OPENS ACCOUNT IN STYLE
(16 Feb 2009)
Ireland
followed on from their win against France last week to beat a spirited Italy 38-9 in Rome, a win that keeps their RBS 6 Nations challenge very much alive. PLATINUM ONE client
Luke Fitzgerald scored his first tries at senior international level with a brace of scores, one in each half. His first try came on the stroke of half time when he picked a good support line to gather a Stephen Ferris offload and score under the posts. Speed of thought from a quickly taken line-out led to his second try when he combined with Gordon D’Arcy to score with just minutes of the match remaining. Fitzgerald picked up the Man of the Match honours, while last week’s recipient of that accolade Jamie Heaslip was, once again, outstanding off the base of the Irish scrum.
D’Arcy’s
rehabilitation to international rugby was helped by a strong second half performance in which his trademark footwork and defensive power were to the fore.
