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Australia claimed their first win of the Nations Championship in emphatic fashion, running in nine tries to beat Italy 57-10 at HBF Park in Perth. After two defeats to open the campaign, this was the response the Wallabies needed, and it gives them something to build on after a difficult start to their pool.
Australia claimed their first win of the Nations Championship in emphatic fashion, running in nine tries to beat Italy 57-10 at HBF Park in Perth. After two defeats to open the campaign, this was the response the Wallabies needed, and it gives them something to build on after a difficult start to their pool.
J. Canham (3', 26', 51'), T. Wright (8'), B. Paenga-Amosa (11'), A. Bell (30'), L. Ikitau (40'), B. Pollard (63'), B. Donaldson (79')
Tries
M. Lamaro (19'), M. Ioane (40')
R. Lonergan (9', 12', 31', 40', 52'), B. Donaldson (80')
Conversions
For Italy, this was a heavy defeat that leaves them still searching for a point at the bottom of the Northern pool. The scoreline flattered nobody in blue, though a brief first-half response offered some hope before the game got away from them.
The hosts made the perfect start. Second row Josh Canham crossed inside three minutes, and by the 11th minute Australia already had three tries on the board through Canham, Tom Wright and hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa. Ryan Lonergan was accurate off the tee, and at 19-0 the game looked in danger of running away early.
Italy, to their credit, hit back. Flanker and captain Michele Lamaro forced his way over on 19 minutes to make it 19-5, and for a short spell the visitors looked like they might make a contest of it. But that was as good as it got.
Australia simply had too much for Italy either side of the interval. Canham grabbed his second on 26 minutes, loosehead Angus Bell barged over on the half-hour, and Len Ikitau struck on half-time to send the hosts in 38-5 ahead. Monty Ioane did respond for Italy at the end of the half, but Australia were already firmly in control.
The numbers told the story of a one-sided contest: Australia made 151 carries to 84, beat 34 defenders to 11, and made nine clean breaks to Italy's one.
CARRIES
CLEAN BREAK
DEFENDER BEATEN
TACKLE
MISSED TACKLE
TURNOVER WON
TURNOVERS CONCEDED
PENALTY CONCEDED
RED CARD
Possession
Scrums
Lineouts
The territory and possession split — 63% to Australia — meant Italy spent long spells defending. They made 212 tackles to Australia's 112, which spoke to their workload but also to a side that could not get enough of the ball or exit cleanly.
Canham's hat-trick from the second row was the headline act, and his 15 carries for 30 metres showed he was busy in the loose as well as clinical near the line. But the most eye-catching display came from wing Harry Potter, who racked up 149 metres from 13 carries, beat eight defenders and made four clean breaks. Whenever Australia wanted to stretch the game, he was the outlet.
Josh Canham — 3 tries, 15 carries, 30 metres
Harry Potter — 149 metres, 4 clean breaks, 8 defenders beaten
Carlo Tizzano — 14 carries, 15 tackles
Rob Valetini — 12 tackles and 3 defenders beaten
The Wallaby bench added to the tally too. Billy Pollard scored after coming on, and Ben Donaldson capped the afternoon with a late try and conversion.
Italy's defensive numbers underline the problem. Their forwards worked themselves into the ground — Ross Vintcent put in 29 tackles at number eight, second row Giulio Marini made 25 and hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi 21 — but they were tackling far too often and making too little ground when they did get the ball.
Discipline compounded matters. Italy conceded 12 penalties to Australia's seven, and their afternoon got harder still when tighthead Marco Riccioni was shown a red card on 65 minutes when a scuffle made it’s way to the touchline where Riccioni was sitting as a sub and came running in, by which point the game was long gone. The missed-tackle count of 33 told its own tale of a defence stretched beyond its limits.
There were individual efforts to admire. Monty Ioane made 49 metres and got his try, while Paolo Odogwu combined 21 metres in attack with 18 tackles. But too many of Italy's carriers were isolated, and the scoreboard reflected a side comfortably second best across the 80 minutes.
The win gives Australia their first victory of the campaign, but they remain fifth in the Southern pool on three points after two earlier defeats. Italy, meanwhile, remain pointless in the Northern group and have plenty to ponder before their next outing against South Africa.
On this evidence, Australia found their attacking rhythm at the right time. Italy will simply want to move on quickly.
