Italy’s feat: Australia beaten in Udine

Impresa dell’Italrugby: in Udine, in the first match of the Quitter Nations Series, Gonzalo Quesada’s Azzurri beat Australia 26-19 for the second time in their history, three years after the first.

Italy got off to a great start right away with two squares by Garbisi in the 6′ and 11′ for the initial 6-0 lead. But the Wallabies reacted and in the 21st minute went in goal with Faessler, and then again in the 32nd minute with another goal by Bell converted by Kellaway.

Another square by Garbisi in the 37th minute kept the Azzurri alive at the end of the first half: 9-12. In the second half, Garbisi’s fourth square in the 49′ brings the score back to even. The Australians, however, re-aligned on 19-12 with a Gordon try converted by Kellaway.

But Italy midway through the second half turned everything around: in the 59′ goal by Lynagh converted by Garbisi, in the 62′ goal by Ioane converted by the infallible Garbisi. The score did not change anymore and the Azzurri signed a memorable victory.

“We knew it would be difficult to play a perfect game because we had little time to work – said Quesada – hot on our heels; and we were facing a team that had instead been playing together for months.

“We were good at compensating for the inaccuracies with the will to fight and the ability to take advantage of every opportunity. It is a victory in some special way, perhaps equal to the one achieved in Wales in 2024″. In a week’s time, the Azzurri will look to confirm, with the fearsome Springboks of South Africa.