Simon Zebo needs some arm around the shoulder encouragement

After what is proving a pretty soul-destroying season for Irish rugby on both the provincial and international front, at last, a bit of respite. An energy-filled, try-fest on a bright and sunny day that even elicited a sustained Mexican Wave in the second half, brought smiles back to the faces of a beleaguered management and a restless rugby public.

Any day Ireland register 58 points and nine tries in a Six Nations encounter shouldn’t be scoffed at. While the players and management will enjoy this encouraging performance and welcome victory, they will also treat it with a dose of reality. It was Italy after all.

Not unlike Joe Schmidt’s squad, Italy have endured a horrific run of injuries of late with the loss of the promising new half back pairing of Edoardo Gori and Carlo Canna proving particularly costly.