Ireland hold slender lead over Italy

Ireland took a 9-6 lead over Italy after a scrappy first half in the final Pool C match at Otago Stadium on Sunday.

Nerves appeared to get the better of both sides in this crucial last pool match as there was little flow to the play, but several handling errors and numerous penalties.

The closest to a try came when Irish right wing Tommy Bowe crossed the Italian line, only for play to be taken back by South African referee Jonathan Kaplan for a forward pass from flanker Sean O'Brien.

Ronan O'Gara gave Ireland a 3-0 lead after seven minutes with a penalty following a poor opening that saw the Irish hold the slight upperhand.

But Italy levelled three minutes later when wing Mirco Bergamasco slotted over a penalty kick when an Irishman became unbound at a scrum.

O'Gara then hit the upright from a 14th-minute penalty out on the right. The ball bounced back into play before the Azzurri recovered to clear into touch on the full through scrum half Fabio Semenzato.

With penalties coming thick and fast, O'Gara again had an opportunity to give Ireland the lead when Cornelius van Zyl was offside, and the fly half succeeded from out on the left for 6-3 after 17 minutes.

The Azzurri once again equalised just a few minutes later when Mirco Bergamasco kicked his second penalty, from the right, after the Irish had collapsed a maul.

O'Gara once more put Ireland three points clear at 9-6 through a 34th-minute penalty just to the left of the posts when Italy were offside at a ruck.

Mirco Bergamasco then followed O'Gara with a penalty that hit an upright in the 39th minute after Ireland second row Paul O'Connell joining a ruck incorrectly.