ROME wasn’t built in a day.
But Ireland previously endured a long day in Rome only for it all to come crashing down.
It was the final day of the 2007 Six Nations and Triple Crown winners Ireland — sound familiar? — faced Italy on St Patrick’s weekend needing a miracle.
A loss at home to France that silenced fans — again, sound familiar? — had seemingly ruined Ireland’s Championship chances in the first year that rugby was played at Croke Park.
Like now, Les Bleus were not going for a Grand Slam having inexplicably lost to a plodding England team at Twickenham.
Still, in the days before bonus points, the French had a very healthy points differential going into the final day that meant Ireland needed a big win in Rome to put pressure on them.
Eddie O’Sullivan’s men obliged, putting up 51 points on the Azzurri to pile the heat on France, who would need to beat Scotland by 23 points or more.
In Paris, Euan Murray’s try four minutes from time swung it in Ireland’s favour — but Elvis Vermeulen brought France back from the dead in injury time to secure a 27-point win.
Simon Easterby can still recount the day having been Ireland’s blindside flanker.
The interim boss recalled: “Yeah, 2007 went to Rome, I remember. We put a few points on Italy and then Scotland went to Paris and they had a late try disallowed.
“It was a strange time when we were doing that 18 years ago but we can only do what we do on Saturday and then who knows? It is out of our hands.”
For Ireland today, their task is simple, even if pinching a third successive Championship is not. Caelan Doris and Co must win and win well, and then hope England do not triumph with a bonus point away to Wales and that Scotland can beat France in Paris.
If things go well, or even if they don’t, it will be a long day for everyone.
An Ireland game starting at 2.15pm and a France game ending at around 10pm with no breaks in between will mean fans rubbing bleary and beery eyes in disbelief.
But no one has been talking up the chances of a late-night trophy presentation in a Rome hotel.
The 42-27 humbling by France last week is too fresh and the chances of Wales and Scotland both doing Ireland a favour are too remote.
James Ryan said: “It’ll be interesting obviously having all three games on Saturday. Hopefully we’ll be able to put the feet up and enjoy the two games if we put in the performance that we’re happy with.”
Hugo Keenan added: “We’re just going to be looking after what we can control. We know the likelihood isn’t great.
“We just want to have no regrets coming off the pitch, that we’ve done as much as we can and put in a performance that we’re chasing.
“And hopefully there will be some nervous watching after that.
“The mindset is just to put in a good performance, it’s the last opportunity we have to do it with this group we have.
“There has been good performances but consistently over the Six Nations and this year, we know there is a lot more in us. That’s the challenge this week.”
Doing the needful against Italy will be no easy task. Bar when France put up a Six Nations record score on them a month ago, the Azzurri have been competitive and scored plenty of points.
Ireland may have only lost once in eight visits to Rome — Declan Kidney’s final game in charge in 2013 — but while winning is expected, winning easily is not.
Full-back Keenan added: “We know they’re going to have to bring that emotional, physical edge.
“It’s a great Test match, it’s great to have such a challenge after a loss as well, to test yourself after you put things right, to show what we’ve got.”
THIRD WHEEL?
But the likelihood is that Ireland will end the Championship with one defeat and a Triple Crown — yet a third-place finish in what was a two-horse race.
With no Grand Slam to go for today, the reviews of the Championship have already started, even as they look to forget last week quickly. Lock Ryan acknowledged: “I think we’ll always be frustrated probably with the performance on the weekend.
“But it is what it is now and it’s about trying to turn the page a little bit.”
Easterby, too, acknowledged that Ireland need a good game to move on from what happened last week.
The head coach said: “We need to focus on our performance first and get that right, and whatever happens after that happens.
“We weren’t good enough in lots of areas last week and I think the squad have a real internal motivation to perform and to play at their best when they play in an Irish jersey.
“We didn’t match those expectations and the standards that would have been set across a good period of time. We didn’t get to those standards last week.
“So our challenge and the challenge for the players is to put in their best performance yet.
“We can’t change what went on on Saturday but we can certainly have an impact on the performance and the right result this weekend.”
And if they do that?
He added: “And then who knows? There’s a chance and we just need to make sure we’ve prepared in the right way this week against a really good Italian team.
“If there is a chance, we might get a bit of luck with it being Paddy’s weekend maybe. And who knows, we might end up with something to show for it other than obviously the Triple Crown, which means a lot to us.”
Even when all realism means there is no hope in the Eternal City, hope springs eternal.
