Six Nations 2025: ‘If you don’t evolve, you’ll get bypassed’ – Ireland plot summer rebuild

Ireland’s attack is a key area of concern after it failed to click into gear and light up Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.

Ireland scored 17 tries and 135 points in the 2025 championship, their weakest return since 2021. France, in contrast, ran in 30 tries and 218 points.

Les Bleus may be in a different league in that regard, but England – who Ireland beat six weeks ago – scored 25 tries and 179 points to finish above Ireland in second.

Against Italy, Easterby had a well-established backline featuring the returning Crowley, Mack Hansen, James Lowe and Garry Ringrose, but still only scored 22 points, fewer than they managed against France.

The struggle to turn pressure inside the opponent’s 22-metre line into points was prevalent throughout the autumn Tests and continued in the Six Nations.

Addressing Ireland’s attack, which peaked in the second half of their opening game against England, Easterby said “we’ve seen really good things” while admitting there are “certain things that we feel we need to get better at”.

“A lot of that is under pressure situations, how good are guys, how accurate they are with decision-making.

“All the things that make a good rugby player. We’ve got to keep pushing that and trying to expose them in those sort of situations.”