Ireland 50-17 Italy: Ireland go top of Six Nations but concede late try to hurt title chances

Johnny Sexton scored a try and kicked superbly as Ireland moved to the top of the Six Nations table

Ireland scored seven tries and 50 points to move to the top of the 2020 Six Nations table with a bonus-point win over Italy, but the late concession of a try could hurt their title chances. 

Debutant wing Hugo Keenan scored two tries, while fellow debutant Will Connors scored a try and earned the man of the match for an all-action display in defence and at the breakdown.

CJ Stander, Johnny Sexton, Bundee Aki and Dave Heffernan added further tries, while Sexton kicked five conversions and a penalty, with Ross Byrne adding a further conversion.

For Italy, an Edoardo Padovani intercept try, plus a further Paolo Garbisi try in the final play of the match - after Ireland had taken a drop-goal conversion to ensure further play - brought them 17 points.

Ireland's facile win leaves Andy Farrell's side requiring another bonus-point victory against France in Paris next weekend to seal another Six Nations crown.

Ireland claimed Six Nations glory in 2014, 2015 and 2018 under Joe Schmidt, with the final tournament win comprising just their third Grand Slam.

But now new boss Farrell has the chance to steer Ireland to another Six Nations triumph at his first crack.

Putting four tries past France in Paris will prove an altogether different challenge from vanquishing the also-rans of Italy, however.

The Azzurri's record Six Nations losing streak was extended to 26 with precious little issue, and with Ireland hardly having to hit full stride.

Italy stunned Farrell's men from the off, Seb Negri haring through a gap in the hosts' defensive line for a major break. Scrum-half Marcello Violi latched on to Negri's pass and so nearly opened the try-scoring, only to be hauled back.

Murray killed the ball and duly walked for a yellow card, and Garbisi slotted the penalty to put the Azzurri 3-0 ahead.

The Irish quickly vindicated punting a penalty to the corner, with Stander barrelling home for the game's first try. Sexton converted and shortly added a penalty after Ireland squeezed Italy at the scrum.

Ireland players celebrate as CJ Stander scores their first try against Italy

Robbie Henshaw joined the fray for the injured Garry Ringrose and quickly sent Keenan in at the corner for his maiden Test score, floating out a fine pass to the Leinster flyer.

Sexton's inch-perfect touchline conversion had Ireland 17-3 up and coasting on the half-hour.

Keenan hared home again just three minutes later, only for the try to be chalked off.

James Ryan was harshly judged to have blocked Marco Lazzaroni, creating the space for a rangy Stockdale break. So despite Keenan's neat finish, the try was ruled out following a video review.

The undeterred Keenan quickly sealed his second score, with Ireland completing a deadly counter-attack.

Caelan Doris robbed Italy on the deck in Ireland's 22 before feeding Aki on the break. The centre set Murray racing away and the astute half-back picked the perfect moment to turn the defence with a cute grubber.

Hugo Keenan scored two tries for Ireland from the wing on his Test debut

Keenan beat the cover to the loose ball, gathered cleanly and scored, before Sexton's conversion extended Ireland's interval lead to 24-3.

Italy cut through a dreary second-half opening as Padovani punished Sexton's telegraphed wide pass to intercept and race in unopposed.

Garbisi's conversion left Ireland leading 24-10 ahead of the hour and still hunting the all-important bonus-point score.

The hosts hit back quickly, however, with Connors capping a well-worked lineout drive for his debut score and that vital fourth try. Sexton's conversion made it 31-10.

Will Connors (blue skullcap) earned man of the match on his Ireland debut, and scored a try

That broke the Italy resistance and Sexton quickly capped a fluent counter-attack to get himself on the scoresheet, after Stockdale, Stander, Keenan and Doris had all cut through the visiting defence.

Aki raced in after Peter O'Mahony's impressive offload before Heffernan capped another driving maul.

Ross Byrne's quick conversion let the match restart one final time - but that backfired as Italy scrapped a second score of their own, Garbisi racing in after a smart dummy before converting his own score.