GILBERT Ireland International Replica Rugby Ball , 5 - Ireland

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We’re obviously very pleased to come away with a bonus point win,” he concluded. “I thought we showed great character because we were under the cosh a little bit.

It’s Gordon Manning here, I’ll be taking you through all the action from a Test match where individual performances could prove more important than the result. Replacements: Tom Stewart (Ulster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), Caolin Blade (Connacht), Ciarán Frawley (Leinster), Calvin Nash (Munster). Just two of the alterations are enforced, with Sexton and Tadhg Beirne ruled out by injuries sustained in the 32-19 success over the French.Italy: Ange Capuozzo, Edoardo Padovani, Juan Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello, Pierre Bruno; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera, Simone Ferrari, Niccolò Cannone, Federico Ruzza, Sebastian Negri, Michele Lamaro, Lorenzo Cannone. Robbie Henshaw and Rob Herring tries either side of Sheehan's second of the game ensured Ireland's first Grand Slam in five years, and first won in Dublin. Ian Foster’s NZ starting team has six changes, with Ethan de Groot, Ardie Savea, Aaron Smith, Rieko Ioane, and Scott and Beauden Barrett all recalled.

Byrne will deputise for injured Leinster team-mate Johnny Sexton in the No 10 jersey while Casey comes in for fellow Munster man Conor Murray. The fledgling pair have combined well from the bench in victories over Wales and France in the opening two rounds of the tournament and Farrell expects more of the same at Stadio Olimpico. Replacements: Ox Nche (Sharks) for Kitshoff, RG Snyman (Munster) for Mostert, Jean Kleyn (Munster) for Etzebeth, Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) for Weisse (all 49 mins); Marco van Staden (Bulls) for Kolisi (52), Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92) for Malherbe (63); Deon Fourie (Stormers) for Mbonambi (64); Cobus Reinach (Montpellier) for De Klerk (75). Andy Farrell's side set a new national record of eight straight Six Nations wins, surpassing the seven-game streak they set between 2004 and 2005 We're not just turning things around for the sake of it, we are turning things around because we think it's a strong side for us going forward, for this game and for the future as well. There was all sorts of manic toing and froing in the endgame before Libbok drilled a penalty from halfway to the corner, but an imposing drive was eventually stopped and held up.

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But it remained a one score game until 10 minutes to go, man-of-the-match Hansen scoring his second try of the contest.

New Zealand have a few ghosts in their machine, with some of their ageing players not as evergreen as those on the other team and a level of performance that has been strong but just below the very best. Ironically, they would do well to take inspiration from one of their famous defeats: England in the 2019 semi, where a strong but unfancied team came up against a juggernaut and ran it off the road. More simply, they may just remind themselves that they absolutely battered today’s opponents in the QF the week before. I’m 100 per cent sure there are some individuals that will take the field saying to themselves that this a big chance and big opportunity for me,” said Farrell during the week. “You’ve got to surround those people with good enough experienced players as well to be able to judge them properly, so we’re looking forward to that.”Here are the teams for tonight’s game in the Aviva. Several Irish players playing for a spot on the World Cup squad. Replacements: Walker, M Vunipola, Cole, Isiekwe, B Curry, Mitchell, Smith, Marchant. Match officials

Welcome to the Aviva Stadium for our live blog of Ireland’s opening game in the Bank of Ireland Nations Series – the first of three warm-up matches on the road towards next month’s World Cup in France. Introducing the Ireland Replica Ball. This replica ball is modelled on the exact ball used in their international games, and is an ideal way to support your country in the lead up to the Rugby World Cup 2019. But fair play to Italy, they gave it to us, but fair play to our boys for digging in deep as well.”ITALY: Italy: Tommaso Allan (Perpignan); Paolo Odogwu (Benetton), Juan Ignacio Brez (Benetton), Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton), Montanna Ioane (Lyon); Paolo Garbisi (Montpellier), Stephen Varney (Gloucester); Danilo Fischetti (Zebre), Giacomo Nicotera (Benetton), Marco Riccioni (Saracens); Dino Lamb (Harlequins), Federico Ruzza (Benetton) (capt); Sebastian Negri (Benetton), Manuel Zuliani (Benetton), Toa Halafihi (Benetton). Rugby World Cup: ‘I’ve never, ever seen a crowd like that’; Irish Zombie army takes Paris by storm ] Is this the best Italy team he has faced, Clarke asks Aki: “They have always been a good team, they play with a lot of passion, you can see they want to play the game, they want to play expansive rugby and run the ball from the own try-line … we knew that, we just fell off a bit.” He could be forgiven. This Italy team under Kieran Crowley are fast improving and the Six Nations is all the better for it. But Ireland managed to regain control and exerted enough pressure to prise open holes in the English defence, with Henshaw able to slip through before Sheehan's second score seemingly put the hosts out of England's reach. Ireland break English resistance to seal famous win Henshaw's try alleviated tension as the centre touched down to move Ireland 17-9 clear