Only injury or fatigue was going to see Caelan Doris or Jack Conan removed from the game. Anybody who fixates on Jack Crowley kicking the ball into touch-and-goal at the end of the match, is a denier, when it comes to understanding his role in how Ireland won this match. Photograph: InphoThe Munster outhalf brought tempo, decisiveness, nuanced decision-making and passing, accuracy off the tee and shape to Ireland’s patterns. If Italy had managed to make three passes stick in the first 60-minutes, it would probably have led to tries. The bench is there for impact as much as injury but few would have envisaged how much the Ireland replacements impacted the outcome.

Source: The Irish Times February 14, 2026 21:40 UTC