A win is a win for Wales. At times they tried to go too wide, too soon but
Italy deserve massive credit for the way they played. They tried to play
quickly and with width with Campagnaro [Man of the Match] to the fore
with Gori and Parissé. There’s more to come from Wales and they were
impressive when they lifted the intensity. Toby Faletau was outstanding
throughout and they’ll look to get North in the game more next week.
FULL TIME
81 mins – They go nowhere and Wales turnover. They try a crossfield,
North knocks on and that is that. WALES WIN 23 – 15
80 mins – They don’t of course because scrums take forever but they win
a scrum penalty and tap quickly.
79 mins – Italy have a midfield scrum on halfway with one last chance
to nudge the scores closer. If they can score in 15 seconds they’ll have
time to play on…
78 mins – Italy make a horlicks of the counter and Wales are in. More
excellent scrambling keeps Wales out and a poor crossfield is taken easily
by McLean
77 mins – Which they miss and Wales take control, content just to play
one out rugby before Priestland bangs it long.
77 mins – North recovers an Italy kick through and Wales should see
this out but they don’t and Italy will have a lineout on halfway.
76 mins – Italy have numbers on the left but Wales defend strongly.
They’re having to run it from deep in their own half to no effect.
74 mins -
PENALTY HALFPENNY!!
73 mins – They win the penalty though after an Italy offside. Wales
shoot at the posts out wide on the right 15m line outside the 22.
72 mins – Wales take a quick tap penalty and have got huge forward
momentum through Roberts and Warburton.
71 mins – It was a Leigh Halfpenny no look pass which let Campagnaro
intercept for his second. Italy are now full of beans.
69 mins -
ITALY CAMPAGNARO!! CONVERTED BY ALLAN
69 mins – Halfpenny counters an Allan kick but…
68 mins – A superb kick by Priestland moves Wales into the Italy 22
with a pressure lineout coming up.
67 mins -
PENALTY HALFPENNY!!
66 mins – Wales eke out another penalty at the scrum. Somewhere in
deepest Calabria, a child weeps.
66 mins – Jamie Roberts gets the engines going again and crashes into
the Italy midfield. It’s over the gainline but a phase later they’re guilty
of accidental offside. Very very disjointed.
65 mins - IT’S SAM TIME!! Warbuton on for Lydiate
65 mins – There is danger out wide but Italy make the wrong decision to
come inside into the arms of Faletau who takes the ball and wins the
penalty.
64 mins РWales kick deep and seemingly every time Pariss̩ is there to
take and counter attack
63 mins – The Wales pack win a penalty at scrum time. They’ve bailed
the backs out there.
61 mins – A Priestland kick is half charged down but Wales scramble and
nothing comes of it. There is a real lack of intensity about Wales right
now.
60 mins – Italy catch and drive but Wales defend strongly and Sgarbi
knocks on coming back around the corner to the short side
59 mins – Paul James gives away a penatly as the touch judge tells the
ref to look at a block after that Allan chip.
58 mins – Back in the Wales half Allan tries a chip but Halfpenny reads
it and kicks in behind. The Italy cover is good though and they break right
and clear their lines.
57 mins – Ghiraldini recovers and carries strongly for Italy to win a
penalty. Wales hands in the ruck. It’s the last thing he’ll do as he’s given
the hook.
56 mins – Italy take the 22 dropout and its all Wales again now.
Tipuric is involved a lot now but the move breaks down on the right.
55 mins – Wales win a penalty and go into Italy territory for the first
time in a long time. North and Charteris make good yards before a brilliant
Priestland step almost puts him in.
54 mins – A poor touch kick and grubber nearly lets Italy in but
Priestland intercepts and set Wales going.
52 mins – Its slow by Italy but it’s going forward until Mauro
Bergamasco goes off his feet and gives Wales a chance to get a breather.
51 mins – Italy are getting fairly quick ball fairly easily outside the
Wales 22. Good Wales defence however means little progress.
50 mins – ALLAN MISSES! The ball fades onto the post.
48 mins – Italy try to catch and drive on the Wales 22 but they are
halted illegally and Allan will have a shot at the posts to make it a 6
point game. Blimey
47 mins – From the ensuing scrum, Wales drive it through 90 degrees and
get the put in…only for Italy to demolish Wales on their own ball for a
penalty!
46 mins – Wales set about grafting their way back into the Italy half
but Faletau is held up by his opposite number Parissé in the latest round of
their epic tussle.
45 mins – HALFPENNY MISSES THE PENALTY!
45 mins – On the Beeb Jonathan Davies is still seething at a perceived
forward pass. GET OVER IT JIFFY!!!
44 mins - From the kick off taly give away a penalty for obstruction
and Wales can reduce the arrears immediately.
