Italy v Uruguay: Five takeaways from Rugby World Cup clash as Azzurri cut loose after Andres Vilaseca yellow card

Adam Kyriacou
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Uruguay captain Andres Vilaseca.

Uruguay captain Andres Vilaseca.

Following a 38-17 win for Italy over Uruguay in their Rugby World Cup clash, here’s our five takeaways from Wednesday’s Pool A meeting at Stade de Nice.

A meeting of two halves

We begin with an old cliche but it really was as Uruguay dominated the opening period before Italy did likewise after the break to run out bonus-point winners.

Los Teros continue to impress at this Rugby World Cup as they went into the break 17-7 in front and it should have been more had Felipe Etcheverry been on song off the kicking tee. Two early misses meant five points went begging but a penalty try, Nicolas Freitas’ score and Etcheverry’s extras and drop-goal put them ahead.

But after the interval it was all the Azzurri as they racked up 31 points through Michele Lamaro, Monty Ioane, Lorenzo Cannone and Juan Ignacio Brex tries while Tommaso Allan and Paolo Garbisi added points in a much-improved performance. Kieran Crowley must have had stern words at the break and they clearly paid off.

Debatable card turns game

One will never know if that second-half turnaround would have played out like it did had Uruguay captain Andres Vilaseca not been yellow carded on 43 minutes. Television match official Tom Foley brought the centre’s tackle on Lorenzo Pani to referee Angus Gardner’s attention and the consensus was that it warranted a card.

Replays showed the slightest contact in a glancing fashion as Pani dipped into the tackle from the Uruguay skipper, with many of the same opinion it was harsh.

What followed was Italy scoring 14 points in the time that Vilaseca was off the field and Los Teros could well be left with a feeling of what might’ve been in Nice.

Manuel Ardao a standout

Touching back on that first half and there’s no doubt the star player of that 40 minutes was Uruguay flanker Manuel Ardao, who dominated the breakdown area.

We counted six turnovers at ruck time and it might well have been more as the back-rower was tenacious, physical and intelligent in picking off Italian attackers.

Ardao is heading to Major League Rugby side the Miami Sharks next season and what a signing that is, as he will now very much be on other ‘bigger’ clubs’ radar.

Big ones next for Italy

It was always going to be about facing New Zealand and France in this pool for the Azzurri as they looked to sneak into the knockout stages via one shock result.

Indeed, with the job done against Namibia and Uruguay, the focus now shifts to those games they have been preparing for and first up it is the All Blacks in Lyon next Friday in a huge game. Seven days later they face the World Cup hosts at the same venue in the biggest fortnight of their players and coaches’ rugby lives.

If they can perform like they did in the second period today they will cause New Zealand plenty of problems, with the pressure very much on Ian Foster’s outfit.

Namibia focus for Uruguay

For Uruguay they desperately wanted the scalp of Italy and after giving France plenty to think about in their opener, they’ve more than held their own at this World Cup. Plenty of admirers have been won by Esteban Meneses and his side for their efforts against two Tier One sides and they should hold their heads high.

There’s quality throughout this Los Teros team and they should have too much for Namibia next Wednesday as they look to finally claim the pool win they deserve.

Following that clash they will close out their campaign against New Zealand, who will know they are anything but pushovers after their 2019 and 2023 showings.

READ MORE: Rugby World Cup team tracker: All the line-ups for another blockbuster week of action

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