The Sports Corner

Wallabies outlast Italy in tight game

The Wallabies survived an Italian onslaught and took away a 30-20 victory whilst debuting four new players against a formidable Azzurri in Padova.

The game was marred by injuries to key Wallabies backs Timana Tahu and Berrick Barnes. The injury to Barnes in particular is expected to be tour ending, a disaster for the young man as he returned from a lengthy injury lay off and was making his first run on appearance of the tour. Both players will be assessed in London this week ahead of the big match with England.

The Azzurri kept the game tight in the first half, with the Wallabies kicking a penalty just before half time to tie it up at 14 apiece.

As Italian coach Nick Mallet predicted, the Azzurri ran into difficulties 65 minutes into the game when the Wallabies were able to take the advantage and debutant Quade Cooper scored within moments of coming off the bench.

Cooper’s scintilating footwork, and a tiring Italy, saw him step through three defenders before scoring next to the post.

A late Matt Giteau penalty flattered the Wallabies with a ten point win in what could have been a massive upset. GIteau showed all his class in taking over for the injured Barnes 25 minutes into the game and steered his team around the park with superb tactical kicking.

The Italians were also unlucky to lose first string flyhalf Andrea Marcato to injury in the first half after he struck a beautiful drop goal to put the Azzurri ahead.

Several Wallabies including lock Hugh McMerriman and backrower Wycliff Palu had successful returns from injury and look poised to challenge for positions against the English. Inexperienced prop Ben Alexander had an impressive debut in the front row showing his mettle against a hardened veteran foe.

“It was a great workout for this group,” Australian coach Robbie Deans said. ”We were exposing a lot of players to Test rugby for the first time and their response from the 65th minute was superb - remarkable in the circumstance.

“The more we can develop that depth - because the reality is, we have been prone to injury and to form - we’ve now got some choice. If you had asked me a week ago if we lost Berrick, how would we be feeling with four Tests to go, we might have been a bit anxious.”

Also making their debut with Cooper and Alexander was replacement prop Sekope Kepu and teenage sensation James O’Connor who played a steady nine minutes prior to fulltime at fullback. The good showing of Cooper and O’Connor pleased Deans who was looking to develop depth in key backline positions.

For the Italians it was disappointing to not come away with the win, but it was an important hit out prior to their European Six Nations tournament this season and reinforced the belief of many, the Azzurri are getting ever closer to defeating the top teams in world rugby.