Ireland handed new coach Kevin West the perfect start as they powered to a 22-5 win at home to Italy in the first Women's 6 Nations game. Full-back Niamh Briggs hit an early drop goal and industrious number 8 Joy Neville (pictured)powered over for a try to make it 8-0 for half-time.
Neville's second try on 48 minutes, converted brilliantly from the touchline by Briggs, and a debut score for winger Alison Miller confirmed Ireland as winners before Italian replacement Silvia Peron struck late for a consolation try.
A committed and discipline display that married substance with style ensured Ireland, who had four new caps on from the start, emerged as convincing winners - in the end - over their Italian counterparts.
Showing a real willingness to move the ball wide, Ireland's play was clever, and Italy struggled with the home team's purposeful opening.
Joanne O'Sullivan was impressing at out-half, and the girls in green took the lead in the 12th minute courtesy of a sweetly-struck drop goal from Briggs.
That score gave Ireland a deserved advantage, but they were then pinned back for vast chunks of the first half as Italy caused plenty of problems.
Indeed, Ireland were fortunate not to concede in the 23rd minute when a blistering Italian move came within a whisker of a try, but exeperienced scrum half Tania Rosser prevented winger Sara Barattin from crossing the line.
Rosser was sin-binned for the challenge and Ireland continued to encounter bother during the next 10 minutes, but they remained defiant and crucially did not allow the Italians to register a score in the spell. Then, just as Rosser returned to the fray, Ireland pinched the evening's first try three minutes before the break. A well-rehearsed lineout play ended with former team captain Neville scampering over to edge Ireland 8-0 ahead at the interval.
Buoyed by the way in which they had remained so cool under pressure, West’s charges grabbed another try in the 48th minute. Inevitably, Neville was involved, supplying an opportunistic close range dash over the line before Briggs nailed the conversion from an angle.
O'Sullivan and Briggs created a third try for Connacht flyer Miller in the 63rd minute as Ireland remained on the front foot.
The Italians, who were beaten 35-17 by Ireland last year, scored an injury-time consolation try courtesy of replacement Peron, but it failed to take the gloss off what was an encouraging start to the Championship for Ireland.
IRELAND: Niamh Briggs; Nora Stapleton, Grace Davitt, Shannon Houston , Alison Miller; Joanne O'Sullivan, Tania Rosser; Fiona Coghlan (capt), Chris Fanning, Emer McManamly, Kate O'Loughlin, Marie Louise Reilly, Carol Staunton, Claire Molloy, Joy Neville.
Replacements: Caroline Mahon for O'Loughlin (71 mins), Louise Beamish for Rosser, Louise Austin for Coghlan (both 75), Eliza Downey for Stapleton (77 mins). Not used: Gillian Bourke, Lauren Day, Helen Brosnan.
ITALY; Manuela Furlan; Sara Barattin, Maria Grazia Cioffi, Paola Zangirolami (capt), Maria Diletta Veronese; Michela Tondinelli, Valentina Schiavon; Lucia Gai, Michela Este, Elisa Cucchiella, Sara Pettinelli, Flavia Severin, Giuliana Campanella, Silvia Gaudino, Daniela Gini.
Replacements used: Cecilia Zublena for Severin (68 mins), Silvia Peron for Gai (75). Not used: Germana Raponi, Alice Trevisan, Elisa Rochas, Chiara Buongiorno, Valentina Virgili.
Referee: Sarah Corrigan (Australia)
Pictures: Sinead Cosgrave
