Captain Casey Dunne has scored a hat-trick of tries in Ireland's 60-26 win over Italy in Brescia.
Coach Carl de Chenu's team of Irish domestic players led 26-16 at half-time and only pulled away from their hosts with three tries in the last 10 minutes.
It was a useful workout for the Wolfhounds, who will be bolstered by the inclusion of a host of overseas players for the all-important World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Russia in October.
De Chenu said: "These games offer a great chance for players to experience rugby league at international level and are a great growth opportunity for the sport across other developing nations.
"There is no doubt that the players in Ireland have the potential and it's great to see players coming through from under 19s and students and into the senior team."
