The Aussie Under 20 team put in a good effort in conditions not suited to them in Pukekohe and beat Italy Under 20s 29-3.
Both teams had a dig in the wet conditions and helped by an excellent referee, Mr Vlad Iordachescu from Romania; they played as brightly as the conditions allowed.
First half
Australia were a guilty of playing too much rugby with a greasy ball which sometimes left the hands skew, and they also lost it in contact in promising situations. But at 15 mins 9. Angus Pulver darted forward between two fatties and when he was tackled hooker Feleti Kaitu’u picked up the ball on the five-metre line and scored.
Five minutes later 1. Cameron Orr broke a couple of tackles and 12. Luke Burton took the ball close to the line. Two phases later 8. Ross Haylett-Petty dotted down.
Both tries were converted by Burton and at 22 minutes Australia led 14-3.
Luke Burton – clever player with old head
After that the teams swapped penalties and it seemed there would be no more scoring in the half, but in the 40th minute 10. David Horwitz “looked” a dummy, broke through the defensive line and passed inside to 14. Brad Lacey. He passed back to the supporting Burton who went over under the posts.
When he converted his own try Burton made the half-time score 24-3.
Second half
The rain came down harder after the break and a lot of play happened outside the 22s, but after 13. Lalakai Foketi burst diagonally through a screen of defenders the Aussies set up near the Italian goal line. Though they lost the ball forward they got it back after the scrum and following some patient skirmishes the ball went wide from Horwitz for 5. Jack Payne to score in the corner.
The kick missed but the Aussies had their bonus point try and a lead of 29-3.
Sean McMahon – “Man amongst boys”
There was the best part of half an hour to go but there was no more scoring in the game. Good Italian defence kept the Aussies out and they had to defend their own line for a while too. Both sides became reluctant to keep the ball and they kicked it a lot.
There was a moment of interest when LHP Rory O’Connor came on to play hooker because reserve Tevita Vea had been concussed, and starter Kaitu’u had to be rested. His first throw to the lineout was ropey and in the first scrum he tried to stand on the left-hand side of the front row, but he worked out that he had to go to the middle. At least one wobbly throw resulted in a good photo (see below).
Teams
Australia
A Junior Word Championship is a squad project and Australia’s strategy was to start their best-considered XV against Argentina and England and to give others a start in the third game. Nine Aussies got their first start against Italy and they did their country proud.
There was a lot to like in the starting XV against Italy taking onto account the limited game that had to be played in the conditions. The only time you noticed a difference of class from the Aussies in this contest of wet rugby was in the scrums. Some of them were like in the bad old days.
Tom Staniforth – Man of the match
The Aussies played smart wet-weather footie and spent 69% of the game in Italy territory. Since they had 57% of possession also, Italy had to do something special to win and the Aussies stopped most of their efforts.
Australia’s attack was limited by the conditions but though they were too lateral in the first half they used some skilled interplay to create the chances they scored their tries from.
Italy
They contained Australia well especially in the second half, and were better in the set pieces.
Because they missed 21 tackles it was difficult to stop their opponents getting into their half and creating try scoring movements. Their own attack was limited because they couldn’t strike from deep in those circumstances and when they had the ball in the Aussie half they lacked the flair and accuracy to threaten much.
The players
Australia
3 points: 4. Tom Staniforth – the complete second rower: good in the lineouts, and a bully in the mauls and rucks yet with deft hands for his trademark catch, pause and pass.
2 points: 6. Sean McMahon – the commentators mentioned he was “like a man amongst boys”: enough said.
1 points: 12. Luke Burton – clever player with an old head and young feet plus a wicked no-look pass. Paired well with David Horwitz, and vice-versa.
Filippo Scalvi – top Italian
Italy
4. Filippo Scalvi, 8. Matteo Cornelli and 6. Matteo Archetti.
I couldn’t split these guys except to say that Scalvi played like a clone of Kiwi Adam Thomson. But the others had a high work rate too and this was necessary when their team had to defend so much in their own half.
The Scoring
Australian Under 20s – 29 (F. Kaitu’u, R. Haylett-Petty, L. Burton, J. Payne tries; Burton 3 cons, pen) def. Italy Under 20s – 3 (G. De Santis pen)
Next games
Australian finished second in their pool but only the winners of the three pools plus the highest placed runner-up progressed to the semi-finals.
The winner of the three pools were South Africa, England and Ireland; New Zealand was the best runner-up. South Africa will play New Zealand in one semi final and England and Ireland will play in the other.
Australia finished fifth in the pool games and will play eighth-placed Samoa in a ratings game for 2015. If they win they will play the winner between Wales (6th) and France (7th) for fifth ranking in next year’s tournament.
All these matches take place on Sunday 15th June.
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