Fine Wales performance seals quarter-final place

Wales 27 Italy 15

When it really mattered Wales turned in their finest performance of the World Cup to beat Italy today and cement a place in the quarter-finals.

With New Zealand awaiting the Welsh in Sydney next week, this was effectively a Pool D play-off to join the All Blacks in the last eight of the World Cup.

The pressure was on Wales, after an unconvincing performance against Tonga last weekend left the doom-mongers predicting a humbling defeat in Canberra.

Their mood was helped little by coach Steve Hansen’s proclamations that Italy were favourites and that Wales needed to match the passion of the Azzurri if they were to stand a chance.

But the Welsh side did that, and then some – absorbing everything the spirited Italians could throw at them to hit back with three tries and seal a second consecutive quarter-final appearance.

If the All Blacks do win next weekend, as expected, Wales’ opponents in the last eight will almost certainly be England in Brisbane – a repeat of the 1987 quarter-final won by the Welsh en route to a third-place finish.

They led today from the eighth minute when Mark Jones finished off a sweeping move to touch down in the corner – and once Wales held the advantage there was nothing Italy could do to wrench it back.

Sonny Parker scored just before the interval after a break from Ceri Sweeney, and flanker Dafydd Jones peeled off the back of a maul for the hammer blow 20 minutes from time.

After two penalties from Italy fly-half Rima Wakarua – who finished with all 15 points – had reduced the deficit to just five, it was Jones’ score that finally sapped the Italians’ will.

They entered the game only four days after a bruising victory over Canada left them without the time for a decent training run.

Coach John Kirwan had called on his side, which included the likes of captain Alessandro Troncon and Andrea Masi who were only cleared to play yesterday, to draw on all their courage and spirit for the biggest game in the history of Italian rugby.

They did that, testing Wales for large swathes of the game as they built attacks founded on magnificent ball retention to grind down the defence.

But while the attacks would result in a penalty shot for Wakarua, who landed five of his six kicks, Italy could not force the momentum to break the Welsh line.

It was a pattern which began in the opening minutes and continued throughout.

Italy came within touching distance of scoring the first try, as number eight Sergio Parisse and flanker Andrea de Rossi charged at the Welsh defence – but they left with just three points after Colin Charvis had been called for offside.

Wales immediately surged down the other end, and Mark Jones finished a magnificent move in style.

Flanker Martyn Williams flicked on a pass from fly-half Sweeney, and Duncan Jones delayed his offload perfectly for the winger to dive over.

Again Italy charged forward. But this time it was prop Martin Castrogiovanni who was stopped just shy of the line – and after Wakarua struck the post with a penalty, Parisse was denied by a forward pass from Nicola Mazzucato.

Wales then lost full-back Kevin Morgan and Duncan Jones to injury – the latter was carried off on a stretcher. But they adjusted well, and the defence once again held firm.

Harris and Wakarua exchanged penalties before Italy put together 17 consecutive phases, albeit static and unadventurous before Adam Jones finally conceded the penalty.

Defensively, though, Italy were clinging on – and when Wakarua left the line in a vain search of an interception Sweeney broke forward into open space and set up Wales’ second score.

Harris spun the ball out to Parker, and just before the interval the New Zealand-born centre touched down.

Still it was not all over because Italy, as they needed to, drew first blood after the interval with two further penalties from Wakarua – but they could not forge the crucial try that would throw the game wide open again.

Harris missed his first shot at goal – but as the cries of ‘Wales, Wales’ rang around the Canberra Stadium, Italy were pinned back.

Even a stolen line-out and then a break from the impressive Gonzale Canale could not relieve the pressure for long – and Dafydd Jones eventually stole over for the clinching try.