Ronan O’Gara turned in a perfect kicking display as Ireland brushed aside Italy 29-11 in the opening fixture of the RBS 6 Nations at Croke Park.
It was a far from vintage performance from last year’s Grand Slam winners, but O’Gara – back in the No.10 shirt following the autumn tests – contributed 16 points while lock Leo Cullen destroyed the Italian lineout.
Tries from No.8 Jamie Heaslip and scrum-half Tomas O’Leary in the first half helped put Ireland in the driving seat but Declan Kidney will be worried both by his team’s lack of a cutting edge and by the manner in which Munster’s O’Gara limped off in the second half.
After an Italian offence at the scrum, O’Gara made no mistake with a tenth-minute penalty to pass the 500-point barrier in the Championship.
Worse was to follow for the visitors as O’Gara demonstrated his gifts with the ball in hand whipping a perfect flat pass for Andrew Trimble to run onto.
The Ulster winger broke down the line and the ball was superbly worked wide for Heaslip to run over with O’Gara adding the extras.
Neither side were really able to find their rhythm but on 26 minutes the Azzurri scrum exacted some revenge by forcing Ireland into conceding a penalty and Six Nations debutant Craig Gower stepped up to land a huge 45m penalty.
But no sooner had they got on the board than lock Carlo Del Fava was pinged for holding on and O’Gara restored Ireland’s ten-point lead.
Things went from bad to worse on 33 minutes when centre Gonzalo Garcia was sinbinned for a spear tackle on Brian O’Driscoll and Ireland would take advantage of the extra man.
Lock Cullen, making his first Six Nations start in seven years, once again stole Italy lineout ball and from the resulting ruck O’Leary needed no second invitation to dive over with O’Gara’s conversion giving them a commanding 23-3 lead.
But Ireland’s first half was blotted when Rob Kearney gathered a difficult bouncing ball only to fire his clearance straight at Kaine Robertson who gleefully dived over. Mirco Bergamasco took on the kicking duties from Gower but was off target with the conversion.
Bergamasco did though did split the posts with a penalty just after halftime but just like they did in the first half Ireland responded immediate through O’Gara to make it 26-11.
After O’Gara made exited the fray on 66 minutes and his replacement Paddy Wallace immediately added another penalty.
There were no fireworks in a turgid ending and the result will give both coaches plenty to ponder.
