The Azzurri dominate, the scrum is saved and the “elastic” regulations: 5 reflections on Italy-Scotland
Subpar performance in Cape Town: a summary of the match won 19-0 by the Scots
The Azzurri dominate, the scrum is saved and the “elastic” regulations: 5 reflections on Italy-Scotland (ph. World Rugby)
Nothing worked. It is difficult to judge differently the match between Italy and Scotland on the first day of WXV 2024. The Italians were good at holding firm in defense and holding their own in the scrum despite a revised front line, but clearly defeated in the battle in the middle of the pitch. Raineri’s team never managed to advance in contact, and even the usual search for space – usually a trademark of Italian rugby – did not give the satisfaction to which we are accustomed. Coach Raineri has 6 days to understand what happened on the difficult afternoon in Cape Town, because on Friday we are back on the pitch against Wales, in another match with a Six Nations flavour.
Read also: WXV: under heavy rain Italy loses to Scotland
5 reflections on Italy-Scotland
The best – Sara Tounesi is certainly among the few to survive, a usual fighter and good at conquering meters even in the most difficult situations. In the difficulties in touch, Giordano stands out, capable of putting pressure on Skeldon’s throws and saving on the occasion of Scotland’s first opportunity. Granzotto also did well, the most elusive of the Azzurri attack and the only one capable of creating a real linebreak in a very tense match.
Scrum ok, but the touch… – The scrum was one of the most positive factors of the day. In the first half the blue pack suffered but never conceded free kicks, then in the second half with the entry of Vecchini and above all Maris (who came out at the end after a bad blow) took over. Once again, however, continuity was lacking due to the usual problems in the lineout. Considering that Italy suffered with both hookers, it is clear that it is not just a problem of }); throwing (and when a touch doesn’t work it is never just the throwing that is the problem) but also and above all of structure.
Italy lost every battle in the middle of the pitch – The key, in the end, was this. The little progress in the collisions contributed to Italy’s offensive sterility. Added to this was a clear suffering in the breakdown, especially in the second half. Against Japan we had seen important improvements in this fundamental, but when the level rose (and with Scotland in this sense it rises, and by a lot) the Azzurre struggled. All this, added to the usual suffering in the foot game, contributed to exacerbating the problem underlying the Cape Town match: the construction.
Regulation? – It certainly wasn’t this that decided the match, but the crooked throw-in called to the Azzurre in the first half has caused and will cause a lot of discussion, given that Scotland did not contest and – with the new rules – if the other team does not jumps in theory even the crooked throw should not be whistled. The referee Amelia Luciano said that she considered the throw-in “too crooked”, but at this point one wonders what the margin is for considering a throw-in “too crooked” (shall we call a surveyor who explains to us what the right angle is? ) to the point of still being punished despite the new regulation.
And now Wales – The next opponent right now is anything but in a great moment. He took a first board in the summer preparation test (40-14 against Scotland) and took another on the first day against Australia (37-5). On the other hand, they still remain a team of undoubted value, as demonstrated by the victory over the Azzurre in the last Six Nations. In this sense, Friday’s match will be a mirror: two high-level teams in a moment of difficulty, even if the Welsh team seem to be in worse shape.
Francesco Palma
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