Bortolussi boots Azzurri home

Bortolussi boots Azzurri home

PARIS, 19 September - Italy defeated Portugal 31-5 in their Pool C match at Parc des Princes in Paris on Wednesday to record their second win of the IRB Rugby World Cup.

Scoring three tries to one, it was by no means an easy victory for the Azzurri with Portugal demonstrating plenty of muscle up front and some enterprising play out wide.

Fullback David Bortolussi's boot proved valuable, with four penalties and one conversion for a personal tally of 16 points as Italy recorded their biggest-ever RWC victory.

Trailing 16-5 at the break, Portugal looked the more promising in the first 20 minutes of the second stanza, their forward pack more than matching their more fancied opponents at the breakdown.

Neither side were able to break the other's line as the contest was kept close to the ruck. It was up to Bortolussi to open the account after the break with his fourth penalty, giving his side a comfortable 19-5 lead.

Flanker Mauro Bergamasco then put the result beyond doubt in the 72nd minute with a pushover try to make it 24-5 before Bortolussi missed with his only blemish of the match.

A late converted try to centre Andrea Masi, his second of the match, extended the winning margin to 26.

With scrum half Alessandro Troncon playing his 100th international, Italy enjoyed much of the possession in the first half but failed to capitalise on several scoring opportunities. Portugal also failed to take advantage of an extra man with Italy skipper Marco Bortolami yellow carded in the 7th minute.

Masi scored his first try in the 3rd minute, following some good lead up work by his forwards, and three penalties and a conversion to Bortolussi gave the Azzurri their eleven-point halftime lead. Portugal's try came from second row David Penalva.

Portugal meets Romania in their next match while Italy take on Scotland.

Late scores help Italy to flattering win

Centre Andrea Masi scored two tries as Italy beat Portugal 31-5 but were denied a bonus point by a stern defence in their World Cup Pool C match at the Parc des Princes in Paris this morning (Australian time).

Italy looked set for a high-scoring win when their repeated thrusts from the Portuguese kick-off gave them an early try, fly half Roland de Marigny sending Masi over in the middle from a maul on the left.

Portugal, however, proved strong in defence and the Italians looked unsettled by captain Marco Bortolami's yellow card for punching in the eighth minute.

Italy were stunned just past the half hour, the Portuguese maintaining a record of touching down once in each of their matches.

An attack out to the left from a scrum was thwarted by the Italian defence, but from the maul Portugal quickly ran the ball out to the right.

Replacement centre Diogo Gama, on for the injured Diogo Mateus, made an overhead pass out to lock David Penalva - one of only two professionals in the Portuguese starting line-up - who ran through to touch down.

Italy, who have taken eight points from three matches, meet Scotland on September 30 in St Etienne in their last Pool C match when only a win could secure a place in the last eight.

Troncon milestone

Italy's half-back Allesandro Troncon, keen to mark his achievement at becoming the eighth player to win 100 Test caps, had a huge amount of possession to put out to his backs.

Although the tiring Portuguese only conceded two more tries in the last eight minutes, they denied the Italians the bonus point they would have got for a fourth.

With eight minutes to go, flanker Mauro Bergamasco touched down when an Italian maul pushed over the line after a concerted push in the left corner.

Five minutes later, De Marigny again combined with Masi, his deft chip from close quarters over the defence being touched down by the centre.

Despite enjoying far more possession and territorial advantage, Italy struggled to crack the Portuguese side and led only 16-3 at the interval.

Fly half Duarte Cardoso Pinto and full-back Rui Cordero were both good with their tactical kicking, the latter sending up several good up-and-unders as Portugal kept the Italians at bay for long spells.

Italy took another 23 minutes to add to their score in the second half when full-back David Bortolussi converted his fourth penalty. He finished with a tally of 16 points.

-Reuters