It hasn't been a performance that will enthuse Joe Schmidt. Ireland have looked off the pace, and Italy are threatening to make this very very difficult.
One Irish player who is standing up is Peter O'Mahony. The flanker made the key lineout steal ahead of Earls' opening try, but his try saving tackle on Josh Furno might just have saved Ireland's blushes.
Furno was put into the corner by some wonderful Italian hands, and it looked harder for Furno not to score. Enter O'Mahony:
It was doubly brilliant from O'Mahony, who first aims his hands to try and knock the ball out, then wrapping the ball up and twisting - so that not only did Furno get pushed into touch, but didn't have an opportunity to get the ball down.
Fantastic work.