Six Nations: Ireland stroll past 12-man Italy with easy 57-6 win

Debutant Michael Lowry scored two tries as Ireland condemned 12-man Italy to a 100th Six Nations defeat in Dublin.

The hosts played with a two-man advantage for 60 minutes after Italian replacement hooker Hame Faiva was sent off midway through the first half.

His dismissal prompted uncontested scrums, which forced Italy to take off another player.

And the visitors finished the game with 12 men after Braam Steyn's late yellow card.

Ireland took full advantage of their numerical superiority, running in nine tries to boost their points difference as they bounced back from their defeat in Paris two weeks ago.

The double-whammy of losing two players after just a quarter of the game meant Italy never had a hope of avoiding the grim landmark of a century of tournament defeats.

The Azzurri remain without a win in the competition since 2015 having lost their last 35 fixtures, while Ireland turn their attentions to Twickenham in two weeks' time.

More to follow.

Ireland: Lowry; Hansen, Ringrose, Henshaw, Lowe; Carbery, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, Beirne, Baird; O'Mahony, van der Flier, Doris.

Replacements: Herring, Kilcoyne, Bealham, Treadwell, Conan, Casey, Sexton, Hume.

Italy: Padovani; Bruno, Brex, Marin, Ioane; Garbisi, Varney; Fischetti, Lucchesi, Ceccarelli, Cannone, Ruzza, Pettinelli, Lamaro (capt), Halafihi.

Replacements: Faiva, Nemer, Pasquali, Sisi, Zuliani, Steyn, Fusco, Zanon.