Italy's women's rugby team has made history with their first victory in Ireland: in Dublin, the Azzurre won 27-21 after a match they dominated for the most part, though the ending was extremely tense, with Corrigan's try reopening a game that seemed closed at the 78th minute. Once again, it was the defense that decided the match, with Italy holding strong and sealing the victory with Veronese's turnover. Raineri's team also secured the offensive bonus thanks to tries by Vecchini (double and player of the match), Fedrighi (her first international score), and Muzzo. The win brings 5 points and places the team third in the standings after 2 rounds, behind only England and France.
The chronicle of Ireland-Italy
The first danger comes from Ireland, with Parsons dodging Ostuni Minuzzi's tackle and sprinting down the left side, followed by a great forward charge by Hogan inside the 22. The Azzurre hold well in defense, and Turani wins an important turnover. The home team persists with O'Brien who, with a kick pass, looks for Corrigan on the right, Ostuni Minuzzi intercepts but is forced to carry the ball into the try area. Ireland continues to push, broadens the game, and the Italian fullback intercepts with one hand Parsons' wide pass to Corrigan, the referee Hollie Davidson calls the deliberate forward and opts for the harshest decision: yellow card and technical try, 7-0 for the hosts.
The 10 minutes of numerical inferiority are very tough for Italy, which withstands the furious Irish pressure well but is also very good at not conceding points, despite also losing Turani to a blow to the face (replaced by Maris) and Sgorbini to a bleeding wound (replaced by Veronese). The newcomer Gaia Maris stands out against Haney in the scrum and earns two consecutive penalties that allow the Azzurre to enter the 22 for the first time. Rigoni goes to the line-out, Fedrighi receives Vecchini's throw and initiates the Italian maul, advancing and finished by the hooker from Valsugana. On the transformation Rigoni is unlucky, kicks well but hits the crossbar and the ball bounces out.
On the other side, Ireland renounces easy posts, O'Brien doesn't find the line-out and in the end Italy regains the oval with a penalty in their favor. Italy responds, returns to the attack and completes the comeback: first break by Alyssa D'Incà who puts the Azzurre on the front foot, then a tremendous charge by Tounesi who carries three opponents and comes up just short. It's up to Valeria Fedrighi to finish with a charge, making it 12-7 with Rigoni's conversion. It's the first try in blue for the second row of Stade Toulousain, on her 52nd cap, always among the best with a lot of dirty work.
Raineri's team changes gear: great break by Muzzo on the left side, then a nice kick by Madia that puts Delaney in difficulty, forced to restart from her own try area and beautifully tackled by D'Incà. Vecchini arrives very fast and wins the held ball that is worth the kick for 15-7, the score with which the first half ends in Dublin.
Ireland brings in Fowley, the starting fly-half against France, and keeps O'Brien back, thus playing with a double fly-half, and starts the second half on the attack: the forwards make headway and create a numerical superiority on the wide, O'Brian and Fowley open to Parsons who, however, loses the oval forward with an open field ahead. After the escaped danger, Italy accelerates again and finds the third try: a tremendous D'Incà starts from her own 22, splits the Irish defense and reaches the opponents' 22. Muzzo and then the Italian forwards follow up on the action, and in the end Vecchini finds the great charge for 22-7 with Rigoni's conversion.
Ireland relies once again on its physicality to reopen the game, wins a penalty that is worth a line-out 5 meters from Italy's try line. The maul advances and Neve Jones finishes for 22-14 with O'Brien's conversion. The Azzurre's reaction, however, is immediate, with a beautiful break by Arrighetti from the base of the scrum: the number 8 Azzurra comes up short, then Madia opens to Muzzo who scores, but Davidson - after a check with the TMO - considers the pass from the Italian fly-half forward. Muzzo, however, repeats at the 68th minute, receives another ball wide and flies to the corner, and this time it's all good: Italy also takes home the offensive bonus.
In the last 10 minutes, Ireland tries to reopen the game, Veronese saves with a great tackle on Parsons, who seemed to be able to fly to the try. However, at the 78th minute, the Irish get closer with Corrigan, who intercepts a pass from Rigoni and flies between the posts for 21-27. The finale is extremely tense, Ireland returns to attack and constantly presses in the Italian 22: the defense of Raineri's team holds despite the great pressure, then Veronese with a turnover regains the oval that is worth Italy's first success on Irish soil.
Dublin, RDS Arena - Sunday, March 31, 2024
Guinness Women's Six Nations, Round II Ireland v Italy 12-27
Scorers: 1st half 7' penalty try Ireland (7-0); 24' m. Vecchini (7-5); 30' m. Fedrighi tr. Rigoni (7-12); 36' pk. Rigoni (7-15); 2nd half 17' m. Vecchini tr. Rigoni (7-22); 22' m. Jones tr. O'Brien (14-22); 28' m. Muzzo (14-27); 38' m. Corrigan tr.O'Brien (21-27) Ireland: Delany (10' st. Fowley); Corrigan, Higgins, Breen (18' st. Dalton), Parsons; O'Brien, Reilly (17' st. Scuffil-McCabe); Hogan, Wafer, Moore (14' st. Tuite); Monaghan (cap), Wall (26' st. Corri); Haney (23' st. Mcgrath), Jones, Djougang all. Bemand Italy: Ostuni-Minuzzi; Muzzo, Rigoni, Stevanin (32' st. Granzotto), D'Incà;; Madia, Stefan (cap); Arrighetti, Sgorbini (11' pt. Veronese), Tounesi (29' st. Locatelli); Duca, Fedrighi; Seye (32' st. Gai), Vecchini, Turani (14' pt. Maris) all. Raineri Referee: Davidson (Scotland) Yellow Cards: 7' pt. yellow Ostuni-Minuzzi (Italy) Kickers: Rigoni (Italy) 3/5 Guinness Player of the Match: Vecchini (Italy) Notes: 6605 spectators, a record for a women's match in Ireland.
This article is automatically translated