U18 6 Nations Festival: Italy secure famous victory over England

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Italy U18 recorded a sensational victory in the second round of the U18 6 Nations Festival as they beat England 32-30 at the Cardiff Arms Park.

 

Having run Ireland close last time out, Italy had plenty of confidence, but would have been expecting a huge backlash from an England side that had lost out to Scotland in the opening round.

 

England did come out strong, but so too did Italy, securing arguably their most important win at age-grade level and backing up a fantastic U20 6 Nations from their slightly more senior side.

 

Tries for Italy came through Matteo Drudi, Albert Batista, and their skipper Mattero Moscardi, while fly half Paolo Garbisi added fourteen points with his boot, Michele Peruzzo adding another penalty from the bench.

 

England scored plenty themselves though Northampton School for Boys’ Ollie Sleightholme scoring for the second game in a row in this competition, so too replacement hooker Alfie Barbeary of Bloxham, who scored a brace. A late penalty try and eight points from the boot of Dean Close outside half George Barton and a conversion from Sedbergh’s Josh Hodge completed the England haul.

 

Garbisi landed a couple of early penalties for Italy as they came out firing, and once ahead, they kept the pressure coming through, Garbisi landing a third for a 9-0 lead after some good work from number 8 Andrea Faccenna.

 

Sedbergh’s Josh Hodge did come close for England, the ball beating him to the dead ball line, but it was Italy that scored the first try of the afternoon as loosehead Matteo Drudi crashing over from the back of a maul after an Italian lineout deep in England territory.

 

It put Italy 14-0 ahead, but a George Barton penalty after some good England play from right wing Ollie Sleightholme sent the sides in to the half time break with Italy 14-3 to the good.

 

A penalty shortly after the break from Barton made that 14-6, but a fourth penalty from Garbisi extended the Italian lead back out to eleven points at 17-6.

 

England were building though, and that progress was reflected after a bullocking run from Sedbergh’s Bevan Rodd released Sleightholme for England’s opening score of the game, closing the gap to 17-11.

 

Italy were still on it though, determined and keeping the pressure high. Moscardi reflected that as he stripped England of possession deep in their 22 before charging over to extend the Italian lead to 24-11 with Garbisi’s conversion.

 

England came back again though, Barbeary charging over from a driven lineout before blasting over a few minutes later for his second and his side’s third, converted by Hodge. Italian replacement Michele Peruzzo landed a penalty inbetween to keep Italy just in front.

 

England had their tails up now, but when Italian left Albert Batista intercepted to score Italy’s third try of the game, that gave England an almost insurmountable task. Credit to England, they kept on coming, putting the pressure on as Italy conceded penalties, eventually going down to 14 men an conceding the penalty try to England, but there was simply not enough time left on the clock for England to turn the came around.

 

It was a magnificent and famous win for Italy, as they now prepare to take on host nation Wales at the Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday at 2.30pm. England, meanwhile, take on France in the later game at 5pm. It now becomes a hugely important game for England as they look for a first win in the competition against the side that beat them in their first game of the season.

 

Full Time: Italy U18 32-30 England U18

 

England U18 XV:

15 Josh Hodge (Sedbergh & Newcastle Falcons), 14 Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton School for Boys & Northampton Saints), 13 Connor Doherty (Kirkham Grammar & Sale Sharks), 12 Will Simonds (Henley College & Wasps), 11 Harry Barlow (Cranleigh & Harlequins), 10 George Barton (Dean Close & Gloucester), 9 Callum Pascoe (Gosforth Academy & Newcastle Falcons), 1 Lewis Holsey (Solihull & Worcester Warriors), 2 Samson Ma’asi (St Joseph’s College & Northampton Saints), 3 Cal Ford (Sandbach & Sale Sharks), 4 Will Montgomery (Kirkbie Kendal & Newcastle Falcons), 5 Ben Donnell (Peter Symonds College & London Irish), 6 Henri Lavin (Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth College & Leicester Tigers), 7 JJ Tonks (Hartpury College & Gloucester), 8 Rus Tuima (Exeter College & Exeter Chiefs).

Replacements: 16 Alfie Barbeary (Bloxham & Wasps), 17 Bevan Rodd (Sedbergh & Sale Sharks), 18 Jack Bartlett (Gloucester), 19 George Martin (Brooksby Melton College & Leicester Tigers), 20 Ted  Leatherbarrow (Kirkham Grammar & Sale Sharks), 21 Rob Farrar (Sedbergh & Newcastle Falcons), 22 Blake Boyland (SGS Filton College & Bristol), 23 Reece Dunn (St Peter’s Gloucester & Gloucester), 24 Jacob Morris (Hartpury College & Gloucester), 25 Manu Vunipola (Harrow & Saracens), 26 Jack Reeves (Hartpury College & Gloucester).

 

Italy U18

15 Lorenzo Romano (Pro Recco Rugby), 14 Edoardo Mastandrea  (Valsugana Rugby), 13 Michael Mba (Rugby Casale), 12 Matteo Moscardi (FEMI-CZ Rovigo, captain), 11 Albert Batista (Rugby Etruschi Livorno), 10 Paolo Garbisi (Mogliano Rugby), 9 Matteo Petrozzi (Saracens Academy), 1 Matteo Drudi  (UR Capitolina), 2 Tomas Conrado Rosario(Benetton Treviso), 3 Filippo Alongi (Benetton Treviso), 4 Paolo Steolo (Lafert San Donà), 5 Andrea Zambonin (Rangers Vicenza), 6 Angelo Maurizi (Pol. L’Aquila Rugby), 7 Davide Goldin (Petrarca Padova), 8 Andrea Faccenna(UR Capitolina).

Replacements: 16 Gianmarco Lucchesi (Lions Amaranto), 17 Lorenzo Michellini (Biella Rugby), 18 Giacomo Florio (Fiamme Oro Rugby), 19 Leon Scott Lawrence (Cavalieri Union Prato Sesto), 20 Nicolò Quaglia (Rugby Rovato), 21 Ratko Jelic (Lions Amaranto), 22 Luca Borin (FEMI-CZ Rovigo), 23 Michele Peruzzo (Valsugana Padova), 24 Jona Motta (Rugby Milano), 25 Pietro Marzocchi Traversa (Conad Reggio).

 

 

U18 6 Nations Festival Schedule: Saturday 31st March to Sunday 8th April

 

Matchday 1 – Saturday 31st March, Ystrad Mynach (Centre of Sporting Excellence)

 

Scotland U18 32-27 England U18

Wales U18 14-22 France U18

Ireland U18 20-17 Italy U18

 

Matchday 2 – Wednesday 4th April, Cardiff Arms Park

 

Italy U18 32-30 England U18 – 12pm

Ireland U18 v Wales U18 – 2.30pm

France U18 v Scotland U18 – 5pm

 

Matchday 3 – Sunday 8th April, Cardiff Arms Park

 

Ireland U18 v Scotland U18 – 12pm

Italy U18 v Wales U18 – 2.30pm

France U18 v England U18 – 5pm

 

Previous U18 results this season:

 

Scotland 30-32 Wales

Scotland 0-64 England

Wales 14-42 England

France 27-5 England

Ireland 20-39 France

Italy 18-5 France ‘B’

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