Rugby, Italy-Wales 17-29 at the Six Nations – Corriere.it

At the final exam Italrugby she comes unprepared, without having studied the main chapter of the story: in sport the hardest thing to do is to win when you have to win. And instead the home success in the Six Nations continues to be a chimera, even on the day when against a Wales shabby and recovering from one beating after another, leaving him the wooden spoon after 7 consecutive years of bitter soups seemed an acceptable slight. The Dragons in red win (29-17), at the end of a game without Ange Capuozzothe new blue star of world rugby, and his creative genius.

Italy, which has to win weighed down by responsibility, gives its opponents a time (22-3 at halftime), imprecise, distracted, seems to be the stand-in of the one that had enthused, always losing, in the first 3 outings of this Six Nations. But there you didn’t have to win, indeed you could even lose. And the difference for those around here still a guest, an abyss. Thus the abstinence of the Olympic stadium in the Tournament crosses the 10-year milestone (last home success against Ireland in 2013), never a joy for the 61,000 pasionari who, on the wave of a newfound enthusiasm, have returned to color the rugby show. The back to back with Wales hangs on dreams, Warren Gatland, the coach who is trying to resurrect the Principality of rugby from oblivion, increasingly a nightmare, he who against the blues in the Six Nations played 13 (out of 13 matches, 2 of which on the Ireland bench). That it wasn’t the right day is immediately understood: Italy tries to create a game on the move, but ideas always founder under an avalanche of small mistakes, oversights, balls that roll on the lawn. The first goal hosts a hymn to a bad day: five-a-side football in the heart of the blue defence, the fake rebound from the mad oval deceives Pierre Bruno, the blue winger in an awkward attempt to retrace his steps collides with Thomas Allan while the ball ends up in the hands of a surprised Dyer. Goal (10-0), mockery, uphill start. The first half was a torture, Wales kept to the point as their pragmatic coach wanted, little imagination and a lot of substance, the fray led the dance and the show could wait for better times. The dominance in the static phases takes the form of a free-kick try (complete with a temporary expulsion for Niccol Cannone) which transforms the gap (22-3) into a chasm that is difficult to fill. At the start of the second half, the Olimpico tries to treat itself to emotions, after 3′ Sebastian Negri scores by taking advantage of an inspired invitation to Allan’s foot, he breathes again, the expected Italy can be glimpsed at times. But they are sporadic flashes, Webb (best of the day) goes around the motionless package of the house, opens a highway where old Faletau slips into full throttle. Fourth Welsh try (29-10), bonus point, wooden spoon that has remained there since 2016. The Brex try at the end of the day only serves to sweeten a very bitter pill. It will close on Saturday Edinburgh versus Scotland, on the day when Italy will leave without any favor of the forecast. The best condition for those not used to winning.