Rugby: Ireland U21 book place in World Cup with Italy win

Ireland U21 60, Italy U21 14 (full-time)

Ireland booked a place in the IRB World Cup in South Africa later this year with a facile victory over Italy in the Galway Sportsground in this U-21 international which saw the Irish run in nine tries.

Hero of the day for Ciaran Fitzgerald¹s side was UCD scrum-half Brian O¹Riordan who crowned a superb personal display by scoring a hat-trick of tries against the outclassed visitors.

The Irish were on top throughout and would surely have struck the century if they had not taken their foot of the gas for a long period in the opening period when they allowed the Italians get into the match.

The Irish, after losing their opening games to Wales and England before recovering to pip Scotland, encountered few difficulties against Italy, who showed little penetration going forward.

Ireland eased their way to a 34-7 interval advantage after wing forward Neil McMillan from Ballymena crossed the visitor¹s line after less than 100 seconds with fly-half Eoghan Hickey from St Mary¹s College landing the first of his six converts.

The other wing-forward, UCC¹s Denis Leamy, had Ireland¹s second try after nine minutes before Italy, who had treated the crowd to a rousing rendition of their national anthem unaccompanied by any band before the game, struck for a try from hooker Michele Rizzo after 12 minutes.

Ireland failed to make quality possession count for a long period after that - fly-half Hickey resorting to kicking a penalty seven minutes from the break - before they hit for three tries in a five minute spell before the interval.

Man of the match O¹Riordan, a real prospect, got two of these thanks to razor-sharp reflexes while in between lock Matt McCullough bulldozed over for a try as the Italians were sent packing.

Centre Diego Sacca lifted the siege five minutes after the break for Italy with fly-half Vincenzo Zullo again adding the points but from there to the end it was Ireland firmly in control.

The superior Irish pack pushed over again after 45 minutes with Ballymena¹s Bryan Young getting the touchdown before his unrelated clubmate, full-back Scott Young, got in after a good passing movement from right to left.

O¹Riordan completed his hat-trick when he sniped through a gap from his own 10-metre line down the left-wing before cutting in to score under the posts.

That pushed Ireland past the 50-point mark and St Mary¹s College centre Barry Lynn was on the field just seconds when he scored Ireland¹s ninth try in the final minute to complete the rout.

Scorers: IRELAND: B. O¹Riordan, three tries; E Hickey, six cons, one pen; S Young, try; B Young, try; M McCullough, try; D Leamy, try; N McMillan, try; B Lynn, try.

ITALY: M Rizzo, try; D Sacca, try; V. Zullo, two cons.

Ireland: S Young (Ballymena); M McPhail (UL/Bohemians), G Duffy (Galwegians), C O¹Sullivan (UCC), C McPhilips (St Mary¹s College); E Hickey (St Mary¹s College), B O¹Riordan (UCD); J Lyne (Lansdowne), K Corrigan (UCD), B Young (Ballymena); S Keogh (UCC), M McCullough (Ballymena); D Leamy (UCC), R Wilson (Dublin University), N McMillan (Ballymena).

Replacements: S Philips (Saracens) for B Young, 70 mins; R Best (Newcastle) for Corrigan, 72 mins; F Murphy (UCC) for O¹Riordan, 72 mins; J Norton (St Mary¹s College) for McPhilips, 76 mins; M Carroll (Blackrock College) for Keogh, 76 mins; C Hartigan (Garryowen) for McMillan, 79 mins; B Lynn (St Mary¹s College) for O¹Sullivan, 79 mins.

Italy: A Masi (L¹Aquila); C Gaudillo (Sannio), D Sacca (Livorno), M Barbini (Petrarca), G Canale (Benetton); V Zullo (Sannio), P Travagli (Viadana); C Russo (Sannio), M Rizzo (Petrarca), M Pietrosanti (Roma); A Bresolin (Mogliano), A Pegoretti (Roma); A Mannato (Sannio), A

Frassinella (Benetton), L Ferraro (Cus Firenze).

Replacements: G Intoppa (Calvisano) for Rizzo, inj. 54 mins; N Bezzati (Petrarca) for Pegoretti, 59

mins; S Picone (Silea) for Travagli, 59 mins; S Accorsi (Mirano) for Canale, 66 mins; F Tripodi (L¹Aquila) for Frassinella, 79 mins.

Referee: Phil Fear (Wales).