Ireland v Italy

A New Year's Eve fixture in 1988 that seemed routine; history had other plans.

On 31 December 1988, Ireland hosted Italy in a tour test match and won 31–15. It was an unremarkable scoreline at the time, but it marked the beginning of a fixture that would grow in significance over the following decades. Italian rugby was still finding its feet on the international stage, and this first encounter gave little hint of the competitive battles to come.

Italy were knocking loudly; the Five Nations was running out of reasons not to answer.

Ireland and Italy were drawn in the same pool at the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa. Ireland won the encounter, but Italy's growing competitiveness on the world stage was becoming impossible to ignore. The Azzurri were knocking on the door of the established European rugby order, and their performances throughout the 1990s made a compelling case for inclusion in the Five Nations.

A 15-point win in Bologna announced Italy's arrival; the Five Nations would never look quite the same again.

In January 1997, Italy recorded their first victory over Ireland, winning 37–22 in Bologna. It was a result that sent shockwaves through European rugby. Diego Domínguez, the Argentine-born fly-half who would become Italy's all-time leading points scorer, was instrumental. The win added significant weight to Italy's bid for admission to the Five Nations Championship.

Italy earned their seat at the top table in 2000; the annual fixture was born.

The Five Nations became Six in 2000, with Italy's admission transforming the championship. Ireland and Italy would now meet every year, alternating between Dublin and Rome. Ireland won the inaugural Six Nations encounter, and the fixture quickly settled into a pattern: fiercely contested in Rome, more comfortable for the hosts in Dublin. The expansion brought a new dimension to the championship calendar and gave Italian rugby a permanent seat at European rugby's top table.

Rugby at Croke Park; 82,300 seats and a nation suddenly hungry for the game.

The final international at Lansdowne Road took place in 2006, and the old ground was demolished to make way for a modern replacement. During the construction period, Ireland played their home Six Nations fixtures at Croke Park, the GAA's headquarters. The temporary move to Croke Park, with its 82,300 capacity, gave Ireland v Italy matches a grander stage and underlined the growing appetite for international rugby in Dublin.

A bowl that traps 51,700 voices and turns a Six Nations afternoon in Dublin 4 into something close to elemental.

The Aviva Stadium opened in May 2010 on the site of the old Lansdowne Road ground. With a capacity of 51,700 and a striking curved design, it gave Ireland a world-class venue for home fixtures. The intimate bowl shape concentrates the noise in a way the old ground never quite managed, and Six Nations matchdays in Dublin 4 became one of European rugby's great occasions. Italy's visits to the new stadium have consistently drawn capacity crowds.

Italy's first Six Nations win over Ireland, sealed in Rome, ended any Irish title hopes that afternoon.

On 16 March 2013, Italy defeated Ireland 22–15 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. It was Italy's first Six Nations victory over Ireland and only their second win in the championship that season. Luciano Orquera orchestrated the Italian attack, and the result denied Ireland any chance of a championship challenge. It remains one of the most significant results in Italian Six Nations history.

Stockdale crossed seven times across the championship; a Six Nations try-scoring record sealed during Ireland's third-ever Grand Slam.

Ireland's 2018 Grand Slam, their first since 2009 and only their third ever, included a comprehensive 56–19 victory over Italy at the Aviva Stadium. Joe Schmidt's side were in imperious form throughout the championship, and the Italy match showcased the attacking rugby that made them the most feared side in Europe that spring. Jacob Stockdale scored a hat-trick, finishing the tournament with seven tries, a new Six Nations record.

Ireland claimed a fourth Grand Slam, yet Italy's try-scoring ability quietly suggested the fixture's one-sided chapter may be drawing to a close.

Ireland secured a fourth Grand Slam in 2023 under Andy Farrell, beating Italy 34–20 in Rome along the way. While Ireland's dominance of the fixture continued, Italy under Gonzalo Quesada were showing genuine signs of improvement. The Azzurri's performances across the championship suggested the gap was closing, and their ability to score tries against the best sides in Europe hinted at a brighter future.

Seven points the margin, but Italy made Dublin work for every one of them.

The 2026 Six Nations brought Italy to Dublin, where Ireland won 20–13 in a match that was closer than many predicted. Italy's continued improvement under Quesada was evident, and the single-score margin reflected a fixture that, while still tilted firmly in Ireland's favour, no longer offers the comfortable afternoons it once did. The Aviva Stadium remains one of the toughest away days in European rugby, but Italy are making it harder with every visit.