Rugby College: Wales 16 Italy 32 - Rugby League World Cup match report

By

Ian Laybourn, Press Association

PUBLISHED:

18:37, 26 October 2013

|

UPDATED:

19:22, 26 October 2013

Qualifiers Italy claimed a second major scalp in eight days after coming from behind to beat Wales 32-16 in the second part of the World Cup opening double-header in front of a 45,052 crowd at the Millennium Stadium.

The Welsh produced a gutsy effort and led 16-14 early in the second half but in the end were undone by the NRL experience of the Azzurri, who went into the game on a high following their stunning win over England in a World Cup warm-up match.

Centre Aidan Guerra, fresh from an NRL Grand-Final triumph with Sydney Roosters, scored two tries and created one for his winger, Chris Centrone, while right winger Joshua Mantellato, whose drop-goal secured that 15-14 win over England, came up with a try and three goals in a man-of-the-match performance.

Italy

First-timer: Aiden Guerra scored a double on debut to give Italy the ascendency in their opening group game

Match facts

Wales (18) 28 – Italy (10) 20

WALES: Evans, Kear, Lloyd, Webster, Williams, White, Seamark, Kopczak, Budworth, Flower, Evans, Frizzel, Patrick.

Bench: Dudson, Lupton, James, Emmitt.

Tries: Evans, Lloyd, Kear

Goals: White (2)

ITALY: A. Minichiello, Mantellato, Tedesco, Guerra, Centrone, Falcone, Ghietti, Laffranchi, Parata, Vaughan, M. Minichiello, Ciraldo, Riethmuller.

Bench: Nasso, Gardel, Tramonte, Santi.

Tries: Guerra (2), Mantellato, Tedesco, Centrone, Minichiello.

Goals: Mantellato (4)

Referee: Ashley Klein

Att: 45,052

Wales

will still hope to qualify for the quarter-finals – and a likely duel

with England in Wrexham – if they beat the United States and Cook

Islands in their Group D matches and coach Iestyn Harris has seven days

to pick his side up for next challenge.

Guerra

quickly made his mark, twisting over from close range for the first try

on seven minutes but Wales drew level when stand-off Lloyd White’s kick

took a wicked bounce to present Bridgend-born prop Ben Evans with his

first try for his country.

The

Welsh had a try disallowed when second rower Tyson Frizzell was

adjudged to have stolen the ball in a two-man tackle and they fell

behind again midway through the first half when Guerra, who has played

must of his rugby for the Roosters in the second row, demonstrated his

strength to take two men over the line with him for his second try

Mantellato

kicked his second conversion and added a penalty to stretch his side’s

lead to 14-6 before a break from winger Rhys Williams set up a try for

Rhodri Lloyd to keep the game on a knife edge.

Italy

Early break: Italy celebrated their first ever World Cup try after just eight minutes

Trailing

14-12 at the break, Wales went in front for the first time early in the

second half when right winger Elliot Kear leapt superbly at the corner

to collect the ball from White’s high kick and touch down for his 10th

try in national colours.

But

the lead lasted only two minutes as Mantellato produced a strong finish

to claim a third Italian try and they almost scored again when

full-back and captain Anthony Minichiello went clear only to be brought

back for a forward pass.

Wales

were forced to defend desperately as the visitors dominated the final

quarter and they finally cracked when the outstanding Mantellato

collected scrum-half Ryan Ghietti’s crossfield kick to get his centre

James Tedesco over the line.

The

excellent Guerra then carved out a score for Centrone and second rower

Mark Minichiello rounded off the scoring with a last-minute try which

gave his side a flattering margin of victory.

Ben Evans (R) of Wales