RLWC2017 - Ireland v. Italy Report
A sweltering thirty-two degrees welcomed Ireland and Italy to the pitch at Barlow Park in Cairns for the pool C/D game with the blue of Italy being the favourites with the bookies to overcome the conditions and start their World Cup campaign with a victory.
The warm weather policy had been enacted with water breaks after twenty minutes of each half and an extended half time period to give the players more time to take on fluids.
The Irish won the coin toss and elected to take advantage of a strong wind at their backs in the first half.
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