A stunning solo try from 20-year-old Reds flyhalf Quade Cooper, with the first touch of his international career, gave the Qantas Wallabies a nail-biting 30-20 victory over a committed Italy in Padova tonight.
Ferocious defence from the Italians, and a boisterous home crowd, nearly got the Azzurri over the line to a famous victory but in the end a young Wallabies’ side held their nerve to get home.
The Wallabies were tested before kick off with the Italian ground officials playing an extended two-verse version of Advance Australia Fair.
The Men of Gold may have been stumped for the second verse but they would have been more than pleased with the sunny, windless day and perfect playing conditions.
The Wallabies were into action in the first few minutes with a neat break from flyhalf Berrick Barnes and a teasing grubber kick, resulting in a penalty after captain Stirling Mortlock was tugged back while chasing the kick.
Mortlock got up and slotted the penalty from nearly in front on the 22 to put the Men of Gold up 3-0 after 3 minutes.
The Italians retaliated with some Greco-Roman wrestling at the next lineout which saw hooker Stephen Moore come up with a nasty gash underneath his right eye.
But the Italians were back on level terms soon after with Phil Waugh penalized for going over at the breakdown and Italian flyhalf Andrea Marcato landing the penalty to tie things up at 3-all.
The Wallabies hit back straight away with Timana Tahu scything through two or three Italian tackles midfield and then getting a perfect one handed pass away to his Waratahs team mate Lachie Turner who easily outpaced the Italian cover defence on a thirty metre sprint to the line to score his first Test try.
The try would have come as a massive boost to Tahu, getting his first start since the big loss to the Springboks in Johannesburg.
Mortlock missed the penalty but the Wallabies were up 7-3 after just seven minutes.
Another breakdown infringement, again for going over, gave Marcato another chance and the diminutive Italian flyhalf banged it over from 40 metres out to take the score back to 7-6 to the visitors after 11 minutes.
Then disappointment and frustration for Barnes as he trudged from the field only a minute later to be replaced by Matt Giteau. The injury did not look too severe and hopefully he will be available for next week’s big clash against England.
It didn’t stop the Wallabies as seconds later Mark Chisholm just lost control of the ball as he reached out to score after good lead up work by winger Digby Ioane and Mortlock.
From the resulting scrum Australia won a penalty and Giteau landed the goal from close range to put the Wallabies up 11-6 after 18 minutes.
Giteau looked through again two minutes later but some spirited defence from Italy held the Wallabies out before fullback Andrea Masi launched a long range counter attack followed by a kick ahead that dribbled over the dead ball line.
But the Italians were back to 11-9 on 25 minutes with a superbly taken drop goal from 30 metres out by Marcato.
Both teams however seemed intent on playing attacking Rugby but mistakes led to numerous moves breaking down.
The Wallabies forwards, who many felt would be shaded by the more experienced Italians, were more than holding their own in the admittedly scrappy scrums and line outs.
But suddenly the Italians were in front on 30 minutes after a well-worked move from the scrumbase on the Wallabies 22 saw Marcato put Masi into a gap, before the Azzurri fullback passed to winger Mirco Bergamasco who stumbled over out wide for the five-pointer.
Marcato missed the conversion from near the corner but nearing half time the home team were surprising leaders 14-11.
A penalty for knocking the ball down against Italy gave Giteau the chance to even things up on 38 minutes and the Wallabies flyhalf made no mistake from 40 metres out evening it up at 14-all, which remained the half time score.
As scrappy as the game was, and as mistake ridden as both teams play, there was a feeling that the Wallabies could take control if Robbie Deans’ team could keep their composure and string some phases together.
The Italians were disrupted with just five minute gone in the second half with Marcato going off with a possible rib injury and Luciano Orquera coming on.
Another scrum penalty against Italy, from their own feed, gave Giteau a chance to put the Men of Gold back in front and the flyhalf chipped the ball over from the 22 to make it 17-14 on 47 minutes.
Some good phase play from the Wallabies gave Giteau another chance just two minutes later, after Italy infringed at the breakdown under pressure, and once again he was accurate, making it four out of four from forty metres out to put the Men of Gold out to 20-14.
But two minutes later Tahu was penalized for holding on at the ruck and Orquera landed the penalty from 30 metres out straight in front to bring it back to 20-17.
On 58 minutes Italy won a scrum penalty, for the Wallabies not binding properly, and Orquera struck the ball sweetly from 30 metres out on an angle to make it 20-all with just 20 minutes to play.
Then on 65 minutes, with the Italian crowd lifting the Azzurri, Richard Brown was penalized for coming in at the side, metres out from the Wallabies line. But from a sharp angle Orquera missed the chance to put Italy in front.
Wycliff Palu came on at the 67th minute to beef up the Wallabies pack along with Waratahs prop Sekope Kepu, on for his first cap, becoming Wallaby No.830.
Then Deans made the excpetionally gutsy call that decided the match.
With the score locked up at 20-all in a Test match, Deans showed amazing faith in his youngest Wallabies and brought on to the field two more uncapped Wallabies - young Reds flyhalf Quade Cooper coming on for Adam Ashley-Cooper to become Wallaby No.831 and 18-year-old James O’Connor becoming the second youngest Wallaby of all time and No.832, coming on for Tahu.
And less than a minute into his international career it was Cooper who decided the course of the match.
The 20-year-old ignited the Wallabies backline as he took a pass from Giteau and stepped through three Italian tackles on a stunning thirty metre run to score an exceptional solo try.
O’Connor then led to Australia getting some breathing space after he was held back by an Italian defender as he tried to follow up a Giteau break.
The Western Force flyhalf landed the difficult penalty attempt from wide out to give the Wallabies a ten point buffer.
There was time for David Pocock to come on for Phil Waugh just before the fulltime whistle blew bringing relief to the Men of Gold and disappointment, as well as pride, to the gutsy Italians.
The Wallabies now move on to London where they will face their World Cup nemesis, England, next Saturday at Twickenham.
Full Time Score
Qantas Wallabies 30 (Lachie Turner, Quade Cooper tries; Matt Giteau 5, Stirling Mortlock penalties, Giteau conversion) defeated Italy 20 (Mirco Bergamasco try; Andrea Marcato 2 penalties; drop goal; Luciano Orquera 2 penalties) at Stadio Egueano in Padova. (Halftime: 14-all)
Qantas Wallabies vs Italy Fact Sheet
