The Junior Springboks and Italy u/20 wrapped up the day's play in a wet Paarl on Thursday afternoon. The ill-discipline by the Junior Springboks was heavily penalised, securing Italy a famous first 34-28 win in the World Championship over the Junior Springboks.
The ill-discipline by the Junior Springboks early in the first half was the main reason for Italy's 17-00 after twenty-five minutes of play in the first half. The Junior Springboks scored two late tries to trail 12-17 going into the second half. Despite the Junior Springboks' best efforts in the second half, their ill-discipline cost them the match with a 34-28 loss.
The Junior Springboks started the match using their big forwards to run at their visitors, however, following several penalties conceded by the Junior Springboks the referee awarded Italy u/20 a penalty try and Mawande Mdanda was shown a yellow card for illegally collapsing a maul.
The Junior Springboks' ill-discipline allowed Italy to set up camp in the 22m of their host. Nicholas Gasperini scored Italy u/20s second try from the back of a 5m lineout maul to extend Italy's lead to 14-00 after eighteen minutes of play in the first half.
Following the kickoff after a converted penalty by Italy the Junior Springboks started to build phase after phase. Katlego Letebele received a brilliant pass from the back of a collapsed maul to bulldoze his way over the Italian tryline for the Junior Springboks' first points of the match.
The Junior Sprinboks mercilessly continued their attack on Italy's tryline. A brilliant crosskick by Sam Francis was controlled by Jurenzo Juries who crashed over in the corner for the Junior Boks' second try. With five minutes to play in the first half Italy led 17-12 which was also the halftime score.
Italy continued to use the maul and scored their third try of the match when Marcos Francesco Gallorini crashed over from the back of a driving maul to extend Italy's lead to 24-12. Italy continued to dominate and added their fourth try to lead 31-12 following an extended period of brutal forward attack on the Junior Springboks' tryline.
With the Junior Springboks pinned in their own 22m Damian Markus stepped, stepped and stepped to score a brilliant 80-meter individual try to reduce Italy's lead to 31-19 with 22 minutes to play in the second half. Not to be outdone Juann Else picked up a ball behind the loose scrum and ran 25 meters to score the Junior Springboks' fourth try.
Unfortunately for the host they continued to concede penalty after penalty and a conversion by Giovanni Sante secured Italy's 34-26 win.
Scorers:
Junior Springboks: Try: Katlego Letebele, Jurenzo Juries, Damian Markus, Juann Else. Conversion: Imad Khan (4).
Italy u/20: Tries: Penalty try, Nicholas Gasperini, Marcos Francesco Gallorini (2). Conversions: Simone Brisighella (2). Penalties: Simone Brisighella, Giovanni Sante
Teams:
Junior Springboks: 15 Regan Izaks, 14 Michael Annies , 13 Katlego Letebele, 12 Damian Markus, 11 Quewin Nortje , 10 Sam Francis, 9 Neil Le Roux , 8 Cornѐ Beets, 7 Jannes Potgieter, 6 Paul de Villiers (c), 5 Jacob Frederick van Heerden, 4 Tiaan Wessels, 3 Mawande Mdanda, 2 Juann Else, 1 Cornè Lavagna. Replacements: 16 Samuel Jordaan Kotze, 17 Phatu Ganyane, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Ghudian van Reenen, 20 Gcinokuhle Mdletshe, 21 Imad Khan, 22 Litelihle Bester, 23 Jurenzo Julius.
Italy u/20: 15 Alessandro Gesi, 14 Francesco Bini, 13 Lorenzo Elettri, 12 Dewi Passarella, 11 Matthias Douglas, 10 Simone Brisighella, 9 Lorenzo Casilio, 8 Fabio Ruaro, 7 David Odiase (c), 6 Filippo Lavorenti, 5 Pietro Turrisi, 4 Enrico Pontarini, 3 Federico Pisanim, 2 Nicholas Gasperini, 1 Riccardo Bartolini. Replacements: 16 Giovanni Quattrini, 17 Samuele Taddei, 18 Marcos Francesco Gallorini, 19 Alex Mattioli, 20 Carlos Berlese, 21 Sebastiano Battara, 22 Giovanni Sante, 23 Matteo Rubinato.