Ireland look in decline as questions mount for Farrell after narrow Six Nations win over Italy

Farrell preferred to accentuate the positives, noting the blooding of Edwin Edogbo and the return of Baloucoune. “The experience that some of these lads are getting is absolutely huge,” he said. “The lads that have been there and done that, they’ve been through this type of pressure and come out the other side and they’ve grown because of it. These lads that managed to do that today, to stand up tall, and that will certainly stand them in good stead. I’m delighted with the win against a very good Italian side.”

There are plenty of questions piling up for Farrell. And with England away at Twickenham next weekend, they are only going to get louder.

Match details

Scoring sequence: 5-0 Osborne try, 5-3 Garbisi pen, 5-8 Nicotera try, 5-10 Garbisi con, 10-10 Conan try, 15-10 Balacoune try, 17-10 Crowley con, 20-10 Crowley pen, 20-13 Garbisi pen.

Ireland: J Osborne; R Baloucoune, G Ringrose, S McCloskey, J Lowe; S Prendergast (J Crowley 56), C Casey (J Gibson-Park 52); J Loughman (T O’Toole 67), D Sheehan (R Kelleher 52), T Clarkson (T Furlong 41), J McCarthy (T Beirne 52), J Ryan (E Edogbo 70), C Izuchukwu (N Timoney 59), C Doris, J Conan.
Sin-bin: Casey.

Italy: L Pani; L Lynagh, L Marin (P Odogwu 67), T Menoncello, M Ioane; P Garbisi, A Fusco (A Garbisi 63); D Fischetti (M Spagnolo 59), G Nicotera (T Di Bartolomeo 59), S Ferrari (M Hasa 59), N Cannone (R Favretto 67), A Zambonin (F Ruzza 61), M Lamaro, M Zuliani, L Cannone (D Odiase 67).
Sin-bin: Lynagh.

Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU).