ragazzi l'impresa STORICA di oggi (Italia - Galles 30-22, la seconda vittoria di sempre dell'Italia nel torneo di rugby più antico del mondo e la prima in assoluto contro i Dragoni) impone l'apertura per questa nuova finestra sul rugby, sport che penso tutti seguiamo con piacere!
Comunque al di la della vittoria (che ci voleva come il pane per rilanciare entusiasmo nell'ambiente rugbistico italiano e recuperare credibilità all'estero) la cosa più importante é che l'Italia ha finalmente giocato alla pari con avversari che sono ancora di un altro livello rispetto a noi, merito questo sopratutto della nuova mentalità vincente portata dal nuovo tecnico John Kirwan, leggendario ex Left Wing degli All Blacks (Campione del Mondo 1987 nella prima edizione dei Mondiali di Rugby e autore nella prima partita del torneo proprio contro l'Italia di una delle mete più belle della storia del rugby dopo una spettacolare corsa di 80 yards in mezzo a quasi tutta la squadra azzurra) ... speriamo che non sia stato solo un episodio e che ora non si torni alla mediocrità di prima! Ma non credo, anche se ovviamente nessuno si illude che l'Italia abbia colmato il gap rugbistico tecnico-storico-culturale colle potenze storiche di questo sport (anche oggi al Flaminio c'erano sopratutto tifosi gallesi piuttosto che italiani) ne tantomeno di vincere il Torneo delle 6 Nazioni ... la cosa più importante é guadagnare rispetto e credibilità a livello internazionale e comunque quanto vale il rugby italiano lo diranno sopratutto i prossimi imminenti Mondiali 2003 che se l'Italia ddel rugby dovesse crescere mi auguro che la RAI ci farà vedere decentemente (e non solo la Finale come nel 1999!)
OK gradirei sapere i vostri pareri su quello che personalmente io reputo sia lo sport di squadra più bello del mondo (perché giocato colla forza, l'abilità e il coraggio, molto spettacolare ma sopratutto leale e portatore di sani valori sportivi e non ancora rovinato dalla corruzione e i soldi come é orami putroppo il calcio, o i soldi e il cambiamento delle regole ogni anno come il football, i due sports ai quali il rugby é più vicino, così come é molto simile anche al football australiano, un'altro sport che adoro)
Di seguito posto l'articolo sulla partita di oggi trovato sul sito www.rugby365.com a:
http://rugby365.com/TOURNAMENTS/Six_Nations/Tournament_News/story_25749.shtml
Italy stun Wales in Rome opener 15/02/03
Dominguez bags 15 points
Fiesta in the ancient city of Rome as Italy beat Wales 30-22 at Stadio Flaminio, in the panting heart of the capital city! There was emotion and happiness as the Azzurri won only their second Six Nations match ever and their first ever victory over Wales - a thoroughly deserved win.
Celebrate good times: Dominguez enjoys the win in Rome
The Italian forwards dominated possession and their loose forwards revelled in their chances their tight five gave them.
Wales, generally better at scrum-time, were haphazard at line-outs and left their backs forced to live off scraps and run out of deep defence in search of tries - and from the start both sides showed goalline zeal.
They came out into sunshine, Wales with neat black collars, Italy with ITALIA writ large across their chests. Italy came out in expectation as they looked for their second Six Nations win ever.
It started with song, then it lapsed into sad silence for Nick Duncombe and then it burst into rugby action as both sides did all things positive. The half ended with Italy ahead 20-17, probably deservedly so as they had had more chances to score. They had also had more possession. They were great in sharp and eager phases; Wales were better at break-outs, especially through strong Leigh Davies at inside centre who used ageing Diego Dominguez as a passage.
It was a hectic half. The first four minutes belonged to Italy as they charged at Wales. Veteran outside centre Cristian Stoica actually got over but was held up. It did not matter as from the scrum Allesandro Troncon and debutant hooker Carlo Festuccia did some flicking to send hairless prop Giampiero de Carli barging over close in.
Wales then put the ball through many fast phases for hairy lock Steve Williams to run and plunge for a try which Iestyn Harris converted to make the score 7-all after only eight minutes.
Wales scored again when they tapped and ran a penalty and worked through quick phases. Gareth Thomas bounced inside a tackle on the right and fed outside centre Tom Shanklin, who had a strong game. Shanklin raced from just inside his 10-metre line to score and put Wales ahead 14-7 after 14 minutes.
