Ireland open with Italy win

Reigning champions Ireland got their RBS Six Nations campaign underway with a 29-11 victory over Italy at Croke Park, but were some way from their best in what was a largely disjointed performance.

The Irish were clinical early on and quickly established a commanding cushion that they never looked like losing, courtesy of tries from Jamie Heaslip and Tomas O'Leary and an immaculate kicking display from Ronan O'Gara.

But having conceded a sloppy try to Kane Robertson on the stroke of half-time, they produced a turgid second-half display that yielded only two further penalties.

However, with one eye on next week's crucial clash in Paris against France, coach Declan Kidney will be satisfied enough to have seen his charges kick off with a comfortable success.

O'Gara got the hosts on the board after just nine minutes when the Italy front row were penalised for collapsing the scrum, allowing the fly-half a routine shot at the posts from 35 metres.

The opening try followed five minutes later with Andrew Trimble's break down the left touchline setting up the platform.

The ball was then quickly recycled and spread from left to right with a quick flicked pass from Brian O'Driscoll allowing David Wallace to send in back-row colleague Jamie Heaslip, who had popped up on the wing - O'Gara added the conversion.

By contrast to that rapier move, Italy struggled to create any momentum and proved ponderous at every breakdown.

Indeed, the difference between two sides early on was highlighted by a fine break from O'Driscoll, the Irish captain producing an imaginative chip forward which he raced on to collect himself before putting in an angled kick out wide that just rolled into touch with flanker Wallace in pursuit.

However, the visitors did open their account when Australian-born fly-half Craig Gower thumped over a superb penalty from 45 metres after the Irish were penalised for collapsing the scrum.

But Italian indiscipline immediately presented O'Gara with the chance to restore the 10-point advantage and he easily bisected the posts to make the scoreline 13-3.

Spear tackle

Things get worse for Italy on 32 minutes as, after losing a line-out on their own 22, they also lost centre Gonzalo Garcia to the sin-bin for 10 minutes after an attempted spear tackle on O'Driscoll. O'Gara inflicted further punishment as he kicked the subsequent penalty to ease his side further ahead.

After losing out at another line-out deep in their own territory, Italy conceded their second try of the half as Irish scrum-half Tomas O'Leary feinted, before darting over from close range for to notch his first try for his country. The ever-reliable O'Gara added the extras and Ireland led 23-3.

From nowhere, Italy grabbed themselves a lifeline as, under no real pressure, Rob Kearney saw an attempted clearance charged down by Robertson who collected the ball and dropped over the line for a simple and utterly unexpected score. Mirco Bergamasco missed the conversion.

Having been restored to their full compliment by the returning Garcia, Italy started the second period in more convincing fashion and Mirco Bergamasco booted a long-range penalty to reduce the arrears.

But once again the visitors managed to immediately hand back the ground they had made up as Martin Castrogiovanni was pinged for pulling down a scrum, allowing O'Gara to maintain his perfect kicking record with a fourth penalty.

With a comfortable lead to fall back on, Ireland began to lose their way as the match chugged past the hour mark with much of the early zip having deserted their attacking play.

Their lack of ambition was rather summed up on 67 minutes as they opted to kick a penalty on the Italy 22 after the visitors had been caught offside, with O'Gara's replacement Paddy Wallace kicking the goal.

The hosts did try to up the ante in the closing stages and spurned a couple more kickable penalties in search of another try, with Wallace a lively influence.

But it was Italy who actually finished on the front foot, with the Bergamasco twins combining to threaten the try-line before Kearney snuffed out the attack and the embers of the match by touching the ball dead.