Rugby, Italia frightens Ireland but loses 20-13

Italia is down by seven points (13-20) with four minutes to go. And it is attacking. The Aviva Stadium crowd suffers, encourages its players, fears that the Azzurri will manage to equalise. Italia had ended the first half in the lead, and they also ate up a couple of chances: at the end of the first half, when they were in superiority and had come within a metre of the goal line, and in the 12th minute of the second half, when a try by Lynagh after an excellent break by Menoncello was 'reviewed' and cancelled out because of a forward pass between the two players.

Here we are in the 36th minute of the second half. Paolo Garbisi (perfect in footwork) came up with a cross to bounce the ball just under the Irish posts. Menoncello arrived first: picking up that ball and putting it over the goal line would mean parity. But the ball was not round, the bounce was mocking, the chance faded. The Azzurri attacked again, but to no avail.

The fact remains that Italia, after beating Scotland in Rome, confirmed to be a team in progress, more solid and more mature, ready to defend effectively, to try offensive plays, to conquer balls with a scrum once again authoritative (compliments to the first line), sometimes dominant against the home pack. Faced with numerous absences in the Azzurri ranks (this time Brex was also missing, and it was felt) even Ireland, who are going through a complex moment, had to do without some elements. But in the second half the entry of Gibson-Park and Crowley meant that the midfield became more consistent and inspired again. Compared to a first half characterised by a good number of mistakes and uncertainty, the Greens played with more rationality while Italia, despite the fact that they found themselves more often in the opponent's half of the field, were slightly inferior.

Like last Saturday, the Azzurri ended on a negative note in terms of aerial play, i.e. the winning of high balls, while they did much better in terms of discipline, conceding no more than six to seven penalties.

The scoreboard gives a clear indication. In the first twenty minutes of the second half, the home team, with new men and a different attitude, built their success. Italia had closed the first half on a crescendo. After conceding Osborne's try (at the end of one of the few plays with prolonged possession and doc Irish pressure) Lamaro and his side found first a kick and then, in the 33rd minute, a fine try, on a 'penaltouche' throw, a push in the grouping and a fine initiative by Nicotera, who was good at breaking away at the right moment to score.