Italy put up a strong fight against Ireland in the Six Nations clash in Rome but ultimately fell to a 34-20 loss; here is how we rated the Azzurri players in defeat.

15 Ange Capuozzo: While his attacking attributes are well documented, and he showcased them against Ireland, Capouzzo’s defence continues to let him down. He made one good tackle to deny James Lowe early on in the game but was turned inside out by Josh van der Flier for Bundee Aki’s try and didn’t even make an attempt on Hugo Keenan. 5

14 Edoardo Padovani: The most experienced Azzurri backline player, Padovani was solid under the high ball and offered Italy another kicking option – not that they made use of it. He made a few poor defensive decisions, including a shoot-up on Aki for Ireland‘s first try. Replaced before the hour mark. 5

Garbisi’s return

13 Juan Ignacio Brex: An up-and-down game from the centre who made a few excellent reads on defence, some of which stopped Ireland’s attack dead. He had some strong carries and linked up nicely with Tommaso Menoncello but wasted a chance kicking over the top in Ireland’s 22, which swung the moment back to Ireland at a crucial point in the game. Nonetheless, he produced a hard-working performance. 6

12 Tommaso Menoncello: Back to his favoured position, and it showed, Menoncello was resolute on defence and a hand full on attack. He carried superbly into the Irish defence and spread the ball well when needed. 7

11 Pierre Bruno: One of the culprits who put in a poor defensive effort to stop Keenan early on in the match. He bounced back to intercept Aki’s pass and race away for the try. He proved to be a real handful for Mack Hansen as he gained over 150 running metres and beaten eight defenders – both match-high tallies. 7

10 Paolo Garbisi: Worrying scenes for Italian fans as the fly-half was seen icing his shoulder shortly after coming off. He did spend 73 minutes on the pitch, and the Azzurri were better off with him running the attack. They looked far more accurate and organised. All of Italy’s best moments came through the pivot. 7

9 Stephen Varney: He kept the tempo when Italy did get through a few attacking phases. He took his chance well after a superb carry from Cannone. While it is the game plan, Varney does need to take it upon himself to kick more often and when required. 6

Cannone carries Italy forward

8 Lorenzo Cannone: The biggest attacking threat in the pack, Cannone found space in the Irish defence as he gained over 60 metres. His break created the try for Varney, and he was just as busy on defence leading the tackle count for most of the game before he was replaced in the 65th minute. A simply outstanding performance. 8

7 Michele Lamaro: The Italy captain wasn’t as box office as his fellow back-rowers, but he was at the forefront of the battle, making covering and heft tackles throughout the game. Again, he was excellent over the ball and shone with the ball in hand, linking up well with his sharp passing game. 7

6 Sebastian Negri: Another brutally effective and abrasive performance from the inform blindside flanker. The Azzurri needed to front up physically to stay in the fight with Ireland, and Negri led the way on this front. A powerful performance on both sides of the ball and an accurate outing at the breakdown. 7

Tight five

5 Federico Ruzza: Another busy performance for the lock who got stuck into the breakdown battle. He won a key lineout steal inside the Azzurri 22 to deny Ireland a super attacking opportunity. Ruzza also grabbed another turnover as he stripped the ball off Hansen in a tackle. He was about a metre off from scoring after Brex’s kick in the latter stage. Overall, a great performance. 7

4 Niccolò Cannone: An outing that could quite easily fly under the radar. He wasn’t quite as prominent as his brother, but he was just as important. He weighed in with 14 tackles and a turnover, and another player who piled into the rucks. 6

3 Simone Ferrari: Ticked all the boxes for a tighthead prop. He made his tackles, carried when required, and his side of the scrum was solid. 5

2 Giacomo Nicotera: Despite the threats Ireland have at lineout time, Nicotera’s darts all found their targets. His performance was interrupted by an HIA, but he returned to complete a solid 58-minute shift. 5

1 Danilo Fischetti: Gave Finlay Bealham issues at scrum time, but Tom O’Toole did get the better of him. He continues to shine in the contact areas landing a few hard hits and carrying superbly into the defence. 6

Replacements: The front-row replacements battled hard to keep them in the game, making 27 tackles collectively while Giovanni Pettinelli picked up from where Lorenzo Cannone left off, tearing into the Irish defence. Overall, it was a positive impact from the Azzurri replacements. 7

READ MORE: Six Nations: Ireland claim third straight maximum but pushed all the way by Italy

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