Women’s Six Nations: Italy narrowly defeated in Wales

The 2024 Six Nations for Italy Women ended with a 22-20 defeat in Wales. A game always in the balance decided by a try from Tuipulotu three minutes from time.

In terms of play, a lot of credit goes to the Welsh team who were able to channel the match along the tracks most favorable to them: possession, physical superiority, especially in the melee, and great determination. For the Azzurre the biggest regret comes from the demonstration that those few times they managed to widen the game they reached the goal with Ostuni Minuzzi Granzotto and Stevanin.

The match between Ireland and Scotland will be decisive as to whether Raineri’s girls, with their 7 points, will finish the Tournament in fourth or fifth position.

The news

The match opens with the traditional solitary entry onto the pitch to honor an important milestone: Lucia Gai celebrates her 100 appearances in the blue shirt. The 32-year-old from Pesaro becomes part of the small circle of Italian centurions, the second woman after Sara Barattin.

The first minutes of the game were characterized by Wales’ possession of the ball, which charged the Italian defense with very hard penetrations, especially with Sisilia Tuipulotu. However, the Azzurre are tidy and put pressure on the home team’s attack.

In the 10th minute, Italy appears towards Wales, two mauls advancing from touchline force the defense to commit a foul but Nanni Raineri’s team, on the third chance at a throw-in, is unable to collect any points.

In the 16th minute Wales took the lead. The throw into touch in the Italian 22 is a clever one that surprises everyone, Carys Phillips advances with the ball in hand and scores the first try of the match. Italy responds immediately on the following kick-off. Alyssa D’Incà snatches the ball from her Welsh opponent, she plays 2 against 1 with Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi who accelerates along the touchline and scores. Beatrice Rigoni converts and it’s 5-7 for the Azzurre.

Midway through the first half, Italy plays good rugby and shows that they can create danger for the Welsh defense when the ball is moved wide. For their part, the Welsh are dominant in the scrum.

In the 33rd minute, a crooked throw into touch by the Italians gave the hosts a favorable scrum on Italy’s 5 meters but Raineri’s girls won the next crucial scrum, saving a very dangerous situation. Two minutes before the end of the first half the Italians won a central free kick on their 22 opponents (tackler who didn’t roll away) and Beatrice Rigoni hit the posts for the 5-10 which ended the first half.

The second half starts with the Welsh team immediately going for the goal with Gwenllian Pyrs doing well to complete an endless series of pick and gos after a touch on the blue 5 metres. Bevan converts and the hosts take the lead again.

The Italians continue to fail to be precise in touch and in their passes, allowing the Welsh to play the rugby they prefer by focusing on possession, physical strength, scrums in particular, and George’s long kicks which always move the game to the Italian half of the pitch. So in the 51st minute Wales again benefited from a free kick from a central position that Bevan couldn’t miss.

On their first foray into the opponent’s half of the field, the Azzurre added the equalizer thanks to a good move that allowed Granzotto, served by Stefan, to reach the goal at the flag. When the last quarter begins the Italians benefit from a 5-metre touchline after a high tackle on Ostuni Minuzzi but fail to materialize a golden opportunity due to too much haste. After a good progression of the maul, frenzy reigns supreme and the pass for Ostuni Minuzzi herself is uncatchable, passing well over her head and finishing beyond the sideline.

In the 69th minute Italy succeeded in what they do best: moving the ball. Following a touch on the right side, the ball passes into the hands of three blue players and then ends up in Stevanin who goes beyond the white line. Rigone’s not easy kick misses the posts but the Italians are ahead by 5 points.

Six minutes from the final whistle the Italians lost a crucial throw-in in their own 22 so the Welsh, at the end of a long action made up of pick and gos, gained a scrum in their favor following which Tuipulotu scored the equaliser. George converts and the home team leads 22-20.

On the occasion of the last action, the Italians in a desperate attempt to recover the ball were left with 14 men due to a head-to-head tackle by Emma Stevanin which cost them a yellow card (with the bunker checked).

The match thus ends with Wales winning 22-20, interrupting a run of eight consecutive defeats.

The Wales-Italy scoreboard

Wales: 15 Jenny Hesketh, 14 Lisa Neumann, 13 Hannah Jones (c), 12 Hannah Bluck, 11 Carys Cox, 10 Lleucu George, 9 Keira Bevan; 1 Gwenllian Pyrs, 2 Carys Phillips, 3 Sisilia Tuipulotu, 4 Natalia John, 5 Abbie Fleming, 6 Alisha Butchers, 7 Alex Callender, 8 Georgia Evans.
Available: 16 Kelsey Jones, 17 Abbey Constable, 18 Donna Rose, 19 Kate Williams, 20 Gwennan Hopkins, 21 Sian Jones, 22 Niamh Terry, 23 Nel Metcalfe.

Goals: Phillips (16′), Pyrs (42′), Tuipulotu (77′)
Conversions: Bevan (43′,) George (78′)
Free kicks: Bevan (52′)

Italy: 15 ⁠Beatrice Capomaggi, 14 ⁠Aura Muzzo, 13 ⁠Alyssa D’Incà, 12 Beatrice Rigoni, 11 ⁠Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, 10 ⁠Emma Stevanin, 9 ⁠Sofia Stefan, 1 Silvia Turani, 2 Vittoria Vecchini, 3 ⁠Sara Seye , 4 ⁠Sara Tounesi, 5 ⁠Giordana Duca, 6 Ilaria Arrighetti, 7 Francesca Sgorbini⁠, 8 Elisa Giordano (c)
Available: 16 Laura Gurioli, 17 ⁠Gaia Maris, 18 ⁠Lucia Gai, 19 ⁠Valeria Fedrighi, 20 Isabella Locatelli, 21 Beatrice Veronese, 22 Veronica Madia, 23 Francesca Granzotto

Goals: Ostuni Minuzzi (18′), Granzotto (55′), Stevanin (69′)
Transformations: Rigoni (19′)
Free kicks: Rigoni (39′)

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