James Lowe: 'We’re just in a good place at the moment and doing the basics right'

Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada was impressed enough to compare this 2024 Ireland side to the all-conquering New Zealand sides of old the way the basics were executed with accuracy and precision.

GOOD PLACE: Ireland's James Lowe after Ireland defeated Italy. Pic credit: Ben Brady, Inpho.

It has been more than a decade now since Ireland lost to Italy as the points and tries have rained down on the Azzurri year after year.

Yet no performance since that last defeat in Rome in 2013 has been quite as ruthless as last Sunday’s when Andy Farrell’s men did not concede a point in their 36-0 bonus-point victory at Aviva Stadium.