Pumitas Fall To Italy

Los Pumitas failed to perform today, falling 30-26 to Italy in the Junior World Championship. The result sees Argentina’s pool matches completed with a 1-2 record.

Both teams scored four tries in the match but the theme was Italy’s impressive start as the Argentine defense was split wide open throughout the opening half. At the game’s mid-way stage Italy U20’s held a 22-5 lead.

Scoring first for Italy U20’s was Damiano Mazza. The center made the most of sloppy defense to give his side a dream start. When Giovanni D’Onofrio scored minutes later it was clear that the Argentina U20’s were yet to get into the match. With the conversion Italy U20’s were sitting comfortable.

Yet the problems persisted for the Argentina U20’s. A third first half try came, this time through no 8 Lodovico Manni. Behind 19-0 was grim for the Argentina U20’s who went into the match needing a bonus point win to reach the Semi Finals.

Overcoming the deficit was not out of the question though it would mean scoring quickly, with regularity and stopping the Italians from adding points. Hope arose when Leopoldo Herrera scored an outstanding try. It would make it 19-5 though with Filippo Di Marco landing a penalty the halftime margin was 17 points.

In the second half Santiago Carreras ran in a magnificent try. It was the perfect way to try to get back into the match. But it was to be Italy U20’s day. A second try from Mazza combined with a penalty from Rizzi were decisive.

Italy’s lead was restored and chances of a Argentina U20’s victory were shattered. Yet with good rugby being played from the South Americans in the final quarter Mateo Carreras and Ignacio Mendy managed to finish on a high.

SCORING

ITALY U20’s
Try: Mazza (2), D’Onofrio, Manni
Conversion: Di Marco
Penalty: Di Marco, Rizzi

ARGENTINA U20’S
Try: Herrera, S Carreras, M Carreras, Mendy
Conversion: Daireaux, Mendía (2)

ITALY U20’S
15 Alessandro Fusco, 14 Andrea de Masi, 13 Mateo Moscardi, 12 Damiano Mazza, 11 Giovanni D’Onofrio, 10 Filippo Di Marco, 9 Nicolò Casilio, 8 Lodovico Manni, 7 Michele Lamaro, 6 Jacopo Bianchi, 5 Matteo Canali, 4 Niccolò Cannone, 3 Michele Mancini Parri, 2 Matteo Luccardi, 1 Danilo Fischetti

Replacements: 16 Niccolò Taddia, 17 Guido Romano, 18 Matteo Nocera, 19 Davide Ruggeri, 20 Antoine Koffi, 21 Luca Crosato, 22 Antonio Rizzi, 23 Albert Einstein Batista

ARGENTINA U20’S
15 Santiago Carreras, 14 Leopoldo Herrera, 13 Juan Pablo Castro, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Juan Bautista Daireaux, 9 Gonzalo García, 8 Bautista Pedemonte, 7 Santiago Grondona, 6 Joaquín de la Vega (capt.), 5 Lucas Paulos, 4 Salvador Ochoa, 3 Mayco Vivas, 2 Leonel Oveido, 1 Rodrigo Martínez

Replacements: 16 Agustín Milet, 17 Gonzalo Hughes, 18 Lucio Sordoni, 19 Santiago Ruiz, 20 Juan Ignacio Molina, 21 Manuel Nogues, 22 Joaquín de la Vega Mendía, 23 Ignacio Mendy

POSITIONS AFTER POOL PHASE
1 England 15
2 New Zealand 14
3 France 14
4 South Africa 11

Semi Final 1: England vs South Africa
Semi Final 2: France vs New Zealand

5 Italy 10
6 Wales 8
7 Argentina 7
8 Australia 6

5th Place Semi Final: Italy vs Australia
5th Place Semi Final: Wales vs Argentina

9 Georgia 5
10 Ireland 2
11 Scotland 1
12 Japan 1

9th Place Semi Final: Georgia vs Japan
9th Place Semi Final: Ireland vs Scotland