Italy 19-14 Canada
Italy survived a spine-tingling finish to defeat Canada 19-14 in a World Cup pool D match today which eliminated the north Americans from the tournament.
Both sides scored a try each, with kicking by Italy flyhalf Rima Wakarua again proving the difference after a 21-point haul against Tonga last week. But the Canadians did not give up without a fight and attacked again and again in a bid to peg back Italy's lead over a desperate closing 15 minutes.
Canada attacked frantically, flinging the ball right and left in an attempt to find the decisive break in an impressive Italian defensive line. Exhausted Italian players fell into each other's arms on the final whistle as dejected Canadians collapsed to the pitch.
The Italians looked to have worn down Canada's resistance when number eight Sergio Parisse scored the first try in the 56th minute after a strong Italian scrum drive forced Canada scrumhalf Morgan Williams to spill the ball near his own line.
The converted try gave Italy a 19-9 lead and came not long after Canada centre Marco di Girolamo was sent to the sin bin for killing the ball after a general warning.
Di Girolamo's offence amounted to a 10-point penalty against the Canadians, with Italy flyhalf Rima Wakarua kicking the last of his four penalties when the Canadian was sin binned.
But Canada struck back 10 minutes later when Italy fullback Gonzalo Canale also spilled the ball from a long kick. Canada's forwards pounced on his mistake and their backs flung the ball to the left wing for Australian-born fullback Quentin Fyffe to cross in the corner.
Canada flyhalf Jared Barker missed a difficult conversion. Barker also missed two difficult penalties in the second half, the second bouncing back off the posts.
Italy's cause was made all the harder in the last two minutes when hooker Fabio Ongaro was yellow carded for pulling down a maul, forcing his team to defend desperately with 14 players.
The final frantic minutes were in stark contrast to a dour opening 40 minutes. Italy led 9-6 at half time, New Zealand-born Wakarua kicking three penalties to Barker's two.
Neither side appeared to notice a violent storm which broke just before kick off, both trying to throw the ball around in defiance of the greasy conditions.
Constant stoppages and turnovers ruined the first half, but the powerful Italian forwards seemed to have the better of the Canadians, who relied mainly on counter attack.
Canada, quarter-finalists in 1991, have now lost the first three of their four pool matches and will be unable to win enough points from their last match against Tonga next week to qualify for the knockout phase again.
Italy's win was even more significant as no other Italian side has ever won two games at a World Cup.
The Italians now play Wales in a decisive match on Saturday to determine which of the two will qualify for the quarter-finals as runners-up behind Cup favourites New Zealand.
Teams:
Italy- 15-Gonzalo Canale; 14-Mirco Bergamasco (22-Andrea Masi 41 21-Francesco Mazzariol 78), 13-Cristian Stoica, 12-Manuel Dallan, 11-Denis Dallan; 10-Rima Wakarua, 9-Alessandro Troncon (captain) (20-Matteo Mazzantini 41); 8-Sergio Parisse, 7-Aaron Persico (19-Scott Palmer 55-65, 69, 16-Carlo Festuccia 79), 6-Andrea de Rossi (7-Aaron Persico 73), 5-Marco Bortolami (18-Carlo Chechhinato 30), 4-Santiago Dellape, 3-Leandro Castrogiovanni, 2-Fabio Ongaro, 1-Andrea Lo Cicero.
Canada- 15-Quentin Fyffe; 14-Winston Stanley, 13-John Cannon, 12-Marco di Girolamo, 11-Dave Lougheed; 10-Jared Barker, 9-Morgan Williams; 8-Ryan Banks (19-Josh Jackson 32), 7-Jim Douglas, 6-Jamie Cudmore, 5-Al Charron (captain), 4-Colin Yukes, 3-Jon Thiel (1-Rod Snow 68), 2-Mark Lawson, 1-Rod Snow (17-Kevin Tkachuk 53).
Referee:Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand)