Tough draw brings complaint from Kirwan

Italy coach John Kirwan claimed the World Cup had been made “unfair” by an imbalanced draw that will favour Wales in Saturday’s crunch Pool D clash.

With New Zealand expected to win the group unbeaten, the most likely scenario is that the winners will join the All Blacks in the last eight of the World Cup.

But Italy have only four days between last night’s costly victory over Canada and the Wales game.

There is no time for any decent training session and Italy will struggle to field a fully-fit side.

Kirwan today confirmed that lock Marco Bortolami had dislocated his shoulder and winger Mirco Bergamasco suffered a fractured cheekbone in the game against Canada, and both had been ruled out for the rest of the tournament.

But the Azzurri’s main concerns heading into the Wales match are that they have only three days in which to nurse Alessandro Troncon and Andrea Masi back to fitness.

While Wales were today put through a punishing training session at the Wests Rugby Club in Canberra, the most the Italians will manage before the game is a walk-through tomorrow and then some stretching.

Kirwan stated it would be an “injustice” if the only factor that cost Italy a spot in the quarter-finals was fatigue.

“I think our draw has made the World Cup unfair. We have no training runs left, we have recovery and then we have a game against Wales,” said Kirwan.

“I don’t really need to explain what that means for a coach who should really have seven days to get guys who get dinged up in a contact sport back on the field.

“We won’t have any time to do any training. We haven’t put too much emphasis on training – we can’t.”

Troncon left the field at half-time with a shoulder and back problem, while Masi suffered a badly-bruised hip.

Kirwan joked that the Pope had sent down 500 gallons of holy water to help the Azzurri make a miraculous recovery – but even that failed to work.

“Everyone understands our situation,” said Kirwan.

“This is our lot, we’ve got to go out there and leave our hearts and spirits on the football paddock. If we should have won, but people see we were fatigued, everyone will know – and they have to live with it.

“Clive Woodward said one thing and I keep repeating it – ‘may the best team win and the worst team come last’.

“If Italy deserve to go to the top eight and they do on Saturday it will be the greatest thing for world rugby, 60 million people are all starting to turn on their televisions.

“But if we play well enough and we don’t win because we are fatigued it will be an incredible injustice.”

With Namibia coach Dave Waterston facing a fine for his comments about referees and the tournament structure, Kirwan was in sarcastic mood.

“I can’t thank them enough for our draw. Last night the wives and girlfriends were not allowed into the after-match draw – it was like going back 20 years,” he said with a wry smile.

“I’d just like to thank them for the opportunity of being here – but I am not going to criticise the organisation.

“We can’t really complain because we are a minor union and we can’t afford the fine.”