Italy wallop Tonga in Prato

Seven try fiesta

After leading 21-0 at half-time, Italy beat Tonga 48-0 at Stadio Lungobisenzio in Prato on Saturday, scoring seven tries in the process.

On a sunny, warm afternoon in Tuscany Italy were much too sophisticated for the ardent Tongans.  They were better organised at scrums and line-outs and outside of that were too skilled and too fast for the stocky Tongans who were best at doing the wrestling things in rugby.

Italy's tries were mainly long-range affairs as they spread the ball wide and backed up in good angles.  They had great confidence in their passing and running, happy even to run out of deep defence where in the past they may have banged the ball into touch.

Where Italy played as a unit, Tonga tended to play as individuals, bashing ahead one at a time.

Their preparation for their tour had been anxious, rather than constructive.  Australia gave them a loan to get kit.  France helped with travel.  There were visa problems for their Italian trip and their players play in several places, but this was their fourth match on the tour after they had beaten Oxford, Newbury and Italy A.  But then several of the players who played against Italy A on Wednesday, did duty again on Saturday.

Italy's first try when Sergio Parisse, a layer of great skill, intuition and calm, charged down an attempted clearance, gathered and gave his captain Marco Bortolami the first of his two tries in the match, which Pez Converted, as he did all three in the half.

Gonzalo Canale made the break and handled twice to send Mirco Bergamasco, now 22 and looking fast and strong, down the left wing.  The right wing Ludovico Nitoglia was on hand to carry the move on and get a clever pass inside to Bortolami for the big lock's second try.

Try number three also started far out and well on Italy's right.  Parisse really made it possible with some clever footwork and a sympathetic pass that set Bergamasco racing ahead.  The wing beat three defenders to score.

In the second half Tongan discipline slipped a little.  Where they had been penalised four time sin the first half, they were penalised eight times in the second.  On four occasions Italy opted for attacking scrums in lieu of the kick.

Pez kicked a penalty for Italy and then the Azzurri received the present of a try.  Pez kicked into the Tongan in-goal where their fullback Sila Va'enuku seemed to have an easy dot-down.  But he missed the ball and, fractionally before the dead-ball line, centre Gonzalo Canale fell on it and the television match official advised that it was indeed a try, which Pez converted.  That made the score 31-0.

Tonga lost bushy-haired and troublesome Suka Hufanga when he suddenly decided to punch Ludovico Nitoglia out in the open.

It was at this stage that Italy changed a litany of penalties into a litany of scrums, without real profit till they had another stroke of luck.

Pez dropped for goal.  The kick was charged down but not all that far and Italy got control with some neat passing to their left and a try in the corner for No.8 Josh Sole, the latest New Zealander to play for Italy.  Soul, not sowlay!

Sole got a second when Italy managed to turn some untidy scraps of play into a try, which Pez converted.  43-0

The last try was also gift-wrapped.  Tonga won a disintegrating scrum.  Paul Griffen of the eccentric hair grabbed the ball Alessandro Zanni, on for Aaron Persico, did well and sent Bergamasco speeding down the wing for a try in the corner.  Pez missed the conversion and the final whistle went.

Italy and Tonga had met twice before, at World Cups and each had won once.  Now Tonga, who rarely get a chance to play outside of the Pacific, have not won a match since July 2003.

Man of the Match:  Paul Griffen was always affective, Andrea Lo Cicero was also effective.  Gonzalo Canale was clever, but our choice falls between two players -- strong running, industrious Mirco Bergamasco and our choice Sergio Parisse who is so skilled, has such vision and is willing to do the dirty work with the rest.  At 23, the Argentinian is already one of the best loose forwards in the world.

Moment of the Match:  Sergio Parisse's sharp step and sympathetic pass that gave Mirco Bergamasco a chance to score a try.

Villain of the Match:  Undoubtedly Suka Hufanga who was more than just silly.

The scorers:

For Italy:
Tries:  Bortolami 2, Bergamasco 2, Sole 2, Canale
Cons:  Pez 5
Pen:  Pez

The teams:

Italy:  15 Ezio Galon, 14 Mirco Bergamasco, 13 Gonzalo Canale (Pablo Canavosio, 67), 12 Cristian Stoica, 11 Ludovico Nitoglia (Maurizio Zaffiri, 75), 10 Ramiro Pez, 9 Paul Griffen, 8 Josh Sole, 7 Aaron Persico (22 Luciano Orquera, 75), 6 Sergio Parisse (Alessandro Zanni, 62), 5 Marco Bortolami, 4 Carlo Del Fava (Valerio Bernabo, 41), 3 Carlos Nieto, 2 Carlo Festuccia (Fabio Ongaro, 72), 1 Andrea Lo Cicero (Matias Aguero, 62).

Tonga:  15 Sila Va'enuku, 14 Suka Hufanga, 13 Sione Tu'ipulotu, 12 Andrew Mailei, 11 Salesi Finau (Keni Filisau, 74), 10 Fangatapu Apikotoa (Elisi Vunipola, 75), 9 Soane Havea, 8 Chris Halaufia, 7 Viliami Vaki, 6 Ma'ama Molitika (Ueleni Fono, 68), 5 Milton Ngauamo (Fakataha Molitika, 75), 4 Inoke Afeaki, 3 Tonga Lea'aetoa (Peni Fakalelu, 56), 2 Ifalemi Taufaka (Viliami Maasi, 75), 1 Soane Tongahuika.
Unused replacements:  20 Siole Nau

Referee:  Matt Goddard (Australia)
Touch judges:  Scott Young (Australia), Andrew Small (England)
Television match official:  Nigel Owens (Wales)