The final of the Serie A Elite, the top Italian rugby championship, has just ended at the Lanfranchi stadium in Parma. On the Emilian pitch, Viadana and Petrarca Padova took to the field, for the first time ever in the final act of the championship.
Excellent start from Viadana, who immediately goes into attack and after three minutes he suffers a foul and the players arrive from the pitch first three points of the match with Farias. Petrarca Padova responds immediately, moving forward, being fouled, and sending Lyle on the pitch to make it 3-3. A very physical and balanced challenge in these first minutes, but also many errors that prevent the two teams from becoming dangerous.
A foul, however, gives Petrarca a chance and great action by the Venetians who send Angelo Esposito all the way and the score is 10-3. Petrarca is unleashed, recovering the ball with Pama Fou, then on the follow-up the oval reaches Trotta who breaks through and the score is 17-3. Viadana, in great difficulty in this first half, tries to react, but in the 33rd minute they find one penalty try with the scrum and yellow card for Hughes and the score is 17-10. Viadana tries to take advantage of their numerical superiority and in the 39th minute Wagenpfeil hits a sensational goal, but Tmo cancels it because the player had the ball out and we go to half-time.
Having regained numerical equality, Petrarca Padova tries to accelerate again, who in the first minutes of the second half closes Viadana in their own half. Lots of possession, but without progress for the Venetians, with the Mantuan defense holding up the blow. Thus, the minutes pass and the defenses dominate on the Lanfranchi lawn and the match is very open. In the 58th minute, a foul in favor of Petrarca and the first chance, from the pitch, to move the score in the second half. Lyle goes to the pitch and the score goes to 20-10.
Now Petrarca plays much better and Viadana is again in difficulty tactically as we enter the last quarter of the game. In the 66th minute the Padova team steals a very important ball following an offensive touch by Viadana and a missed opportunity to reopen the match. Marcato’s boys can thus manage the match and the clock, allowing the minutes to pass without running any real risks. In the 73rd minute, foul by Viadana, new pitch for Lyle who virtually closes the games scoring 23-10. And upon expiration the seal is signed Rodrigo Fernandez scoring the goal for the final 28-10. Petrarca Padova champion of Italy for the fifteenth time.
