Markings: 6′ goal Mendy, 24′ p. Healy, 27′ p. Healy, 33′ Ratave goal tr. Smith; 59′ goal Albornoz tr. Smith, 62′ Izekor goal tr. Smith, 66′ Izekor goal.
Note: Yellow card in the 1st minute to Izekor (Ben). Conversions: Benetton Rugby 3/5 (Smith 3/5). Free kicks: Edinburgh 2/2 (Healy 2/2). Man of the match: Onisi Ratave (BEN).
Benetton Rugby:
15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Ignacio Mendy, 13 Tommaso Menoncello, 12 Ignacio Brex (70′ Marco Zanon), 11 Onisi Ratave (74′ Jacob Umaga), 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Andy Uren (62′ Alessandro Garbisi), 8 Toa Halafihi ( 52′ Lorenzo Cannone), 7 Michele Lamaro (c), 6 Alessandro Izekor, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Niccolò Cannone (54′ Edoardo Iachizzi), 3 Simone Ferrari (55′ Giosué Zilocchi), 2 Giacomo Nicotera (35′ Gianmarco Lucchesi) , 1 Thomas Gallo (55′ Mirco Spagnolo).
Head Coach: Marco Bortolami.
Edinburgh:
15 James Lang, 14 Jake Henry, 13 Matt Currie, 12 Chris Dean (64′ Cammy Scott), 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Ben Healy (64′ Mark Bennett), 9 Ali Price (60′ Ben Vellacott), 8 Villame Mata 7 Luke Crosbie (61′ Hamish Watson), 6 Jamie Ritchie, 5 Grant Gilchrist (c), 4 Sam Skinner (58′ Marshall Sykes), 3 Wp Nel (58′ Javan Sebastian), 2 Ewan Ashman (58′ Dave Cherry ), 1 Pierre Schoeman (58′ Boan Venter).
Head Coach: Sean Everitt.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU).
Assistants: Filippo Russo (FIR), Alex Frasson (FIR).
TMO: Aled Griffiths (WRU).
Decisive last day of the championship for the Lions. In Round 18 of the 2023/2024 United Rugby Championship, the green and whites host Edinburgh in Monigo. Both Leoni and the men from the Scottish capital are part of the Italian-Scottish “shield” and are tied eighth in the standings on 49 points. Whoever wins gets access to the playoffs.
MATCH REPORT
Ready, go and Izekor is immediately warned for not leaving ten meters to the Scots a few steps from the goal. The Lions manage to defend themselves and are fired up, also taking advantage of a sold-out Monigo. So the green-and-whites, despite the numerical inferiority, move forward: superb progression by Brex who serves the run of Ignacio Mendy, good at flying to the goal. Smith doesn’t convert. Meanwhile he returns in 15 vs 15 with the return of Izekor. The race is electric and errors prevail over quality in some situations. Edinburgh earn a free kick and Healy makes no mistake, giving him the first three points. Two minutes pass and another punishment for the guests. Healy is punctual and the Scots move ahead (5-6). Edinburgh loses a bloody ball, takes advantage Onisi Ratave who runs away and runs away alone towards his goal. Smith doesn’t miss from the pitch. Meanwhile, here is the first change: Lucchesi replacing the injured Nicotera. Thus the first half ends 12-6 for the Lions.
The second half begins and a try to Gallo is disallowed for double movement from the ground before reaching the goal line. Space for Lorenzo Cannone for Halafihi, for Iachizzi for Niccolò Cannone, for Spagnolo for Gallo, for Zilocchi for Ferrari. The two teams feel the tension, until the stroke of genius: Tomas Albornoz he breaks the opposing defense with a series of his own and puts on a show by going towards the goal. Monigo explodes and Smith converts. The guests are in a blackout and give a platinum ball to Menoncello, formidable at fueling everything, so Alexander Izekor of power goes to crush the goal of the offensive bonus. Smith converts and Leoni take the lead (26-6). Edinburgh is with its head in the changing rooms, Mendy steals the aerial ball, serves it to Alexander Izekor who scores a brace and Monigo goes into raptures. Smith doesn’t convert. Garbisi, Zanon and Umaga take over for Uren, Brex and Ratave. Now the Lions can celebrate the victory (31-6), the five points, seventh place which means qualification for the next Champions League and above all qualification for the URC playoffs for the first time.
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