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| October 22, 2003 | Wednesday | Sha’aban 25, 1424 |
History-making Italy beat Canada
CANBERRA, Oct 21: Italy withstood a fierce late rally to beat Canada 19-14 and set up a shoot-out with Wales for a Rugby World Cup quarterfinal berth here Tuesday.
The Italians were clinging on in the final minutes of a nerve-wracking Pool D game after hooker Fabio Ongaro was sent to the sin-bin, but they weathered the Canadian storm to secure a historic victory.
The win at a rain-soaked Canberra Stadium marked the first time in Italy’s history that they have won two matches at a World Cup, following on from a victory over Tonga last week after an earlier thrashing by New Zealand.
The Italians now face Wales - who they beat in this year’s Six Nations - on Saturday, knowing that victory will send them into the quarterfinals of the tournament for the first time.
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 Rima Wakarua in response to two from opposite number Jared Barker.
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 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.—Reuters
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