Uruguay Just Fall Short against Emerging Italy

Uruguay pushed Emerging Italy to the limit this afternoon, losing 26-24 in the World Rugby Nations Cup in Bucharest, Romania.

The fixture was the second of three opening round match-ups. The others being the Argentina XV vs Spain and the official test match of Romania vs Namibia.

Uruguay’s two remaining Nations Cup fixtures are to be fully-capped internationals against Romania and Spain. For this very reason the Teros lineup this afternoon was understrength. In an effort to protect world rankings points Uruguay are prioritizing the competition’s other matches.

A positive side against either European team will be tough. Both performed well today. Firstly Spain gave the Argentina XV a tough opening half and secondly, Romania defeated Namibia 20-8.

Uruguay will be required to produce a far more consistent performance. Los Teros slow start had Emerging Italy leading 24-0, a remarkable figure considering the 26-24 final scoreline.

A combination of quality play from the Italians and sloppy work from Uruguay explains the half time scoreline. Enrico Lucchini’s intercept from a wayward Uruguayan pass being a telling example of Uruguay’s opening half to the contest.

Emerging Italy’s 16-0 half time lead was extended with back-rower Federico Conforti surprising the Uruguayan defense to score for the Europeans.

The injection of back-rower come second-rower Diego Magno got the South Americans back on track. His try was the first of three with Santiago Arata and Nicolás Freitas both scoring once each.

Fly half Santiago Martínez  matches his Italian opposite Maicol Azzolini in converting all three tries. This saw the match determined late in the piece through a penalty which the Italian number 10 landed to secure victory. The two point defeat gives Los Teros a bonus point.

SCORERS
EMERGING ITALY
Try: Menon, Lucchin, Conforti
Conversion: Azzolini (3)
Penalty: Azzolini

URUGUAY
Try: Magno, Arata, Freitas
Conversion: Martínez (3)

EMERGING ITALY
1 Riccardo Brugnara (Leicester Tigers), 2 Adriano Daniele (Piacenza), 3 Roberto Tenga (Rovigo), 4 Riccardo Michieletto (Padova), 5 Filippo Gerosa (Viadana), 6 Federico Conforti (Padova), 7 Sebastiano Negri Da Oleggio (Hartpury College), 8 Renato Giammarioli (Calvisano), 9 Simone Marinaro (Fiamme Oro), 10 Maicol Azzolini (Fiamme Oro), 11 Marco Susio (Calvisano), 12 Enrico Lucchin (Rovigo), 13 Francesco Menon (Rovigo), 14 Gabriele Di Giulio (Calvisano), 15 Andrea Menniti-Ippolito (Padova)

Replacements: 16 Luhandre Luus (Calvisano), 17 Paolo Buonfiglio (Mogliano), 18 Giuseppe Di Stefano (Fiamme Oro), 19 Matteo Corazzi (Mogliano), 20 Giorgio Bronzini (Rovigo), 21 Paolo Pescetto (Narbonne), 22 Andrea Bettin (Padova), 23 Vittorio Flammini (L’Aquila)

URUGUAY
1 Mateo Sanguinetti (Los Cuervos), 2 Facundo Gattas (Lobos), 3 Mario Sagario (Munster), 4 Diego Ayala (MVCC), 5 Ignacio Dotti (Los Cuervos), 6 Juan Gaminara (Old Boys), 7 Matias Beer (Old Christians), 8 Franco Lamanna (Perugia), 9 Santiago Arata (Old Christians), 10 Santiago Martínez (Carrasco Polo), 11 Andres Rocco (Old Boys), 12 Facundo Klappenbach (Champagnat), 13 Pedro Deal (Old Boys), 14 Leandro Leivas (Old Christians), 15 Federico Favaro (Old Christians)

Replacements: 16 Germán Kessler (Los Cuervos), 17 Juan Echeverria (Old Christians), 18 Ignacio Secco (Trebol), 19 Diego Magno (MVCC), 20 Alejandro Nieto (Champagnat), 21 Martín Secco (Los Cuervos), 22 Guillermo Lijtenstein (Trebol), 23 Nicolás Freitas (Carrasco Polo)