PARMA – For Rovigo the chase against their old enemies begins again. On Sunday 2 June at the Lanfranchi in Parma, Petrarca Padova clearly beat Viadana 10-28 in the championship final, taking them to 15 (FemiCz is at 14). Yet at the end of the first half Viadana had the chance to equalize by returning to the game, a sleight of hand by Wagenpfeil in controlling the oval was unfortunately thwarted by the intervention of the TMO. The flanker had touched the out line by a matter of centimeters before reaching the goal. Sin.
The Petrarca Rugby dictated the law of the strongest with a high defensive level last quarter of the match, taking advantage of a physical condition that emerged in the key moments of a rough match at the front and fun at the back. Honor to a Viadana who reached the final act with full merit, imposing himself in the regular season and then making it through the playoffs with double successes against Colorno and Valorugby. In front, however, Petrarca was the best of a year on and off, capable of emerging in the fundamental passage of the semi-final derby against Rovigo and then of playing the last 80 minutes with a sometimes cynical clarity, supported by a solid playing system and well prepared by the technical staff directed by Andrea Marcato.
First half. In the 2nd minute the first chance to score is for Viadana: Petrarca fouled the ball on 40 metres, Farias makes no mistake from a central position, 3-0. Padova reacts and moves inside the 22 in attack, forcing the foul on the breakdown which Lyle transforms into the equalizing penalty, 3-3.
The match is immediately very enjoyable, with the teams taking each other’s measures without giving up open play, with the interlude of a couple of not exactly friendly dialectical exchanges between the two packs.
In the 15th minute, a wrong touch by the Venetians on the Viadanese 22 triggers an important advance by the yellow and blacks, who challenge the defense by eating up about fifty meters before Lyle’s release. Padova is in difficulty in the throw-in, Viadana on the other hand appears more on point, both defensively and with ball in hand, while the level of physical impacts increases on both sides, especially in the breakdown.
In the 22nd minute Petrarca flashes: stable platform of the Juventus pack inside the 22, ball moved on the 10-15 axis and then soft discharge for Esposito who enters at full speed and glides safely towards the goal. Lyle converts, 3-10.
Not two minutes pass before the Paduans concede an encore, this time moving wide after having crushed the Mantuans in their own 22 with an intelligent kick from Fernandez: the ball leaves the group passing through four hands, then the vertical shot of Captain Trotta who aims his legs and accelerates going to dunk for 3 to 17 after Lyle’s conversion.
At the half-hour mark, there was an abrupt change in the script: Viadana forced the one-on-one and found satisfaction in advancing, going to play a unstoppable drive that Padova tries to counter with a foul, for the free kick goal that brings the Mantuans back into the break. 10-17.
Viadana flies on enthusiasm and with the drive continues to put his opponents in great difficulty, who in the 39th minute seem to capitulate on the try scored by Wagenpfeil, fed by a millimetric cross kick from Farias: in the dynamics of the control the yellow and black flanker however touches the sideline, with Vedovelli called back by the TMO for a check which rules a no-try sending the teams to the break at 10 to 17.
Second half. The teams’ return to the field was immediately rough, with the Viadanese bench making the first changes up front, while Hughes returned to rebalance the numbers on the front line. The match remained mainly on the central flank in the first 10′, then Viadana moved Sauze’s legs and created problems by aiming to play away from the meeting point by working on the lateral corridors in exploration on both fronts, with Padova however always very reactive in defence.
At the end of the third quarter the score moves again: Viadana fouls on the ground following Petrarchi’s insistent action, Lyle is unforgiving even from a tight position on the right and brings his team back to a safe distance, with a partial score of 10-20.
The two staff move the formations with repeated insertions from the benches, but the match remains in a state of absolute balance, with the defenses taking center stage.
10′ from the end the ball recovered on the ground by the Bianconeri, Farias widens and on the hinge Broggin-De Masi finds meters for the narrow insertion of the newly introduced Scagnolari, who between two defenders comes close to the number of the evening, failing a difficult off- load.
Padova insists, which seems to have more strength among the forwards, while in front Viadana is very good at “dirtying” all the match points while remaining clinging to the match.
In the 73rd minute, an orderly melee inside Viadano’s 22 players, Petrarchi’s introduction is a winner and forces a foul on Viadana who records a physical decline: Lyle is precise from a comfortable position, 10-23 and a serious guarantee on the final result.
Last minutes: Viadana tries but is bitten by the rush to score, losing clarity in possession. With the clock slipping into the final seconds, the fatal blow: Padova recovers the ball and passes halfway, Fernandez has the right idea and with a grabber behind the line in opposition he slips away from the defenders to regain the oval flying towards the goal under the torrid Padua, decreeing victory and title number 15 that greets the 2023-2024 Serie A Elite season in a stadium submerged by strong and conflicting emotions.
Parma, Lanfranchi Stadium – Sunday 2 June 2024, ko 5.30 pm
MEN’S ELITE SERIES FINAL
live simulcast Rai 2 – DAZN
Rugby Viadana 1970 v Petrarca Rugby 10-28 (pt 10-17)
Scorers: PT 2′ vs. Farias (3-0); 6′ cp Lyle (3-3); 22′ m. Esposito, t. Lyle (3-10); 24′ m. Trotta, t. Lyle (3-17); 33′ m. free kick Viadana (10-17); ST 59′ vs Lyle (10-20); 73′ vs Lyle (10-23); 80′ m. Fernandez, nt (10-28)
Rugby Viadana 1970: Sauze; Bronzini (27′ st Madero – 32′ st Gregorio HIA), Morosini (24′ Ciardullo), Jannelli (C), Ciofani; Farias, Baronio; Ruiz, Wagenpfeil, (12′ st Boschetti), Locatelli; Lavorenti (17′ st Catalano), Schinchirimini; Mignucci (1′ st Oubina), Luccardi (39′ Denti), Mistretta (1′ st Fiorentini)Available:Fiorentini, Denti, Oubina, Boschetti, Catalan, Gregorio, Madero, Ciardullo
Head Coach: Gilberto Pavan
Petrarca Rugby: Lyle (39′ st Citton); Fou (26′ st Scagnolari), De Masi, Broggin, Esposito; Fernandez, Tebaldi; Trotta (C), Nostran (15′ st Vunisa), Casolari (9′ st Romanini); Ghigo (23′ st Michieletto), Galetto; Hughes (39′ st Bizzotto), Cugini (9′ st Montilla), Borean (14′ st Brugnara)Available:Brugnara, Montilla T., Bizzotto, Michieletto, Vunisa, Citton, Scagnolari, Romanini
Head Coach: Andrea Marcato
Referee: Federico Vedovelli
Assistants: Riccardo Angelucci and Manuel Bottino
Fourth Man: Simone Boaretto
TMO: Stefano Roscini
Tags: 34′ yellow for Hughes (PET);
Soccer players: Farias (VIA) 1/1; Lyle (PET) 4/4; Esposito 0/1
Player of the Match: Gonzalo Hughes (Petrarca Padova)
Note: PT 10-17. Rainy day, pitch in excellent condition, Lanfranchi Stadium sold-out. Petrarca Rugby Italian Champion for the fifteenth time, last career match for the former Azzurro Angelo Esposito.
