|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Wednesday, 22 October 2003 |
 |
|
 |
Sports | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Italy hang on to set up Wales quarter-final shoot-out CANBERRA, Tuesday, (AFP) Italy withstood a fierce late rally to beat Canada 19-14 here Tuesday and set up a shoot-out with Pool D rivals Wales for a World Cup quarter-final berth. The Italians were clinging on in the final minutes after hooker Fabio Ongaro was sent to the sin-bin, but they weathered the Canadian onslaught at Canberra Stadium to secure a historic victory. The win marked the first time in Italy's history where they have won two matches at a World Cup following on from their victory over Tonga last week. The Italians now face Wales - who they beat in this year's Six Nations - on Saturday, knowing that victory will send them into the quarter-finals of the tournament for the first time. The match turned in a decisive period midway through the second half, when Italy scored twice following the sin-binning of Canada centre Marco di Girolamo for killing the ball. New Zealand-born flyhalf Rima Wakarua popped over a simple penalty for di Girolamo's offence to put the Italians 12-9 up, and soon afterwards the Azzurri made their extra man count again. Scrum-half Matteo Mazzantini, who had replaced skipper Alessandro Troncon at half-time, pinched possession from a Canada scrum and number eight Sergio Parisse picked up and bulldozed his way over for the try. Wakarua's conversion made it 19-9 but Canada came back strongly when a blunder from Italy fullback Gonzalo Canale gifted them a scrum deep in enemy territory. From the ensuing set-piece Canada worked fullback Quentin Fyffe over in the corner for a dazzling try to make it 19-14. Fly-half Jared Barker failed with both the conversion and a penalty that would have put Canada level, but the Italians remained under the kosh for a nerve-wrangling final ten minutes. Despite enjoying a wealth of possession and territorial dominance early on, Italy ended the first half only three points clear at 9-6 courtesy of three penalties by Wakarua. A torrential thunder-storm shortly before kick-off made for a greasy playing surface and both sides struggled to adapt, with handling errors littering the game throughout. Against the run of play Canada opened the scoring on 10 minutes, when Barker slotted a penalty from near the 22 after Italy prop Andrea Lo Cicero bored in at a scrum. But with Italy's pack firmly in command at scrum and lineout it was not long before they were back on level terms. Wakarua made it 3-3 with a long-range effort after Canada collapsed a scrum, and the kiwi No.10 put the Italians 6-3 up with his second penalty of the evening after flanker Jim Douglas was offside at the ruck. A rare foray into Canadian territory saw Barker level the scores with another penalty before Wakarua nudged his team in front at the break with his third successful kick. The second half started evenly before di Girolamo's sin-binning turned the tide in Italy's favour. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
