Hugo Keenan and Dan Sheehan (hat-trick) rating tries as Eire safe bonus-point Six Nations Tremendous Saturday victory over Italy at Stadio Olimpico in Rome; Monty Ioane, Stephen Varney scored Italy tries regardless of dropping Michele Lamaro to sin-bin and Ross Vintcent to 20-minute crimson card
By Michael Cantillon
Final Up to date: 15/03/25 4:32pm
Dan Sheehan scored a hat-trick as Eire edged to a flat Six Nations victory in Rome
Dan Sheehan scored a hat-trick however Eire produced a disappointingly error-strewn efficiency within the Six Nations’ last spherical as they edged previous Italy 22-17 in Rome.
Full-back Hugo Keenan scored Eire’s different attempt however 4 was all they might handle regardless of Italy seeing Michele Lamaro sin-binned and Ross Vintcent proven a 20-minute crimson card.
Eire stretched to 22-10 in entrance within the 58th minute however Italy replied with the subsequent rating by way of Stephen Varney – Monty Ioane scoring a attempt within the first half – making a nervy end.
Italy – Tries: Ioane (12), Varney (63). Cons: Allan (13, 65). Pens: Allan (33).
Eire – Tries: Keenan (24), Sheehan (40, 47, 58). Cons: Crowley (24).
Eire couldn’t rating once more regardless of additional probabilities, with Italy then handed one last alternative to say an inconceivable win, however one they had been unable to take.
A scrappy begin to the competition noticed Italy produce the primary second of high quality to guide: excellent centre Tommaso Menoncello breaking previous poor Mack Hansen and Garry Ringrose deal with makes an attempt earlier than offloading to Paolo Garbisi, who then produced an ideal grubber-kick for Ioane to attain on 12 minutes.
Tommaso Allan transformed beautifully from close to the touchline for 7-0, with back-row Jack Conan knocking on within the Italy half as Irish errors with and with out the ball continued to rack up.

Italy wing Monty Ioane scored the opening attempt of the Take a look at on 12 minutes

One other Menoncello break from his personal half virtually noticed Italy in once more earlier than the assault broke down within the Eire 22, with the guests then lastly placing collectively some attacking phases of their very own.
Simply once they thought that they had the opening attempt by way of tighthead Finlay Bealham, although, it was accurately dominated out for a double motion after a TMO overview.
Eire caught at it and finally did break by way of through Keenan off a stunning Jack Crowley no-look cross, with the latter changing to stage issues.

Hugo Keenan raced over off a Jack Crowley cross for Eire’s opening attempt
Italy scrum-half Martin Web page-Relo made one other large break quickly after as Jamison Gibson-Park overread the play and was crushed on his inside, however the Irish recovered to clear.
With seven minutes to play within the half, Italy edged again in entrance by way of the booming boot of Allan after a blatant Ringrose penalty for offside.

Tommaso Allan edged Italy again in entrance off the tee in the course of the first half
A beautiful Crowley wraparound play got here to nothing when Tadhg Beirne was penalised for blocking, however a Conan breakdown penalty carved out the ultimate likelihood of the half.
Inside it, Italy alternative back-row Lamaro – the skipper dropped for this one however on due to damage – slapped the ball out of Gibson-Park’s fingers whereas off ft in a ruck. A transparent sin-bin offence, Lamaro was duly proven yellow and Eire had been instantly over for his or her second attempt through Sheehan at a rolling maul.
Up in opposition to 14, Eire annoyed as Gibson-Park despatched a poor cross into contact, a Hansen break wasn’t completed when the transfer broke down between Crowley and Sheehan on the left wing, and James Ryan failed to complete a attempt within the nook following a powerful counter-ruck.
That final likelihood got here on penalty benefit, with Eire kicking into the nook and eventually including a 3rd attempt: one other rolling maul with backs becoming a member of in once more completed by Sheehan.

Two of Sheehan’s tries got here through highly effective Eire rolling mauls
Crowley missed his second conversion to depart the Eire lead at seven factors, however Italy No 8 Vintcent was then proven yellow – upgraded to a 20-minute crimson card – from the restart for a head-on-head deal with on Keenan.
Keenan appeared to have scored Eire’s fourth after a stunning Crowley dummy and cross, however the rating was pulled again for an earlier Caelan Doris knock-on.
It mattered little when Sheehan was readily available to attain when Gibson-Park discovered Hansen with a cross-field kick which the latter phenomenally performed again infield for the attempt.

Sheehan’s third and Eire’s fourth got here as Mack Hansen confirmed very good ability to bat the ball again in play
Italy responded to get again inside a rating, although, when Ange Capuozzo confirmed off his tempo earlier than kicking forward, Hansen spilled the ball off the bounce, and Varney received over. Allan produced an excellent kick to slim the hole to only 5 factors.
Conan knocked on one other Eire likelihood simply because the hosts had been restored to fifteen, earlier than Keenan was denied a attempt by the contact decide when Lowe was dominated in contact simply prior – one thing which appeared incorrect primarily based on replays.
Eire then clammed up with Italy sniffing a possible marquee victory. One likelihood was all they received, however although Capuozzo and Leonado Marin broke down the appropriate, Garbisi was too informal as Lowe might intercept because the Irish defence received set.
Eire’s Six Nations 2025 fixtures
Saturday, February 1 | Eire 27-22 England | |
Sunday, February 9 | Scotland 18-32 Eire | |
Saturday, February 22 | Wales 18-27 Eire | |
Saturday, March 8 | Eire 27-42 France | |
Saturday, March 15 | Italy 17-22 Eire |
Italy’s Six Nations 2025 fixtures
Saturday, February 1 | Scotland 31-19 Italy | |
Saturday, February 8 | Italy 22-15 Wales | |
Sunday, February 23 | Italy 24-73 France | |
Sunday, March 9 | England 47-24 Italy | |
Saturday, March 15 | Italy 17-22 Eire |
What’s subsequent?: British & Irish Lions tour of Australia on Sky Sports activities

Watch the Lions tour of Australia dwell on Sky Sports activities in 2025
Sky Sports activities will solely present the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, with all three Exams in opposition to the Wallabies and 6 warm-up matches to be proven solely dwell.
British and Irish Lions 2025 tour schedule
Date | Opponent | Venue |
---|---|---|
Saturday, June 28 | Western Power | Perth |
Wednesday, July 2 | Queensland Reds | Brisbane |
Saturday, July 5 | NSW Warratahs | Sydney |
Wednesday, July 9 | ACT Brumbies | Canberra |
Saturday, July 12 | Invitational AU-NZ | Adelaide |
Saturday, July 19 | AUSTRALIA (first Take a look at) | Brisbane |
Wednesday, July 22 | TBC | Melbourne |
Saturday, July 26 | AUSTRALIA (second Take a look at) | Melbourne |
Saturday, August 2 | AUSTRALIA (third Take a look at) | Sydney |