Italy 27 USA 10:Italy kept the pressure up on Ireland in Pool C as they overcame the USA in Nelson. It wasn't a great performance from a much-changed Azzurri line-up but the bonus-point win means they move level on points with the Wallabies in the standings.
And although Ireland top the pool by three points, it means victory for Italy in their clash in Dunedin would see them take their place in the last eight for the first time.
Sergio Parisse, Luciano Orquera and Martin Castrogiovanni all crossed for tries, while the Italian pack were awarded a penalty try. Mirco Bergamasco added two conversions and a penalty.
The Americans gave everything as they frustrated the Italians, although their discipline let them down - with Louis Stanfill sin-binned and the Eagles giving away too many penalties. Chris Wyles weighed in with all their points, with a try, penalty and conversion.
Parisse bettered his six-minute score against Russia after Italy made early inroads and the move ended with lock Cornelius van Zyl sending his skipper through a gaping gap and under the posts.
Tommaso Benvenuti was denied a second try when he was unable to ground a difficult bouncing ball and it was the Eagles who levelled instead, centre Paul Emerick breaking powerfully through the line and offloading for Wyles to touch down — and then convert.
Mirco Bergamasco and Wyles traded penalties before a rolling maul took Italy to the brink of the line and, after the ball was recycled, fly-half Orquera sliced through. Bergamasco’s conversion attempt sailed wide.
The USA prevented Castrogiovanni grounding for a third Italian try, captain Todd Clever clashing with the prop on the ground as referee George Clancy referred the decision upstairs.
Wyles kept Luke McLean out after Benvenuti did superbly to keep the move alive but Castrogiovanni was virtually hauled over the line by Van Zyl to touch down. Bergamasco’s missed conversion left the half-time score at 20-10.
The States started the second half positively but the impressive Emerick was just unable to stay in play after Mike Petri’s kick deceived Bergamasco.
American flanker Louis Stanfill was sin-binned for a scrum infringement on the hour before Castrogiovanni was denied by the TMO once again after replays failed to show clearly whether the ball was grounded.
From the resulting scrum, though, Italy’s dominance up front yielded a penalty try and a bonus point and Bergamasco easily slotted the kick.
McLean raced back to prevent replacement American full-back Blaine Scully touching down James Paterson’s grubber but their was little else for Italy to worry about — though their tough battle for the bonus point will have encouraged the watching Irish.
