WP XV too good for Italy
On the international day at City Park on Friday and Western Province Under-18 XV beat Italy Under-18 39-17.
It was not the same Western Province Under-18 that performed so splendidly at the recent Craven Week as five of that team were playing for South African Schools and another five were injured, including hooker Daniel du Plessis who was chosen for SA Schools but unable to play because of a leg broken at Craven Week.
Those who were at Craven Week and in the team to play Italy were Khanyo Ngcukana, Jarryd Sage, Dewald Naudé, Dennis Cox, Damian Stevens, Siya Alam, Saud Abrahams, Charlton Jonas, Johan Momsen, Francois van der Merwe and Gavin van den Berg.
The main points' scorer for the home side was Damien Stevens who scored 17 points, the same number Italy scored, with two tries, two conversions and a penalty goal.
Stevens scored after just 6 minutes – a try and a conversion, Leonardo Mantelli kicked a penalty and Stevens did likewise. That made the half-time score 10-3. The Italians were holding their own.
They scored first in the second half when left wing Pierre Bruno scored the first of his two tries. Mantelli converted this and the scores were level at 10-all.
Then Western Province started to pull away as the Italians found it hard to cope with their speed. Replacements Brendon Nell and Siya Alam scored tries to take the score to 24-10 before Bruno got his second and then Stevens, Alam and Dante van der Merwe scored unconverted tries.
Afterwards the Italian coach, Massimo Brunello said, the Western Province players were too physical and too skilled for his side. "The last quarter of the match was a pity", he said but he hoped that the experience of this match would make his players more mature.
Scorers:
For WP Under-18 XV:
Tries: Stevens 2, Alam 2, Nell, Van der Merwe
Cons: Stevens: 3
Pen: Stevens
For Italy Under-18:
Tries: Bruno 2
Cons: Mantelli, Minozzi
Pen Mantelli
Teams
Western Province Under-18 XV: 15 Khanyo Ncgukhana (Rondebosch), 14 Dewald Naudé (Paarl Boys' High), 13 Jarryd Sage (Wynberg), 12 Ryan Oosthuizen (Paarl Gim), 11 Dante van der Merwe (Paarl Boys' High), 10 Dennis Cox (Excelsior), 9 Damien Stevens (Paarl Boys' High), 8 Charl Francois du Toit (Paarl Boys' High), 7 Saud Abrahams (Bishops), 6 Charlton Jonas (Paarl Boys' High), 5 Johan Momsen (Paarl Gim), 4 Mitch Lingeveld (Paul Roos), 3 Francois van der Merwe (Paarl Boys' High), 2 Jacques van Zyl (Paul Roos), 1 Gavin van den Berg (Paarl Gim).
Replacements: 16 Cuan Hablutzel (Bishops), 17 Brett Paulse (Rondebosch), 18 Jaco Willemse (Paarl Gim), 19 Ryan Davids (Excelsior), 20 Brendon Nell (Paarl Gim), 21 Siya Alam (Wynberg), 22 Dylan Daniels (Paarl Boys' High).
Coaches: Hein Kriek, Peter Links
Italy: 15 Lorenzo Masato (Benetton Treviso), 14 Matteo Minozzi (Valsugana), 13 Armando Schiavo (UR Capitolina), 12 Luca Sperandio (Benetton Treviso), 11 Pierre Bruno (Province Dell’Ovest), 10 Leonardo Mantelli (Unione Pratosesto), 9 Riccardo Raffaele (L’Aquila), 8 Giovanni Pettinelli (Lyons Venezia Mestre) (captain), 7 Nicolò Broglia (US Firenze 1931), 6 Davide Ciotoli (Pro Recco), 5 Davide Fragnito (Benevento), 4 Vittorio Mantegazza (UR Capitolina), 3 Matteo Dal Sie (M-Three San Donà), 2 Edoardo Ferraro (Benetton Treviso), 1 Engjel Makelara (Benetton Treviso),
Replacements: 16 Roberto Barducci (Lions Amaranto), 17 Federico Pavesi (Amatori Parma), 18 Leonard Krumov (Viadana), 19 Dario Basha (Lions Amaranto), 20 Samuele Ortis (Lyons Venezia Mestre), 21 Pietro Lamaro (Prirmavera), 22 Giovanni Rollo (Parma 1931), 23 Federico Cicuttin (Cammi Calvisano), 24 Simone Baitieri (Viadana), 25 Alberto BURatti (Valsugana), 26 Vittorio Carnio (Casale), 27 Filippo Banzato (Benetton Treviso)
Coach: Massimo Brunello
