Lamaro try sparks Italy’s comeback in Rugby World Cup win against Uruguay

Another mostly wonderful Uruguay performance, another far more established rugby nation given an anxiety-inducing examination on the biggest stage. Searching questions were asked, mistakes were forced, and half-time daylight created on the scoreboard for the South Americans as they searched for a fourth win at Rugby World Cups.

In the end, Italy earned the right to canter over the line in what was a pulsating encounter from the start. It was to the Azzurri’s credit that they wore Uruguay down with precise tactical kicking, powerful carrying, but most notably, an admirable willingness to run the ball from all over the place.

They scored five tries, and the supremely gifted Tommaso Allan is now 13 out of 13 off the tee in two matches. The road gets steeper for Italy from now on, with matches against New Zealand and France to come, but a sturdy platform has been set by Kieran Crowley’s men.

A heavy cloudburst on the clammy Côte d’Azur had soaked incoming supporters, but there would be no excuses about a slippery ball here. From the moment the full-back, Ange Capuozzo, collected the kick off and Italy tried to pass out of the 22, their intentions were clear. Paolo Garbisi conceded a kickable penalty from that very first possession, missed by the Uruguay fly-half Felipe Etcheverry, a mistake that looked all the more costly when Italy scored a couple of minutes later.

Capuozzo kicked ahead to the corner after Italy’s scrum-half, Alessandro Garbisi, spoiled Uruguayan possession. A five-metre scrum was reset, but the territory gained eventually led to Lorenzo Pani twisting over the try-line.

Italy’s eagerness to run from deep cost them dearly when Etcheverry intercepted a pass just outside the 22. The Italian defence scrambled to keep him out, but Niccolò Cannone was shown a yellow card in the next passage of play. Uruguay kept coming, and when Manuel Ardao’s effort was reviewed by the TMO, the result was a second yellow card, for Danilo Fischetti, and a penalty try. Risk and reward? Mainly risk.

It got worse for Italy too, Uruguay’s attacking continuity growing. Some muscular carries set up the space and allowed Etcheverry to offload to the wing, Nicolás Freitas, who darted over in the corner. The momentum shifted even further to the South Americans when Etcheverry, shrugging off an early wobble, smacked a fearsomely tough conversion through the middle. On the stroke of half time, Etcheverry channelled his inner George Ford to belt over a drop-goal from around halfway, making it 17-7, the tournament’s first bona fide shock beckoning.

The pendulum soon swung back in Italy’s favour. Andrés Vilaseca was sent to the sin bin, subject to a review, after his shoulder made contact with Pani’s head. It stayed a yellow card. Italy thought they had struck back on the scoreboard, too, when they pushed on the right. It looked a fair score by Giacomo Nicotera, but the TMO adjudged it held up. Lorenzo Cannone, the No 8, was soon crunching past a couple of attempted tackles and Italy kept the ball moving long enough for the skipper Michele Lamaro to stretch for the line. Allan, perhaps needless to say, added the extras and it was a three-point game.

Monty Ioane had been a real live wire in Italy’s attack, and he deserved his well-taken try, spearing under the posts to create a cushion against an increasingly ragged Uruguayan defence. Cannone and Juan Ignacio Brex added further tries as Italy moved up a couple of gears – Allan, of course, added further conversions, and Paolo Garbisi completed the scoring by clipping a penalty through the middle with 10 minutes left. Tougher tests to come, and all that, but this was a proper test passed.