Ireland took pole position for their first Six Nations title in five years with a crushing 46-7 win over Italy yesterday as talismanic centre Brian O’Driscoll became the most capped player ever in his final home game.
O’Driscoll made decisive passes to set up three of the home side’s seven tries and sparked the biggest cheer of the day when he left the field after 62 minutes to end his world record 140th game for Ireland.
Jonathan Sexton scored two tries, with Andrew Trimble, Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Fergus McFadden and Jack McGrath also touching down.
An early try by Leonardo Sarto and some fierce Italian defending failed to dampen the Irish party.
An Irish victory over France in Paris in the last match of the championship next weekend would give O’Driscoll the dream end to his glittering career, unless England, France or Wales can win twice and claw back a deficit of over 60 points.
A huge poster paying tribute to the centre known to his legion of fans simply as BOD was paraded around the field and the crowd roared its approval every time he got the ball.
“Unfortunately it has to end at some stage, but it’s great to go out at home with a big win,” O’Driscoll said as he picked up his man of the match award. “There is a championship in this team,” he said.
A narrow defeat by England at Twickenham two weeks ago ended O’Driscoll’s hopes of adding to his 2009 Grand Slam, but Ireland’s superior point difference makes them early favourites to take the championship.
England, Ireland’s main rivals for the title along with France, host two-times defending champions Wales today.
Minutes after receiving a standing ovation from the crowd as he ran onto the pitch, O’Driscoll made the opening try with a neat pass for Sexton to touch down under the posts.
Italy, who beat Ireland last season, were dealt an early blow when their influential prop Martin Castrogiovanni left the field injured and Ireland proceeded to dominate the possession, turning over two Italian lineouts and one scrum.
Italy winger Leonardo Sarto threatened to tear up the script by touching down under the posts at the end of a darting counterattack and level the score.
But Ireland hit back with a Sexton penalty, before O’Driscoll again made the pass to allow winger Trimble to score in the corner and put Ireland 17-10 up at half-time.
It took Ireland 12 minutes of the second half to break down some staunch Italian defence when captain Paul O’Connell helped Healy force his way over the line.
Ireland then took advantage of their superior fitness to open the floodgates, with tries in the final quarter by Sexton, Cronin, McFadden and McGrath to extend their points difference lead ahead of their crunch game in Paris.
France edge Scots
A last-gasp Jean-Marc Doussain penalty earned a woeful France a narrow 19-17 away win over Scotland that keeps Les Bleus on course for their first Six Nations title since 2010 yesterday.
Doussain converted a penalty in the 78th minute to set up an exciting finale against Ireland at the Stade de France next Saturday.
The hosts, who have not beaten Les Bleus since a 20-16 victory in the championship in 2006, scored two tries through Stuart Hogg and Tommy Seymour with Greig Laidlaw adding the extras while Duncan Weir slotted home a penalty.
France had one Yoann Huget try to show for themselves with Maxime Machenaud’s boot providing 11 points, to which Doussain added the winning three.
Playing today: 16.00 England vs Wales.
Standings: Ireland (3-0-1) 6; France (3-0-1) 6; England (2-0-1) 4; Wales (2-0-1) 4; Scotland (1-0-3) 2; Italy (0-0-4) 0.