassed him in the title match last year. In recent weeks, he has featured predominately at full-back.

After playing six games in a row against a vicious and quick French unit, Prendergast returns to the bench while Crowley is given a momentous opportunity to show his credentials at this level.

An Irish attack that struggled to convert 22 visits to points against France will be revived by Crowley, who made his Six Nations debut in Rome two years ago.

First-choice wingers Mack Hansen and James Lowe are also returning, with Garry Ringrose back in midfield after missing out on the France defeat with a suspension.

Doris compared Ireland to Italy as being confident but not complacent.

Ireland will be hoping to break through an Italian defense that has scored 25 tries in four games despite only losing once to the Azzurri in the Six Nations.

However, this is far from being a certain outcome. Italy scored six tries in the second round of defeats against France and England, which suggests they have more than enough firepower to trouble Ireland.

Michele Lamaro was made in one of the seven changes for the Italians, along with coach Gonzalo Quesada, who also made an eye-catching selection call this week.

Ireland’s “best performance” is what Doris has demanded. They ought to have enough money to close their campaign on a high note if they succeed in that endeavor.