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Cooper rescues Wallabies in the Quade escape
Greg Growden in Padova | November 9, 2008 - 3:59AM
Italy 20 Australia 30
Australia have kept their unbeaten record intact against Italy after Test debutant Quade Cooper saved the day with an exciting 71st minute try at the Stadio Euganeo this morning.
The hosts, who had lost their previous 11 matches against Australia, were within eight minutes of earning a famous result until the 20-year-old Cooper bobbed and weaved over the line, confusing the Italy defence with two great left foot steps. The Wallabies were confronting the embarrassment of being whacked by the Italians, but instead they finished with an unconvincing 30-20 win.
The Wallaby backline was off colour as soon as five-eighth Berrick Barnes left the field with a knock to his knee before 20 minutes had been played. From that point, Italy looked dangerous, holding the lead during the first-half, and then leveling the scores 20-all with 10 minutes to go.
Thankfully Cooper, who came onto the field replacing Timana Tahu, who had a hamstring injury, brought decorum back to the situation, with a sensational solo try.
Overall it was an extremely disappointing performance by the Wallabies. The forwards were solid, but the backs were all over the place, suffering a terrible error count.
There was a period during the first half where they couldn't do anything right, and during the second half looked anything but world beaters.
At least the youngsters did their bit, with loosehead prop Ben Alexander also revelling during his first starting XV Test, being involved in several excellent midfield runs.
Italy had made a nervy start to the game and after they lost early ball Australia broke on three minutes.
Fly-half Barnes beat a couple of tackles but was impeded after playing a grubber kick and Stirling Mortlock slotted over the resulting penalty from just outside the 22.
Soon after, though, Mortlock gave away a penalty for holding on the ground and fly-half Andrea Marcato levelled the scores at 3-3.
But Italy still seemed a little on edge and straight from the restart Marcato was knocked to the floor while challenging for a high ball, allowing Australia to immediately regain possession.
They spread the ball wide to the right and Tahu shrugged off two tackles before releasing right-winger Lachie Turner to dive over in the corner for an 8-3 lead.
Barnes lasted less than a quarter of an hour before a knee injury forced him off but the news was no respite for Italy as regular play-maker Matt Giteau went on to replace him.
Marcato and Giteau exchanged penalties before Italy started to settle and Andrea Masi got the home crowd going with a break from inside his own 22, beating two tackles and then chipping ahead for Kaine Robertson who just failed to chase down the ball before it went dead.
Marcato reduced the deficit on 26 minutes as he dinked over a drop goal from the 10-yard line and then Italy went in front after31 minutes.
Scrum-half Pablo Canavosio took the ball from a scrum on Australia's 22, faked right and then passed left to Marcato.
Masi made a storming run and Marcato's perfectly-timed pass took out three defenders before Masi fed Mirco Bergamasco, who went over in the left corner for a 14-11 lead.
Australia levelled up just before the break as Giteau scored a penalty after yet another Italian offside.
Although the scores were close, Australia were enjoying a lot of success running through the midfield, targeting Marcato and inside-centre Gonzalo Garcia, winning only his third cap.
The Italy number 10 left the field soon after the restart with an injury to his side and Giteau slotted over two more penalties on 48 and 50 minutes as Italy's ill-discipline in the breakdown started to cost them.
The hosts stuck to their guns though and penalties from substitute fly-half Fabio Orquera on 53 and 60 minutes levelled the scores up again at 20-20.
Soon after Italy earned a line-out five-metres from the Aussie try-line and after they probed for a push-over try the visitors gave away a penalty but Orquera missed the kick from out wide.
But just as it looked as if Italy might be able to hold on for a famous result, substitute Cooper, who had come Giteau converted and added a late penalty to give the score a flattering look for the tourists.
Wallabies coach Deans said Barnes and Tahu would have scans in London on Monday but were almost certain to be ruled out of Saturday's showdown with England at Twickenham - and possibly the rest of the five-game European tour.
"For Berrick, it looks like his injury could be significant, but the detail of which we won't know until we get an MRI scan,'' Deans said.
"But, yeah, it looks like it will be significant ... Timana has a damaged hamstring.''
"There a bit of a bitter taste because we came close,'' Italy flanker Mauro Bergamasco told La7 television. "We made mistakes. But we showed that we can go forward, that we can play good rugby.
"We scored a beautiful first-phase try. It's the sort of thing great teams often do against us and that we have proved we are capable of when we play at 120 percent.''
AUSTRALIA 30 (Quade Cooper, Lachlan Turner tries Matt Giteau con Giteau 5, Stirling Mortlock pens) bt ITALY 20 (Mirco Bergamasco try Andrea Marcato 2, Luciano Orquera 2 pens Marcato drop goal) at Stadio Euganeo. Referee: Bryce Lawrence (NZL).
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Originally Posted by Burgs
Aren't they lovely? Then we let the Italians through for that SOFT try. We were jinxed!
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