43 mins –
ITALY!! MISSED CONVERSION ALLAN
43 mins – It came from a Priestland knock on, Italy recyled wide, got
an overlap and chipped over for Campagnaro to hack on and touch down.
42 mins – TRY ITALY! BUT NOT YET…TMO TIME
41 mins – Wales are noticeably more direct in their play. As they rack
up the phases though they run out of ideas.
40 mins – 14 points is the difference as the second half kicks off.
HALF TIME
Wales are decent value for a lead but Italy have offered enough endeavour to
be closer in this game. They just need to be more accurate.
40 mins – Italy have a dart out wide which looked more threatening than
it really was but Wales easily cover the kick through. Thats half time.
38 mins - From the lineout Alberto Sgarbidrifted too soon,
Roberts took the gap and popped inside to Williams.
38 mins –
TRY! HALFPENNY CONVERTS
37 mins – Castrogiovanni concedes a scrum penalty for driving up and
Halfpenny pumps it deep towards the Italy 22
36 mins – Good pressure scrum from Wales lets them clear well but Italy
come back again. An attempted Zanni pop to Parissé goes forward to ground
with Wales in a bit of disarray.
36 mins - Not in a million years. Parissé clearly knocked on the
crossfield kick from Allan.
35 mins – ITALY TRY?!
34 mins – Italy win a scrum on the Wales 10m when North knocks on a
superb box kick from Gori under intense Italy pressure.
31 mins – Wales build the phases with tight drive play then
spurn a chance to go wide with men out there. Italy win the turnover and the
penalty however.
30 mins - The first knock on of the match leads to a Wales free kick
after the scrum. A wide Scott Williams pass set Cuthbert free who kicked on
then helped put the Italy receiver into touch.
29 mins – Halfpenny slipped but drove it through the posts nonetheless.
28 mins –
WALES HALFPENNY
27 mins РPariss̩ gives a sly nudge of the lifter in the lineout and
gives away a penalty.
26 mins - Wales clear but Italy again increase the pressure, their back
play is haphazard at best though and they again concede a penalty.
Priestland takes wales back into Italy’s territory.
25 mins – Phillips box kicks after the lineout but McLean makes up for
his error with a howitzer fro his own half that lands just in touch in the
Wales 22
24 mins – The good ball is wasted by Italy as McLean shins the ball
into touch after 3 phases.
23 mins – A strange stutter throw by Hibbard leads to an Italy scrum,
which becomes a full scrum penalty agains Paul James again. The ref looks
like he’s not a fan of the Bath loosehead.
22 mins – Italy are trying to get position for their kicker but are
almost turned over twice. Eventually Gori clears and Wales will throw in the
lineout just outside the Italy 22
21 mins – Wyn-Jones is forced into touch 5 metres out. It’s all too
lateral from Wales, Italy are drifting well.
19 mins – Wales are back in the Italy 22 challenging the wide defence
but Italy scramble well
18 mins – A huge hit on Scott Williams is followed by another on North
as Italy drive Wales back. In their eargerness Italy concede the penalty.
17 mins – A second great Toby Faletau turnover ends that brief Italy
foray and the penalty takes them out of their half.
16 mins - Another penalty for not rolling away means Italy clear their
lines and move to 30 metres from Wales line.
15 mins – Wales big men are coming for so deep Italy are struggling to
cope but a wayward pass loses them 20 yards. They retain possesion until
Parissé forces the error from Phillips magnificently
14 mins -
PENALTY ALLAN
13 mins – Italy crash into the Wales midfield but a third penalty in 90
seconds for not rolling away gives Italy an easy shot at goal.
11 mins – Italy throw to the tail and drive. Wales conceded another
penalty for coming round the side of the maul. They’ve piggy-backed Italy 60
metres in less than a minute.
10 mins - Italy win a scrum penalty against Paul James and clear to
halfway.
8 mins -Wales catch and drive but Italy defend strongly chiefly
through Parissé. Italy scrum on their 22.
7 mins - ALMOST ANOTHER WALES TRY! A wide Cuthbert pass finds North who
chips in but McLean covers well for a wales lineout.
5 mins - A game of aerial ping pong is shaded by Italy who put it out
just in the Wales half.
We saw the first glimpse of North who made a bust on the Italy 40. A phase
later Halfpenny grubbered through, Esposito made a hash of the take and
Cuthbert tuched down in the corner. HALFPENNY CONVERTS
3 min -
2 mins - Little penetration after 11 phases and Wales win the penalty.
1 min – Wales receive the kickoff off cleanly and return the kick to
Italy who built the phases along halfway
Kick-off!
Quick reminder of the teams. Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex
Cuthbert, 13 Scott Williams, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 George North, 10 Rhys
Priestland, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Toby Faletau, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 Dan
Lydiate, 5 Alun-Wyn Jones (c), 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Richard
Hibbard, 1 Paul James.
