Ireland overcame a half-time deficit and then clung on at the death to unconvincingly beat Italy 20-13 and avoid a historic Six Nations upset at the Aviva Stadium.
The Azzurri have never beaten Ireland in Dublin in this championship but fancied their chances of ending that drought after an opening weekend that saw them secure a win over Scotland in wretched conditions, while Andy Farrell’s side were completely outclassed by France in Paris to raise a few tough questions about their supposed rebuild.