Italy attacked next but Wales won a turnover five metres from their line and raced onto the attack. Back came Italy with their backs attacking in two layers and after many phases burly hooker Festuccia barged over, and the score was 14-all after 21 minutes.
Iestyn Harris then kicked a penalty goal and things looked good for Wales as Leigh Davies came bursting up the centre to set Rhys Williams running free, but, not for the only time in the match, a Welsh pass went astray.
Italian flanks Andrea de Rossi and Aaron Persico ran strongly and a penalty in front of the posts made it 17-all.
Wales were close to scoring when they countered off an attacking kick by Mauro Bergamasco, playing on the wing but looking like a flank. Only a delicate knock-on by Martyn Williams prevented a try.
Italy won a turnover and veteran Paulo Vaccari attacked which ended when Iestyn Harris brilliantly held up Mauro Bergamasco over the Welsh line.
Dominguez dropped a goal and half-time came with Italy leading 20-17.
After the spumante of the first half, the second half threatened to be flat beer as Italy dominated possession but produced little till the final quarter started sparkling again.
The try which stretched Italy's lead came through some clever work by captain Troncon. Wales won a scrum. There was a misunderstanding between scrum-half Dwayne Peel and pressurised No.8 Colin Charvis. Troncon snapped up the ball, his flanks played and New Zealander Matt Phillips scored gleefully.
That put Italy ahead 27-17 with 18 minutes left.
Italy spent most of that time on the attack. With seven minutes to go Dominguez, who had been short with two drop-goal attempts, popped over an easy one - 30-17.
The last score of the match came in injury-time from another long-range Welsh effort as they attacked from deep inside their own territory, Iestyn Harris side-stepped sweetly and Peel scored far out.
And that was that! Italy savoured gloria. There was not much of the phlegmatic New Zealander in John Kirwan as the coach thrust his arms aloft in triumph.
Man of the Match: Not an easy choice as all three of the Italian loose forwards were special as they fed off their sturdy tight men, but in the end Andrea de Rossi may just have run more and tackled more than his Kiwi colleagues.
Moment of the Match: Tom Shanklin's try as Wales attacked from deep with speed and Gareth Thomas passed brilliantly inside to the perfectly placed centre for him to burst away and score. There was also a special moment when Welsh wing Mark Jones was taken off on a stretcher and at least two of the Italian players shed tears and waved him farewell.
Villain of the Match: Poor Cristian Bezzi, the Italian lock, is the only qualifier in a match without malice. His act, too, was without malice and it is tough to plonk a label on him. Tall Mark Jones came running away but as two Italians came close he slipped. His head was only about half a metre off the ground when it made contact with the tall lock's arm.
Tough one that.
The scorers:
For Italy:
Tries: De Carli, Festuccia, Phillips
Cons: Dominguez 3
Pens: Dominguez
DGs: Dominguez 2
For Wales:
Tries: S Williams, Shanklin, Peel
Cons: Harris 2
Pens: Harris
The teams:
Italy: 15 Paulo Vaccari, 14 Mauro Bergamasco, 13 Cristian Stoica, 12 Giovanni Raineri, 11 Denis Dallan, 10 Diego Dominguez, 9 Allesandro Troncon (captain), 8 Matt Phillips, 7 Aaron Persico, 6 Andrea de Rossi, 5 Marco Bortolami, 4 Cristian Bezzi, 3 Ramiro Martinez, 2 Carlo Festuccia, 1 Giampiero de Carli.
Replacements: 16 Andrea Moretti, 17 Salvatore Perugini, 18 Mark Giacheri, 19 Scott Palmer, 20 J Queirolo, 21 Ramiro Pez, 22 Mirco Bergamasco.
Wales: 15 Rhys Williams, 14 Mark Jones 13 Tom Shanklin, 12 Leigh Davies, 11 Gareth Thomas, 10 Iestyn Harris, 9 Dwayne Peel, 8 Colin Charvis (captain), 7 Martyn Williams, 6 Michael Owen, 5 Steve Williams, 4 Robert Sidoli, 3 Ben Evans, 2 Mefin Davies, 1 Iestyn Thomas.
Replacements: 16 Gareth Williams, 17 Gethin Jenkins, 18 Dafydd Jones, 19 Gavin Thomas, 20 Gareth Cooper, 21 Ceri Sweeney, 22 Matthew Watkins.
E UNA!
FORZA AZZURRI!