Ireland win as Italy endures Murphy's Law
Oct 29, 2017 - 7:38 AM Irish eyes weren't smiling on Italy in their Rugby League World Cup opener in Cairns on Sunday.Instead the Azzurri endured Murphy's Law, losing their halves Terry Campese and Jack Johns before being thumped 36-12 by Ireland in their Rugby League World Cup opener in Cairns on Sunday.
World No.12 Italy were expected to launch a maiden Cup finals berth after loading up on NRL stars James Tedesco, Paul Vaughan and Nathan Brown.
But someone forgot to tell world No.8 Wolfhounds, who ran out six tries to two winners at a sweltering Barlow Park.
It seemed whatever could go gone wrong did for the Azzurri.
First Italy lost ex-Kangaroos pivot Terry Campese (calf) before the kick-off.
Then Ireland jumped to a 20-0 lead after 30 minutes with a try scoring double to Toronto Wolfpack winger Liam Kay.
The hammer blow came in the 43rd minute when halfback Jack Johns - son of ex-Kangaroo Matthew and nephew of Immortal Andrew - came off with a suspected fractured arm.
Johns was taken to hospital for scans.
"Hopefully he is OK. It would be a huge blow if he didn't get to play another game," Italy coach Cameron Ciraldo said.
"We didn't have much luck but there are no excuses. We definitely didn't take Ireland too lightly - we've just got to get our starts right."
Italy somehow hit back to cut the deficit to 20-12 by the 48th minute when centre Nathan Milone crossed.
But that's where the resistance ended as Ireland emerged triumphant in a match played in quarters after the heat rule was invoked.
It was a morale-boosting victory for Ireland who endured a win-less 2013 World Cup after making the quarter-finals in 2000 and 2008.
Halfback Liam Finn - Ireland's most capped player in his 31st Test - was inspirational for the Wolfhounds.
"The first 40 minutes are probably the proudest I have been of a team I have coached," said Ireland mentor Mark Aston, who is also coach of Championship side Sheffield.
"The last six years I have had with Ireland that is our best performance without a doubt."
Ireland are grouped with PNG and Wales, with only one team going through to the quarter-finals.
They next play hosts PNG on Sunday.
Italy - at their second World Cup - are grouped with Fiji and the USA and take on the Americans in Townsville on Sunday.
Source: AAP
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