Most importantly, the team are mastering their weaknesses and playing some mighty rugby along the way, writes LIAM TOLAND

IT TOOK just 33 seconds before Jamie Heaslip and Sergio Parisse crashed into each other when Heaslip, carrying the ball, met the brick wall of Parisse and the ball bobbled. The game of international rugby is built on very tight margins and neither player was prepared to concede an inch.

And so it was to continue for both sides as the minutes ticked by. International rugby is so beautiful because one week it pits the Irish against the Italians, all muscle, all lineout maul and all scrum and the very next week it is the flowing, offloading of the Welsh.

It’s hard to know where the pendulum swung for Ireland as the Italians filled the field for much of the first half, remaining very disciplined in defence. You could see Ireland were prepared to attack several channels, most notably with Conor Murray slipping around the tail of the lineout several times in the first half.

What a feeling it must be, 22 years of age, a child, receiving the ball off Paul O’Connell or Heaslip and skirting around the end heading into opposition territory.

His distribution was crisp and accurate and was helped very much by the quality of ball placement and consistent clear out. It afforded Ronan O’Gara the option to take the ball on the gain line if he wished but it also made the timing off O’Gara much easier to predict for his midfield.

Clearly Italian tighthead Martin Castrogiovanni exercised the Irish psyche far beyond the scrum. The “Guns of the Navarone”, Stephen Ferris and Seán O’Brien, hunted him down and smashed him whenever near the ball. It was in this physical confrontation that Castrogiovanni hurt himself and ultimately went off, changing the course of the match for ever.

Where did the pendulum swing? The cabinet reshuffle that ensued in the Italian frontrow was Ireland’s opportunity. If this was the RWC opener for Ireland especially after the poor autumn series then they may have faltered within themselves. But this Irish side didn’t run down cul-de-sacs, it blossomed in the opportunity, finding a brilliant balance between the coal face and space.

Until that point the Italians were disciplined and the Irish patient but the latter were unable to punch holes and the pitch was just that bit too narrow to get around the Azzurri.

The Italians were also bringing variety to their game, hunting for space through intricate back line moves heavy on pull backs to deep lying backs. Likewise for all their interplay they too couldn’t fix the Irish defence and ultimately ran out of space. As expected, the Italians’ lineout was reasonable but their lineout maul was both patient and superb.

At times Ireland competed in the air, weakening their ground forces, who couldn’t quite disrupt the Italian set up; even when it did the Italians were masters at regrouping and did much damage to the Irish.

A long way into that first half neither side were able to eke out enough space to force a score; Ireland having a 100 per cent tackle rate and the Italians not too far behind on 93 per cent, tight stuff indeed.

Players who create opportunities are worth their weight in gold. But the real skill, the real value to the team comes from those who can spot those opportunities. Creation is when Heaslip steals the ball from an Italian breakdown way out on the touchline. Creation is when Ferris takes that ball off Murray on the gainline and offloads to O’Brien, who smashes the Italian outhalf Luciano Orqeura back on his bottom.

That’s creation but it was Tommy Bowe who spotted the opportunity when coming in of his wing; he cut a beautiful line in anticipation of O’Brien’s run and was finger tips from him as he offloaded. It was a perfectly good pass and a perfectly good try (disallowed) combined with buckets of creation from the backrow and a moment of opportunity from the wing. Nice omen!

As the clock wound towards half-time with Castrogiovanni limping off it was imperative Italy held the ball, not offer cheap turnovers. Clearly Ireland looked like a team growing in confidence, especially having spilled some kick off ball themselves. Could Italy hold the ball and if not then could Ireland maximise it?

In other words could we create and then spot those opportunities? They certainly created by beating defenders with clean breaks and, crucially, offloading while carrying for 436 metres versus 164 for the Italians. The Irish first phase attack from the lineout was a concern in recent months, especially contrasting with how easily the Russians scored against us off the front of their lineout.

Interestingly Ireland mimicked the frontal lineout attack with similar ruthlessness. This time Donncha O’Callaghan provided Murray with off the top ball, timing perfectly to allow O’Gara and Gordon D’Arcy front foot ball carrying into traffic.

The balance between creation and spotting the opportunity arrived when Bowe put himself into first receiver with Brian O’Driscoll outside him. Again Murray experienced great ball placement. Bowe accelerated into that spot where neither one nor the other defender could claim him as their own. More creation but O’Driscoll had spotted the opportunity. Was this deftest of switches, not unlike the one France pulled on us in the Aviva some weeks back when Aurelien Rougerie switched with Cedric Heymans for a seven pointer?

Simple, but both O’Driscoll and Heymans spotted the opportunity. Both Andrew Trimble and Keith Earls were to repeat the beautiful balance right at the death.

When Ireland are at their best there is a wonderful symmetry between the creation (lineout, scrum, front five clearing out, affording the backrow time and space) and opportunity where our back three are willing and able to first spot them and ultimately take them. The added bonus to this mix is the ever growing number of Irish players who can both create and opportunistic.

And as for the Italians, they deserved so much more. France lose two matches and go into the play-offs and Italy go home. The passion, competitiveness and combative qualities displayed by Castrogiovanni, Parisse etc is what make the Rugby World Cup so special but especially with their rendition of their national anthem. Travel safely Italy. See you further down the road.

Finally last Friday’s article exercised much debate, especially my take on the selection issue at 10. I didn’t know the team selection prior to writing and therefore was playing out a hypothetical scenario between the Irish coach and his two generals.

I therefore leave you with a point sent to me from Paul in Switzerland: “A player will learn to master his weaknesses on the pitch but fear them on the bench.” O’Gara was exemplary yesterday, so too was Sexton coming off the bench when drilling the sideline conversion.

However, most importantly, the team are mastering their weaknesses and playing some mighty rugby along the way.