Eagles end WXV with loss to Italy

The USA closed out their inaugural WXV campaign with a heavy loss to Italy in Cape Town on Saturday. Despite the 30-8 scoreline, however, the Azzurre were left disappointed as they missed out on the second division title by just two points in scoring differential to Scotland.

It was a confident start for the Eagles as they pressed until Gabby Cantorna opened the scoring with a penalty goal 13 minutes into the game. Italy began to flex their muscles just before the half-hour mark, and Giordana Duca crashed over after a powerful run and offload from Sara Tounesi.

The Eagles were again pinned on their goal line just before the break. With the defense bunched up in the middle, the Azzurre attacked wide left where there were two attackers waiting in open field and Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi took the honors to make it a 12-3 lead for Italy at halftime.

Not long into the second half Duca took a short pass from Sofia Stefan and galloped up the middle of the pitch. Lotte Clapp was there to bring down the second row but the offload found Emma Stevanin and Giulia Cavina provided the final pass to Stefan for a superb team try.

A try for the USA came right after the restart. Freda Tafuna burst through two tacklers and offloaded to Katana Howard in support. Tahlia Brody was on her shoulder to take the next pass and the flanker charged in under the posts, but Kristin Bitter couldn’t add the extras and left the Eagles two scores adrift.

It would be academic in the end. Quick hands put Alyssa D’Inca into the right corner, and then a rampaging run by Beatrice Rigoni led to a runaway score for Elisa Giordano that put the result beyond doubt. Michela Sillari tacked on three points but the Azzurre couldn’t find the scoreboard again.

The Eagles finished the campaign with an equal record to South Africa and Japan but finish in 5th place due to a tie-breaker. Scotland edge Italy on points differential to claim the WXV second division title.

 

SCORING

USA 8
Tries (1) – T. Brody (46′)
Cons (0) – K. Bitter 0/1
Pens (1) – G. Cantorna 1/1 (13′)

ITALY 30
Tries (5) – G. Duca (27′), V. Ostuni Minuzzi (38′), S. Stefan (44′), A. D’Inca (51′), E. Giordano (58′)
Cons (1) – M. Sillari 1/5 (28′)
Pens (1) – M. Sillari 1/1 (63′)

 

TEAMS

USA
1 Catie Benson (17 Alivia Leatherman 64′), 2 Paige Stathopoulos (16 Kathryn Treder 49′), 3 Mae Sagapolu (18 Charli Jacoby 56′), 4 Hallie Taufo’ou, 5 Erica Jarrell (20 Rachel Ehrecke 73′), 6 Freda Tafuna (19 Jenny Kronish 64′), 7 Tahlia Brody, 8 Rachel Johnson, 9 Taina Tukuafu (21 Carly Waters 67′), 10 Gabby Cantorna (22 Kristin Bitter HT), 11 Lotte Clapp, 12 Katana Howard (23 Emily Henrich 56′), 13 Kate Zackary (capt.), 14 Summer Harris-Jones, 15 Tess Feury

ITALY
1 Gaia Maris (17 Emanuela Stecca 67′), 2 Silvia Turani (16 Laura Gurioli 71′), 3 Lucia Gai (18 Alessia Pilani 64′), 4 Valeria Fedrighi, 5 Giordana Duca, 6 Sara Tounesi (19 Isabella Locatelli 56′), 7 Giulia Cavina (20 Alissa Ranuccini 64′), 8 Elisa Giordano (capt.), 9 Sofia Stefan, 10 Beatrice Rigoni, 11 Alyssa D’Inca, 12 Emma Stevanin (22 Veronica Madia 64′), 13 Michela Sillari, 14 Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, 15 Beatrice Capomaggi (23 Sofia Catellani 73′)

Not used: 21 Nicole Mastrangelo

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Natarsha Ganley (New Zealand)
Assistants: Aurélie Groizeleau (France) & Zoë Naudé (South Africa)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ireland)

 

Venue: Athlone Stadium, Cape Town