By BRIAN LOWE
A VASTLY improved Italy has kept the United States scoreless in a 46-0 rout at the Rugby League World Cup.
In a must-win game for both teams at 1300Smiles Stadium in Townsville, the Azzuri ran in eight tries on their way to the big victory Sunday, a result that keeps their hopes alive for advancing to the knockout rounds.
Simply put, the Italians were just too polished for their American opponents largely due to the fact that they have more experience in their squad.
This result, behind the USA’s big first round loss to Fiji, would seemingly call into question the selection philosophy of the USA Rugby League to forsake the inclusion of NRL and Super League players, of which there were many in 2013, when the then US Tomahawks made it to the quarter-finals.
The Hawks started well enough being physical on both offence and defence and forcing some early turnovers but they couldn’t convert that temporary ascendancy into any points.
The Italians, who were coming off an upset loss to Ireland in Round 1, absorbed the early pressure and then turned on the jets to dominate the rest of the first half and the match.
They scored five tries in the first 40 to set up a 28-0 half-time lead. Try-scorers included hooker Joe Tramontana (two), five-eighth James Tedesco, winger Josh Mantellato and halfback Ryan Ghietti. Mantellato converted four of those scores.
Italy was able to dominate through good ball handling and a better completion rate, combined with stout defensive lines.
On the other hand, the US was forced to make more tackles and when they had the ball, their runners couldn’t break the Azzurri defense.
Fullback Corey Makelim was the Hawks’ best player on the day, showing attacking flare that saw him nearly cross the try line a couple of times. Prop Eddy Pettybourne ran the ball straight and hard, winger Ryan Burroughs made yards every time he got the ball, while Matt Shipway pulled off countless tackles.
Sadly, for the US, the second half was pretty much more of the same with Italy scoring early on and then building on their dominance.
Tedesco scored again, followed by prop Paul Vaughn and winger Mason Cerruto, both of whom also dotted down for the Italians. Mantellato converted all three tries to round out the scoring.
US Hawks center Junior Vaivai told Seven after the match that the main problem was their inability to execute.
“We just need to complete our sets, try and build pressure,” he said. “Unfortunately, we were unable to do that.
“But I’m excited for the boys, especially the boys who’ve come over from the States. It’ll be good experience for them.”
While the result keeps Italy’s slim hopes of moving on to the knockout rounds alive provided they can beat Fiji next up, it leaves the States in a very precarious position of having to beat Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby in their final crossover Pool hit-out if they’re to have any chance of progressing to the playoff rounds.
