Jack Crowley lends helping hand as Ireland survive poor first half at home to Italy
14 February 2026; Jack Crowley of Ireland in action against Michele Lamaro of Italy during the Guinness 6 Nations Rugby Championship match between Ireland and Italy at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Jack Crowley steadied the ship for Ireland upon his introduction in the second half of their Six Nations clash against Italy at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday to ensure that Ireland survived.
Just.
The hosts were 10-5 behind at the break and in trouble of falling to another loss after their opening round hammering at the hands of France but thankfully improved from there.
In the 11th minute, Italian winger Louis Lynagh was adjudged to have deliberately knocked on a loose Sam Prendergast looping pass.
It took a while, but Ireland eventually made the numerical advantage tell, when a superb spin and offload by Stuart McCloskey found full-back Jamie Osborne, who ran through a gap to register his third try for Ireland in the 17th minute.
Italian outhalf Paolo Garbisi clipped over a penalty in the 20th minute, after Cormac Izuchukwu had infringed at a lineout, to ensure the gap was only two, despite Ireland’s early dominance.
Ireland scrum half Craig Casey was harshly yellow carded in the 31st minute when his head made contact with Italian number eight Lorenzo Cannone, and from the resultant lineout the Italian maul slowly rumbled with hooker Giacomo Nicotera eventually peeling off and blasting under the legs of the upright Prendergast to score.
The Italian scrum was making mincemeat of the Irish front row and the Azzurri smelled blood, going for the corner just before half-time, only for a promising attack to be held up brilliantly by McCloskey to ensure that Ireland only trailed 5-10 at the break.
Ireland needed a quick start to the second half and they got it. They won a penalty and kicked to the corner and after a quick lineout to the front to Jeremy Loughman, they worked it to Jack Conan, who burrowed his way over to score from close range in the 43rd minute.
Unfortunately, Prendergast missed a second easy-looking conversion and the score remained level.
Italy then grabbed the momentum again and looked to have scored an excellent try from Lynagh in the 52nd minute only for the try to get chalked off due to Leonardo Marin’s final pass drifting forward.
Crowley replaced Prendergast in the 55th minute and Ireland instantly looked better. They put the ball through the hands, going from touchline to touchline, and when McCloskey found Ulster teammate Robert Baloucoune with a quarterback-style pass over the head, the winger was able to step and reach the whitewash to score a brilliant try in the 57th minute.
Crowley slotted a penalty from in front of the posts in the 63rd minute and suddenly Ireland enjoyed a ten-point lead, although three minutes later Garbisi split the posts to bring Italy back within range.
Cobh’s Edwin Edogbo was introduced for his Ireland debut in the 69th minute, but Italy kept coming, with them getting access into the 22 late on following a penalty concession by Caelan Doris. The game ended up hinging on the bounce of a ball near the Irish tryline as a deft chip through ended up in green hands, where if it had fallen into Italian hands it was a certain try.
Italy were battering away inside the Irish 22 with the clock over the 80-minute mark when James Lowe intercepted to kill Italy’s last attack and ensure that Ireland escaped.
J Crowley (1 pen, 1 con), J Osborne, J Conan, R Baloucoune (1 try each)
P Garbisi (2 pens, 1 con), Giacomo Nicotera (1 try)
J Osborne; R Baloucoune, G Ringrose, S McCloskey, J Lowe; S Prendergast, C Casey; J Loughman, D Sheehan, T Clarkson; J McCarthy, J Ryan; C Izuchukwu, C Doris (capt), J Conan.
T Furlong for T Clarkson (40), R Kelleher, T Beirne and J Gibson-Park for D Sheehan, J McCarthy and C Casey (52), J Crowley for S Prendergast (55), N Timoney for C Izuchukwu (57), T O’Toole for J Loughman (66), E Edogbo for J Ryan (69).
L Pani; L Lynagh, L Marin, T Menoncello, M Ioane; P Garbisi, A Fusco; D Fischetti, G Nicotera, S Ferrari; N Cannone, A Zambonin; M Lamaro (capt), M Zuliani, L Cannone.
T di Bartolomeo, M Spagnolo, M Hasa for D Fischetti, G Nicotera, S Ferrari (57), F Ruzza for A Zambonin (60), A Garbisi for A Fusco (62), R Favretto, D Odiase, P Odogwu for L Cannone, N Cannone and L Marin (66).
Hollie Davidson (SRU)
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