Early scare: Wallabies
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Australia recovered from a 6-6 interval scoreline to eventually overcome Italy 32-6 in a four-try performance at North Harbour Stadium on Sunday.
The Golds had struggled to shake off the Azzurri until a second-half masterclass saw them pull away from Nick Mallett's passionate outfit.
Tries from Ben Alexander, Adam Ashley-Cooper, James O'Connor and Digby Ioane sealed matters when the rain and Italian resilience had abated.
Spectators could see that Martin Castrogiovanni and company were brimming ahead of kick-off when the heavens opened. And it proved to help their cause as Australia struggled to apply much pressure on Italy's line, with Mirco Bergamasco and Quade Cooper knocking over two penalties apiece in an intense opening 40 minutes.
But when O'Connor emerged from the sidelines for centre Anthony Faingaa, the Wallabies soon clicked into gear and ran away with the game.
Cooper and Bergamasco were guilty of missing early attempts at goal before the Wallabies playmaker found his range on sixteen minutes before doubling his side's lead on 31 minutes. Bergamasco made it 6-6 on the stroke of half-time after Wallaby indiscretions.
Upon the turnaround, a stolen line-out by veteran lock forward Dan Vickerman then led to wing Ioane finding a hole, which led to prop Alexander burrowing his way over the line.
Australia looked to have found their rhythm and their second score did not take long to arrive as, Ashley-Cooper hit a superb short line off Cooper's left shoulder to go in unopposed.
O'Connor, who was left on the bench in his comeback from suspension, knocked over the two points before converting his own try, with Cooper again the provider from close-range.
Ioane was again involved in Australia's third try when he took a ball from Cooper and went over from distance. O'Connor converted and the game was out of sight for the Italians.
Man of the match: A few years ago, this Italian pack would have been all over the Wallabies at scrum-time. But not anymore, Ben Alexander fully deserved his try and it was interesting to note that Italy's strongest scrummage came when Alexander had been replaced.
Moment of the match: Minute 47, enter James O'Connor. The game turned on its head from that point on and it would be wrong not to attribute that, in part, to O'Connor's arrival. He offered lines off Quade Cooper and looked keen to make up for his recent bad behaviour.
Villain of the match: Nothing shady to report.
The scorers:
For Australia:
Tries: Alexander, Ashley-Cooper, O'Connor, Ioane
Con: O'Connor 3
Pen: Cooper 2
For Italy:
Pen: Bergamasco 2
Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Anthony Fainga'a, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Radike Samo, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 James Horwill (c), 4 Dan Vickerman, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Ben McCalman, 20 Scott Higginbotham, 21 Luke Burgess, 22 James O'Connor.
Italy: 15 Andrea Masi, 14 Tommaso Benvenuti, 13 Gonzalo Canale, 12 Gonzalo Garcia, 11 Mirco Bergamasco, 10 Luciano Orquera, 9 Fabio Semenzato, 8 Sergio Parisse (c), 7 Robert Barbieri, 6 Alessandro Zanni, 5 Cornelius Van Zyl, 4 Carlo Antonio Del Fava, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Andrea Lo Cicero.
Replacements: 16 Tommaso D'Apice, 17 Lorenzo Cittadini, 18 Marco Bortolami, 19 Paul Derbyshire, 20 Edoardo Gori, 21 Riccardo Bocchino, 22 Luke McLean.
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland))
Assistant referees: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa), Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Comments
benc says...
Class act in second half - 4 excellent tries. A worry that the referee has most influence on match as a spectacle. Won't be long until decision changes result
Posted 07:58 11th September 2011
hayj05 says...
I supposed Trinats will think that was a perfect performance.
Posted 07:51 11th September 2011
lele says...
after the 40th min i was dreaming, but it wasn't this one the match to win. Forza Ragazzi!
Posted 07:29 11th September 2011
BDAUSSIE says...
I'm not sure the headline is a fair summation of the game. Good win for Australia! We were a bit out of sorts early and the Italians rode the crowd support and the ref. But as soon as the wallabies found their rhythm they dominated. A good test for aus. The lineout was a bit of a mixed bag, bad and good. it needs work. Scrum was strong for most of the match. Wasn't as good at the end when Slipper and TPN were going backwards on the 5 metre line, but given that neither of them have played any rugby as of late, they will be much better for it.
I'd probably start with O'Connor next week. Put Faingaa or AAC on the bench.
Posted 07:24 11th September 2011
trappa says...
I have a question...has Italy ever scored a running backline try?
Posted 07:04 11th September 2011
jonesy2 says...
wobbly? not at all. tight first half. but that set up the second half. and a few years ago the italy scrum would not have been all over the aussie scrum. aussies weak scrum-one of the great myths of the world
Posted 06:57 11th September 2011
carpelone says...
I dont think it was a wobblying start for Oz. Things improved when JoC came in, Barbieri went out and QC started throwing his forward passes around (see Ioane's try). Oz had to unveil some inside run games too much in advance to overcome Italy. At scrum, Oz were minced as expected and I would dare to say that there was a penalty try against H'botham at 75 min. A 32-13 would have been a fairer reflection of the match. Rolland was excellent. Well done to both teams, credit to Oz for turning the match around, differently from what they did vs Samoa.
Posted 06:52 11th September 2011
cantyboy says...
Good effort buy Italy,impressive scrum and only perhaps a lack of experience denied the try from their magnificent push over the Wallaby line,will give other teams watching hope.
Posted 06:40 11th September 2011
kpe12 says...
Quade who?
I guess all the aussies will be saying he's a kiwi now.
Posted 06:33 11th September 2011
bloemboy says...
Well that was less dominant than one would have expected from Aus. For that matter, it is good to see at least one of the 6Nations sides putting up a good show and being competitive, even if only for 60 minutes
Posted 06:23 11th September 2011
KiwiLad says...
Awobblie victory for Aussie??
Aus absorbed passion and pressure for 40 minutes and came away strongly..
Hardly wobblie.
Well done Australia
Posted 06:22 11th September 2011
melkdave says...
Well done wallabies had a good 15 mins in the 2nd half and scored some tries more off Italain mistakes than than their own work but a win is a win up until then they looked ordinary l nothing special or for anyone to worry about though and not really trhe cricket score wallaby supporters where thinking shame Italy didnt get the try they deserved from the 5 meter scrum would have been a reward for their hard work
Posted 06:20 11th September 2011