Rugby – Women’s World Cup, Italy beats USA 22-10

Good, very good the first of the New Zealand World Cup for Italy, which suffers in the first 25 minutes, then takes the measures to the United States and wins 22-10, also conquering the offensive bonus point. In the presence of a physically stronger team, the blue have found the suitable countermeasures by setting the game on their trademark: a game based on attack and the search for spaces, and a fierce and effective defense on the line of advantage, also thanks to the work of Tounesi and Sgorbini, the latter entered cold after only 2 minutes and the author of a great game. After a painful first half but still finished in the lead 7-5, with a goal from Ostuni Minuzzi, in the second half Italy took over the game and closed it thanks to a brace from Muzzo and the final scoring from Magatti.

The first half

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The match starts in the worst way. The knee betrays Arrighetti in the tackle on Kelter, and the third line is forced to go out in tears after only 2 minutes of play, in his place Sgorbini. On the following scrum the Americans immediately take over: Waters quickly beats the free kick gained from the pack, and Taufoou finds the winning charge for the advantage of the USA, 5-0, with Cantorna who misses the transformation. The blues rely on the house specialty: ball-in-hand play and an insistent search for spaces, but we have to deal with the American fury at the meeting point, which breaks the rhythm of the game and above all leads to many scrums. On the other hand, however, Italy focuses on the lineout, dirtying Joanna Kitlinski’s throws several times. In the first 25 minutes, Italy never leaves its own half: it plays a game of suffering, especially on the front line, and when it has the chance it starts again with flare-ups that hurt.

The reaction

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In the second part of the first half it is the blue who hold the ball, with the trocar moving it from one side to the other in an attempt to open a gap in a good American defense: this is what happens 2 minutes from the interval, with Sideboard that with a splendid change of pace serves Sgorbini, who paves the way and recycles a difficult ball for Bettoni. The oval returns again to the blue number 10, which opens very well for Ostuni Minuzzi who in turn crushes the flag for a draw. The next transformation is practically from the side foul line, but Sillari pulls out a perfect kick and puts Italy ahead 7-5.

The recovery

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The inertia of the orderly scrum changes, with the USA no longer able to make a big voice, and on the pitch the blue accelerations constantly put the American defense in difficulty. At 45 ‘a monumental Sara Tounesi resists a doubled tackle and reaches 5 meters from the goal line, Rigoni finds the right time to expand on Muzzo, overcoming the possible intervention of Kelter. The blue winger only has to hit the ball for the 12-5 goal. Italy seems to be in control, but at 56 ‘Ostuni Minuzzi takes a yellow card for a voluntary forward, leaves her teammates in 14 for 10 minutes and the US takes the opportunity to bring themselves back down: the attack is led by the players with the greatest offensive impact , first Haungatau, and then Maryas who marks the goal of 12-10. The draw does not come because Cantorna incredibly misses an easy kick.

Italy flies

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In the most difficult moment, however, the blue pull out the play that closes the game. Giada Franco cuts the American defense in two, which becomes unbalanced and leaves an open prairie on the left side. Rigoni once again finds a perfect pass for Muzzo who jumps two players like pins and signs his personal double. Sillari hits the post in the next transformation and the score remains at 17-10. We are back in numerical parity, and at 70 ‘Italy definitively closes the games with the bonus goal: Madia’s internal intersection for Magatti’s race, his insertion is a shot in the belly of a defense that is increasingly struggling to read the lightning-fast Italian accelerations. The Cus Milano winger goes all the way, and marks the goal of the offensive bonus for the 22-10. It ends like this, with the blue who take home 5 points and place a first important mortgage on the passage of the turn. Next Sunday, again at 1.45 am in Italy, against Canada, in the most difficult challenge of the first phase.