Italy breathed a sigh of relief as they staged their biggest Test-match comeback to win 20-17 and avoid a shock defeat to an impressive Georgia side in the Autumn Nations Series.
The Azzurri trailed by 11 points at the break after a couple of inspired scores from the Georgians and repeated wastefulness in attack from the hosts.
But a penalty try got Gonzalo Quesada’s side back in it before replacement scrum-half Alessandro Fusco finally found a gap in the wall of red shirts to dive over the line and put Italy in front inside the final quarter.
It was a much-needed win for the Italians, who came into the match with a point to prove on the back of last weekend’s thrashing by Argentina and had to scrap hard to avoid a second successive loss.
The visitors’ head coach Richard Cockerill warned that “if they don’t respect us, we will win” in a pre-match interview with TNT Sports, and his words looked almost prophetic after his side’s superb start.
Italy suffered a major early blow when captain Michele Lamaro was forced off wincing in pain with a shoulder injury, but Paolo Garbisi’s boot eventually edged the hosts in front midway through the half after a scrappy start.
Georgia responded with clinical skill and efficiency, Akaki Tabutsadze flying over the line after a neat series of offloads to put the visitors in front, and things got even better when a spectacular break from inside his own half by full-back Davit Niniashvili set up Vasil Lobzhanidze’s score.
The visitors’ clinical edge was in sharp contrast to the profligacy of the Azzurri, who made eight visits to the Georgian 22 in the first half without crossing the whitewash, but a penalty try – and yellow card to Tabutsadze for an intentional knock-on – swung the momentum in their favour after the break.
Wave after wave of Italian attack was repelled by the ferocious Georgian defence until Fusco finally took the ball off a lineout and sniped around the back to find a hole and dive over the line for the decisive score.
Talking point – Italy must learn from ruthless Georgia attack
Quesada will undoubtedly be happy by his side’s second-half reaction and the way they bullishly scrapped to victory, but questions will surely be asked of the bluntness of their attack.
The Azzurri made visit after visit to the Georgian 22 and went through phase after phase of attack when they were there, but they lacked the cunning, cutting edge or creativity to make anything of their possession and territory until Fusco’s score.
Player of the match – Dino Lamb
Given his chance after an injury to Federico Ruzza, the Italian lock made an impressive impact with his dominance at the lineout, defensive work and hard carrying in the open.
Player ratings
Italy: Gallagher 7, Trulla 7, Brex 6, Menoncello 6, Ioane 6, P. Garbisi 7, A. Garbisi 6; Fischetti 6, Nicotera 6, Ferrari 6, Cannone 6, Lamb 8, Negri 6, Lamaro 6, Vintcent 7
Replacements: Lucchesi 6, Spagnolo 6, Ceccarelli 6, Favretto 6, Zuliani 6, Fusco 8, Marin 6, Bertaccini 6
Georgia: Niniashvili 8, Tabutsadze 7, Kveseladze 6, Kakhoidze 6, Todua 6, Matkava 7, Lobzhanidze 8; Abuladze 6, Karkadze 6, Aptsiauri 6, Babunashvili 6, Javakhia 6, Spanderashvili 6, Tsutskiridze 6, Jalagonia 6
Replacements: Akhaladze 6, Japaridze 6, Chachanidze 6, Ivanishvili 6, Aprasidze 6, Abzhandadze 6, Tapladze 6
Match highlights
25’ TRY! ITALY 3-7 GEORGIA (TABUTSADZE, CON. MATKAVA) Stunning from Georgia! A wonderful team try is finished by Tabutsadze after a flowing move to put the visitors in front. A fantastic series of offloads carved open the Italian defence and the wing was there to fly over the line. Game on!
38’ TRY! ITALY 6-17 GEORGIA (LOBZHANIDZE, CON. MATKAVA) OUTSTANDING from Niniashvili! The Georgia full-back takes a kick inside his own half and immediately sets off on a weaving run through the Italian defence, beating three defenders before offloading to Lobzhanidze to score. Matkava converts, and Georgia are looking good for a shock win here.
54’ PENALTY TRY! ITALY 13-17 GEORGIA It’s a penalty try for Italy and a yellow card for Tabutsadze, who leapt out of the line to palm away a pass heading to the wing. The tables may have turned here as the noise level rises in the Luigi Ferraris, where the Azzurri will have a man advantage for the next 10 minutes.
65′ TRY! ITALY 20-17 GEORGIA (FUSCO, CON. GARBISI) They’ve finally done it! Italy make it across the try line for the first time as replacement scrum-half Fusco takes a lineout and squirms through a rare gap in the defence. Garbisi adds the extras and the Azzurri lead.
Key stat
- Winning from 11 points behind marked the biggest comeback in Italy’s Test-match history
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