Italy back to winning ways after beating Tonga

MATCH REPORT: Italy recorded an emphatic 36-14 victory over Tonga in Nuku’alofa on Friday.

The win cements Italy in the top ten of the World Rankings following last week’s defeat to the Samoans.

Flyhalf Paolo Garbisi added a 14-point haul including one of Italy’s five tries to the two scored by Tonga.

The result got Italy, who beat Wales and Scotland in the Six Nations, back to winning ways after crashing to a 25-33 defeat to Samoa the week before.

Wing Jacopo Trulla opened Italy’s scoring when he finished off a passing move to grab the first try in the 18th minute.

Italy stretched their lead to 15-0 after a pick-and-go saw wing Monty Ioane cross for a converted try.

Tonga No 8 Viliami Taulani gave the home crowd brief hope when he dotted down for a close-range try just after the break.

But the Italians fought back in earnest to extend their lead when Michele Lamaro touched down for his side’s third try.

Garbisi converted and then converted his own try to give Italy a significant lead of 29-7 before centre Fetuli Paea broke away to score Tonga’s second try late on.

Replacement prop Tau Koloamatangi received a yellow card in the dying stages as the referee lost patience with Tonga’s scrummaging and awarded Italy a penalty try.

They will head to Hokkaido to face Eddie Jones’ Japan next weekend.

As for Tonga, they will get the chance to rebound when they host Spain next weekend.

Scorers:

For Tonga:
Tries: Taulani, Paea
Cons: Faiva 2

For Italy:
Tries: Trulla, Ioane, Lamaro, Garbisi, Penalty
Cons: Garbisi 3
Pens: Garbisi

Teams:

Tonga: 15 Taniela Filimone, 14 Fine Inisi, 13 Fetuli Paea, 12 Malakai Fekitoa, 11 Hoea Saumaki, 10 James Faiva, 9 Aisea Halo, 8 Viliami Taulani, 7 Fotu Lokotui, 6 Siosiua Kaifa, 5 Harison Mataele, 4 Adam Coleman, 3 Ben Tameifuna (captain), 2 Sekope Lopeti Moli, 1 Isikeli Fukofuka
Replacements: 16 Sosefo Sakalia, 17 Tau Koloamatangi, 18 Jethro Felemi, 19 Kelemete Finau, 20 Kuki Moala-Liava’a, 21Manu Paea, 22 Semisi Ma’asi, 23 Nikolai Foliaki

Italy: 15 Ange Capuozzo, 14 Jacopo Trulla, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Tommaso Menoncello, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Martin Page-Relo, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Michele Lamaro (captain), 6 Manuel Zuliani, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Edoardo Iachizzi, 3 Marco Riccioni, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 1 Danilo Fischetti
Replacements: 16 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17 Mirco Spagnolo, 18 Simone Ferrari, 19 Niccolo Cannone, 20 Andrea Zambonin, 21 Alessandro Garbisi, 22 Leonardo Marin, 23 Ross Vintcent

Referee: Damian Schneider