An Irish rugby fan was arrested in Italy after allegedly attempting to grab a soldier’s submachine gun on Saturday night.
Italian police said Irish fans were singing and shouting in front of the Spanish embassy in Rome, where a military vehicle was parked.
A post on the police's Facebook page said a drunk fan then started to mock a soldier before attempting to grab his submachine gun.
It said police then stopped the fan and dispersed the other supporters who had surrounded the military vehicle.
The fan was arrested and brought to the San Giovanni hospital after which he was detained overnight before appearing in front of a judge.
In a statement, the IRFU said: “It would be inappropriate for the IRFU to comment on a matter on which it has no official detail but it is widely recognised that Irish fans are the most respected in the world thanks to the values, colour and fun they display when supporting teams at home and abroad.”
