HEART-BREAKING SCENES! Paolo Garbisi misses match-winning kick after the ball falls off the tee
Italy fly-half misses a match-winning penalty during the Six Nations clash between Italy and France.
It was heartbreak for Paolo Garbisi and Italy as the fly-half missed the match-winning penalty that would have clinched a historic victory over Les Blues in France in the Six Nations.
The fly-half, who memorably slotted the match-winning conversion as Italy ended their seven-year and 36-game winless run with a victory over Wales in Cardiff, hit the post with his last-gasp penalty attempt.
Hits the post!
The Azzurri were on the cusp of their first-ever Championship win in France as Garbisi lined up the game-deciding kick, but before he began his approach, the ball wobbled off the tee.
With the shot-clock winding down, Garbisi was required to re-position the ball on the tee, and he had less than eight seconds to get back to his run-up and take the kick that would decide the match.
He managed to get his kick away before being timed out, but unfortunately, his effort struck the upright, and France replacement Yoram Moefana pounced on the ball. He attempted to launch a counter attack but was tackled over the touchline to bring the game to an end.
😱 An agonising finish to an eventful #GuinnessM6N clash! #FRAvITA pic.twitter.com/R6MlXpafCt
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) February 25, 2024
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Garbisi takes full responsibility
“I just was thinking about trusting my process, and it’s part of my job to get the kick over. So, I take fully responsibility for that,” the fly-half said when asked about the final moments after the game.
“I’m sorry for the team because I thought they were amazing today, but also for all the Italian supporters, that’s my bad. Then I’ll work on it.”
Garbisi spoke glowingly of his team-mates and felt that his team performed well on a night that almost produced another historic win.
He admitted that Jonathan Danty’s red card did help the Azzurri but felt that they worked their way back into the game in the second half as they controlled territory and possession better.
“I thought that the performance was good overall because if you get to 13-13 against France, it means that you have played pretty well to be honest,” he said.
“Of course, the extra men helped in the second half, but in the first half, I think we spent too much time on our half of the pitch, but it all came down to the last kick, really.”
Italy will face Scotland and Wales in their final two fixtures of the Championship as they look to avoid a ninth successive wooden spoon finish in the Six Nations and a 14th winless campaign overall.