Ronan O’Gara’s last-gasp drop goal broke Italian hearts and saved Declan Kidney’s blushes as Ireland squeaked home in the Stadio Flaminio 13-11.
Italy seemed on the cusp of their first ever RBS 6 Nations defeat of Ireland when full-back Luke McLean dived over with six minutes remaining to give Italy a 11-10 lead.But Mirco Bergamasco’s missed conversion proved costly as Ireland marched straight down the other end for replacement O’Gara to split the posts with his drop goal.
Two penalties from Bergamasco had earlier given the Azzurri a 6-3 halftime advantage but although Brian O’Driscoll’s try just after the break seemed to have settled Irish nerves, there was no indication of the late drama that was in store.
Italy made a positive start smashing Ireland backwards in the tackle before Sergio Parisse – playing his first RBS 6 Nations match since March 2009 – helped win a penalty off Sean O’Brien which Bergamasco kicked between posts.
But the hosts paid the price for some committed defence when Six Nations debutant Edoardo Gori had to be replaced after only 12 minutes by Pablo Canavosio.
Ireland finally woke from their sluggish start towards the half’s midpoint and mounted their first meaningful attack down the Italian right.
A carving run from Luke Fitzgerald saw him burst into the 22 but just as he released Jonathan Sexton with the posts in sight the fly-half was scragged by centre Alberto Sgarbi.
The momentum was now firmly with the visitors and having worked their way into the 22, an overlap beckoned but Keith Earls couldn’t gather ball cleanly and when possession was switched the other way Gordon D’Arcy knocked on.
The resulting scrum saw the Italian front row, led by tighthead Martin Castrogiovanni, send the Irish pack shunting backwards winning a penalty in the process.
But the relief was shortlived and when an Italian hand crept into a ruck on the Italian 22 Sexton slotted the penalty between the posts to level the scores on 28 minutes.
Italy immediately responded by using heavy cavalry to punch their way upfield but Bergamasco pulled his penalty just wide before Burton was off target with a drop goal.
However on the stroke of halftime, Bergamasco was on target with a penalty wide on the right after Denis O’Leary failed to release in the tackle to give the hosts a merited 6-3 halftime advantage.
Whatever Declan Kidney said to his troops at halftime certainly had its effect as the visitors stormed in front after just four minutes.
After winning possession from a poor Italian lineout, Ireland stormed into the 22. Sexton was hauled down but the ball was recycled down the blindside for O’Driscoll to take advantage of a mismatch against Castrogiovanni to burrow over.
Sexton converted for a 10-6 lead which seemed to instantly sap Italy’s confidence as a host of handling errors started creeping their way into the game.
But bad hands were not an exclusive Italian preserve as D’Arcy for the third time in the match knocked on, this time with the tryline at his mercy.
The Azzurri rallied in the final quarter of the game and a rolling maul brought them deep into the 22 before opting to go for a scrum where they won a penalty.
Despite several resets referee Romain Poite opted to keep his cards in his pocket and when Italy did use possession the ball was spilled.
It was one-way traffic going into the last ten minutes and Denis Leamy was binned for hands in the ruck – again Italy ignored the option of the posts and went for the lineout.
After going through several phases, the ball was spread wide and full-back McLean dived over in the corner to spark wide scenes in the Stadio Flaminio.
But Bergamasco’s missed conversion was immediately punished by O’Gara – a replacement for Sexton – as Ireland escaped by the skin of their teeth.