Italrugby, ready redemption with Tonga

Italy-Tonga 36-14

Italy redeemed last Friday’s loss to Samoa and with a good game beat Tonga 36-14 in Nuku’alofa. The Azzurri did well in holding up the first Tongan outburst, reacting by attacking the spaces with their own three-quarters and, above all, fixing an important point with the orderly scrum, always dominant from start to finish. In the end Quesada’s team scored 5 goals with Trulla, Ioane, Lamaro, Alessandro Garbisi and in the final a penalty goal won with the scrum, while his brother Paolo scored 3 conversions and a free kick. The Azzurri will close their summer tour on Sunday, July 21, in Sapporo, against Japan.

Compared to the Apia challenge, Italy tries to move the ball more out wide, but above all defends well against the predictable first onslaught of Tonga, which exploits its kilos in search of an advance that però does not come. A few more difficulties in the lineout, where Coleman and Kaifa put a lot of pressure, but in general Quesada’s team holds its first impact with the match well. After 15 minutes of settling in, between resets and free kicks, Italy puts up a first point and scrum with the first line earns the first kick of its match. In attack the Azzurri also find concreteness again: nice straight charge by Lorenzo Cannone, then ball moved out wide to Trulla who escapes a first attempt at a leg tackle, evades the second opponent and flies in goal. Tonga begins to suffer particularly in tactical play on the foot, with mistakes by Halo and Faiva allowing Italy to stay in the opponent’s half of the field: on 23′ a great charge by Menoncello yields another free kick, but Garbisi does not find the posts.

Tonga’s subsequent reaction slams again against a good blue defense and Lorenzo Cannone’s nice turnover. On 28′ Page-Relo comes on with a nice kick for sé himself, he enters the 22 and finds support from Fischetti, on whose tackle Lopeti-Moli does not roll away. Another free kick and this time Garbisi è accurate for 8-0. On the half’hour Capuozzo finds a great kick that brings the Azzurri back into the Tongan 22, albeit with an opposing throw: Lamaro intercepts Lopeti-Moli’s long touch and also gets a kick. The choice è brave – scrum – but winning, because é the Azzurri push è sharp. At the first try came another kick, at the second there’è still advantage and finally è Monty Ioane to mark after the ball well I can by Page-Relo. At 35’è 15-0. In the final Ioane came close to scoring the third goal after a nice first phase action from the scrum, but Halo è good at taking it out before the flag.

Also in the second half è Tonga gave the first acceleration, as Zambonin replaced Ruzza and Vintcent came in for Zuliani. The islanders’ first chance came with a penaltouche at the 5 meters: the Azzurri sacking è excellent, then Taulani surprised the Azzurri on the right side of the grouping and found the goal. The azzurri reaction forò è is immediate, and comes with a’long and well constructed action, which begins with a devastating move by Menoncello who takes 3 opponents behind him to the middle of the field. Ioane then spreads well over Vintcent on the left, then receives the ball again attacking directly to the line: support arrives first from Nicotera with a nice offload from the ground and then from Fischetti, before Captain Lamaro’s goal. Garbisi converts for 22-7.

The game slips more and more into Italian hands and at 64’the fourth goal also arrives: after a series of charges by the forwards Alessandro Garbisi surprises the Tongan defense that leaves a hole at the right side of the regroupment, accelerates and dunks for 29-7 with the transformation of his brother Paolo. Tonga shortens the distance with a goal by Paea, who brings forward with his foot a loose ball in the middle of the field and surprises in speed the Azzurri, who in the final close out in beauty: another advancing scrum forces 3 times in a row the Tongan front line to foul, with Felemi paying for all. Quesada’s team insists by calling again scrum, and the choice è winning becauseé the penalty goal arrives directly: it ends 36-14.