Dr Ferroviaria La Spezia returns to victory and does so with a convincing performance, clearly overcoming Val Tanaro with a peremptory 32 to 11. The eagles led on the pitch by their coach and player Marco Sturlese and by captain Francesco Hall have slowly eroded the opposing defense managing to score four tries obtaining the offensive bonus point. The first goal was favored by captain Hall who intercepted the ball at the halfway mark, ran towards the goal line and then offered the oval to winger Gianluca Sacchelli who quickly “burned” his direct opponent, scoring the first goal, Gabrielli fails to convert (5-0). The Piedmontese react by going on the attack, they are unable to pass but they get two free kicks with which they take the lead (5-6).
Luca Gabrielli puts DR Ferroviaria back ahead with a penalty (8-6). The match seems to start at the end of the first half without any further upheavals, but Marco Sturlese quickly takes a free kick with a few seconds left, surprising his opponents by scoring between the posts for Luca Gabrielli’s easy conversion (15-6). The second half still belongs to the eagles who score two more tries, one more with Sturlese (a brace for him) and with Alessandro Fascio. Luca Gabrielli converts and DR Ferroviaria takes the lead in the score (29-6).
During the second half Marco Sturlese made all the substitutions available. Luca Gabrielli increases the score from a free kick (32-6). In the final minutes Val Tanaro found the deserved “flag” goal by completing a good move from the back line, the subsequent transformation set the final result at 32 to 11. The eagles played an excellent match, but among all we must point out the first team debut of seventeen-year-old Federico Moggia who brilliantly performed in the difficult role of scrum half, proving to be one of the best on the pitch.
As mentioned, the eagle captain Francesco Hall reached his hundredth appearance with the yellow and black shirt. An excellent match for him, punctual in his decisive tackle in the attack, he didn’t manage to score but he played a wonderful match, it’s a shame that the “icing on the cake” of his personal goal was missing. At the end of the match the team stood in the stands, under the gaze of the fans, to celebrate Hall’s hundred caps and the presentation of the traditional cap.
The president of the Sturlese club took the floor and thanked the athlete who started playing for the club at the age of 12 until making his first team debut at the age of 18.
Francesco, in addition to being a player and captain of the Seniors, is also the coach of the Club’s Under 14 team. The President also wanted to underline his recent master’s degree in “History and Forms of Visual Arts, Entertainment and New Media” obtained with 110 and honors at the University of Pisa. This is the president’s thought: “Francesco is not just an athlete, he is an example for all the young rugby players of the club and for their families, for his under 14 boys, he is in fact the demonstration of the goals that can be achieved in life with commitment and seriousness, be they sports, study or professional”.
The next match for the eagles is on Sunday 12 May, at home (Pieroni field at 3.30 pm) against the Piedmontese team Moncalieri, second to last in the championship. Other results: Collegno-Tre Rose (64-12), Province dell’Ovest-Lions Tortona (81-14), Union Riviera-Cus Piemonte (15-26), Volvera-Am. Novara (31-10).
Ranking: Cus Piemonte 36, Provinces of the West 31, Amatori Novara 30, Volvera 27, Collegno 24, Union Riviera 21, Lions Tortona 19, RC Spezia 15, Moncalieri 11, Val Tanaro 10, Tre Rose -8.
RC Spezia lineup: Conte, Battezzati, Mazzanti K, Fabbri, Tendola, Fascio A., Axianas, Sturlese, Moggia, Wu, Gabrielli, Hall, Sacchelli, Fascio L., Mazzanti M., Brozzo, Melani, Moroni, Tabi, Curti , Camerota. Coach Marco Sturlese. For the Under 14 youth teams, the next match is Saturday 11 May at the Carlini in Genoa.