Italy: 15 Luke McLean, 14 Angelo Esposito, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12
Alberto Sgarbi, 11 Leonardo Sarto, 10 Tommaso Allan, 9 Edoardo Gori, 8
Sergio Parisse, 7 Mauro Bergamasco, 6 Alessandro Zanni, 5 Marco Bortolami, 4
Quintin Geldenhuys, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1
Michele Rizzo.
14.29 Following that ditty, Land of My Fathers sounds impossibly
solemn. The words hang in the air.
14.26 First anthem is the jaunty and rumbustious Italian national
anthem. It seems like everyone in the stadium knows this song, but Mauro
Bergamasco is simply singing for everyone.
14.25 The teams are on the pitch and there is to be a minute silence
following the death of two young Italian rugby players.
14.19 With kick off closing in the choir are out on to the pitch in
Cardiff. There’s no theatre like this in rugby on a Wales matchday.
14.15 Players to Watch – Wales: The real Grand Slam hero at Twickenham
in 2012, even with Jonathan Davies waiting impatiently in the treatment
room, in the shape of Scott Williams they have got a top quality
replacement. Williams runs nice lines and there is deftness as well as
gainline bustle.
Italy: It is all too easy to keep wheeling out Parissé as the captain,
leader and soul of this side. However much rests on the shoulders of 20 year
old stand-off Tommaso Allan. He plays his club rugby in Perpignan,
was schooled in England and capped for Scotland U20’s – but has found his
way on to the world stage in the blue of the Azzurri. He’s going nicely so
far, but this is step up. The true heir to Double D?
14.10 
back three and the centres could cause huge problems for Italy [nudge
nudge, wink wink]” Jonathan Davies on the size advantage of Wales’
improbably large backs.
13.45 JOURNO BANG TO RIGHTS Apologies to the Wales contingent. I have
been rightly set straight BTL, Sam Warburton is in fact Welsh born. Unlike
Dan Lydiate of course who was born in Salford.
13.30 1 hour to kick off! And surely its time for a George North moment
from the vaults…
13.20 Preamble
After a slow start in 2013, the Wales juggernaut was an unstoppable force by
the time England rolled into town seeking a slam. Led magnificently by Sam
Warburton, Wales were irresistible that day and England got the bootlaces.
Standing in the way of a successful start to Wales’ defence of their trophy
are former serial-spoonists Italy. They’ve come a long way since the
guaranteed five try hidings with a best-ever third place last year.
Truth be told Wales aren’t in the greatest of places right now. Jamie Roberts
has largely been injured or wasting his time in a poor outfit at Racing
Metro, Mike Phillips has been having more fun on his Saturday nights than
afternoons, they are without Ian Evans due to a ban and Lions hero Jonathan
Davies due to injury.
Do not expect a rout. Alessandro Zanni and Sergio Parissé at 6 8
are a match for anyone in the world, and as a group of forwards Italy are
formidable. There is an inescapable feeling though that Wales have so much
class in the side that the quality will tell eventually.
The news for Wales is that English born mole victorious Lions skipper Sam
Warburton sits this one out on the bench for now. Centre Jonathan Davies is
also notably missing though injury.
The Teams
Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Scott Williams, 12
Jamie Roberts, 11 George North, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Toby
Faletau, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Alun-Wyn Jones (c), 4 Luke
Charteris, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Paul James.
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Ryan Bevington, 18 Rhodri Jones, 19 Andrew
Coombs, 20 Sam Warburton, 21 Rhys Webb, 22 James Hook, 23 Liam Williams.
Italy: 15 Luke McLean, 14 Angelo Esposito, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12
Alberto Sgarbi, 11 Leonardo Sarto, 10 Tommaso Allan, 9 Edoardo Gori, 8
Sergio Parisse, 7 Mauro Bergamasco, 6 Alessandro Zanni, 5 Marco Bortolami, 4
Quintin Geldenhuys, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1
Michele Rizzo.
Replacements: 16 Davide Giazzon, 17 Alberto De Marchi, 18 Lorenzo Cittadini,
19 Joshua Furno, 20 Francesco Minto, 21 Tobias Botes, 22 Luciano Orquera, 23
Tommaso Iannone.
12.35. Welcome ladies and gentlemen, adults and children, comrades and
brethren, to the start of the 2014 RBS 6 Nations Telegraph live coverage.
Rightly we start in Cardiff at the home of Warren Gatland’s back-to-back
champions, who are in search of what I believe the americans call a
‘three-peat’.
Incoming search terms:
- rugby colleges
- Alevel english at rugby college
- rugby regional college
- rugby collige
- rugby college uk
- rugby college rugby
- rugby college england
- rugby colledge
- rugby colage
- llangarve rugby college rugby wales
Wales v Italy, Six Nations 2014: live
No comments:
Post a Comment