Rob Henderson breaks away to score the first of his hat-trick of tries
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Matches: Italy 22 - 41 Ireland

Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations

Teams: Ireland | Italy

Rob Henderson was Ireland's hero as he grabbed three tries during a bruising battle at Stadio Flaminio in Rome.

Man of the match Henderson equalled Brian O'Driscoll's feat in Paris last season with a personally stunning display that lifted Ireland from their lethargic performance. It was Ireland's first winning chamionpship start for 13 years.

The Wasps centre scored once in the first half when Ireland were struggling to contain a rampaging Italian pack, and twice in a second half that saw former Italian skipper Alessandro Troncon sent off for thumping his opposite number Peter Stringer in an off-the-ball incident. It was not a good overall performance by the Irish who were expecting to win. But if Italy's Diego Dominguez hadn't cried off, things could have been different.

The Azzurri were naturally feeling a little blue at the loss their diminuitive fly-half and ace goal-kicker. He was replaced by Roma's 22-year-old Argentinian-born Ramiro Pez, who missed a number of kicks at goal and his generalship was not in the same class at the Stade Français star.

The Italian management and coach had been playing cat and mouse regarding Dominguez fitness for the past six days. But it was only officially announced an hour before the game that the Italian talisman was out due to a collective groin and hamstring injury.

But it was Ireland's fly-half who got the show on the road after only two minutes. He launched a Garryowen just outside the Italy '22' and wing Corrado Pilat was penalised for not releasing and the Munstserman duly swept over the kick. That was matched by Pilat five minutes later after Italy stormed upfield and Ireland were penalised for going over the top in front of their posts.

Ireland twice missed opportunities to release the extra man, but first Shane Horgan and then Mike Mullins preferred to take the tackle before O'Gara's second penalty from 35 metres nudged Ireland ahead again in the 11th minute. Led by no.8 David Dal Maso, the Italian pack continually bulldozed their way over and through green jerseys as Ireland for the most part were in defensive mode.

But there was little they could do in the 25th minute as Italy scored the first try of the game. Hard-running full-back Cristian Stoica was twice involved as he cut the Ireland defence to ribbons before he gave the scoring pass to Pilat to crash over in the right-hand corner. As Pilat was helped off with a shoulder injury O'Gara quicklly put Ireland ahead again with his third penalty.

However, Ireland were having major problems dealing with the Italian loose play, and time and again, their possession was being spoiled. But in gegneral Ireland's overall work was untidy and uninspiring.

Then one minute from the break, Ireland, or should I say Rob Henderson finally burst into life. A long flat ball from O'Gara on the half-way line saw Henderson take possession like a mail train snatching the postbag off a siding. The Wasps man realy stung the Italian defence when he swerved left, and found a yawning gap in front of him which he utilised to full. You could feel the vibrations of the big centre thundering to the try-line and he slipped into the corner just ahead of Stoica's tackle. For good meaure, O'Gara landed a brilliant touchline conversion and then slotted over a fourth penalty to ease Ireland 19-8 ahead.

But the half was not finished yet, for nor were Italy as they immediately charged downfield with veteran lock Carlo Checchinato forcing his way over in injury time with the try being awarded after a second viewing on the video replay. Pez converted and Italy were right back a game that for only briefly they went AWOL.

It was Henderson who gave Ireland the perfect start to the second half when he grabbed his second try. It was Wallace who made ground after an Irish steal on the half-way line. A Keith Wood chip ahead was fumbled by Stoica and Ireland support work enabled won the ruck and the ball flashed out right and Henderson was able to ignore the extra men outside him to run around under the posts for O'Gara to convert.

But Ireland were not able to exert their presence, that is until Henderson did the trick again. Ireland were still furious with Springbok referee Jonathan Kaplan missed a blatant late tackle on Peter Stringer by Mauro Bergamasco when Girvan Dempsey countered from deep and the ball flashed through the hands Henderson, Mullins before Tyrone Howe was sent flying along the left wing. Howe did marvellously to crash out of two tackles but he was crunched by a hefty body check by Stoica when chasing his kick ahead. But Henderson had not finished running, and while others waited the Wasps man won the race for the touchdown for his third try. For his troubles, Stoica became the second Italian sin-binned after first-half victim Andrea Muraro.

At 31-15, Ireland had finally shrugged off the monkey from their backs and in the 63rd minute Shane Horgan scampered over for try number four to move Ireland 36-15 ahead.

The game became embroiled in personal battles as the clock wound down and Peter Clohessy found himself sin-binned while Italy's former skipper Alessandro Troncon went a stage further when he clouted off the ball and was deservedly sent packing in the 76th minute.

O'Gara made sure of victory when he danced over with two minutes remaining, but as coach Warren Gatland brought on all his bench, Italy were finally rewarded with a consolation try when Bergamasco touched down with Pez converting.

Italy:C Stoica (E Galon, 27), C Pilat, L Martin (W Pozzebon, 71), G Raineri, D Dallan, R Pez, A Troncon; A Lo Cicero, A Moscardi, capt, A Muraro (G De Ca (E Galon 73),rli 58), W Visser, C Checchinato, C Caione, D Dal Maso, M Bergamasco.

Ireland: G Dempsey, S Horgan, M Mullins (K Maggs, 68), R Henderson, T Howe (D Humphreys 71), R O'Gara, P Stringer (B O'Meara, 78); P Clohessy, K Woods, capt (F Sheahan (78), J Hayes (E Byrne, 68), M Galwey, M O'Kelly, A Quinlan, A Foley (A Ward, 63), D Wallace.

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa).