By Darren Walton
June 13th 2009 @ 2:08am
Related coverage
Italians plotting to upset Wallabies
Armed with two key Australian attacking weapons, Italy are quietly confident of pulling off a rugby miracle against the Wallabies in Saturday night’s Test at Canberra Stadium.
Italy’s South African coach Nick Mallett, usually one to downplay his unfancied side’s chances, says a monumental upset is not out of the question.
Mallett’s optimism stems from Italy’s narrow 30-20 loss to the Wallabies in Padova last November and his belief that the Azzurri will be energised by the inclusion of former rugby league international Craig Gower at five-eighth and Townsville-born Luke McLean at fullback.
“I can’t imagine any sportsmen who, when he plays against the country that he grew up in, wouldn’t want to prove to that country that he has got really good talent and would like to show them what they’re missing,” Mallett said.
“Both Craig and Luke will both want to do the best they possibly can for this Italian group who have given them this opportunity to play at this level.”
Italy are without a win in eight Tests in 2009, but Mallett has assembled “as strong a side as we can bring out” to Australia and his hoping his team can repeat the heroics of Padova, where the Azzurri led into the second half.
It was, according to Mallett, the best Italy have played during his 16-Test coaching reign.
“If you were an objective observer, you would probably say Italy didn’t deserve to win it because of the opportunities Australia created, especially in the first 20 minutes,” he said.
“But, be that as it may, going into the last 10 minutes we were in the game and that’s what we are trying to do every single time we play.
“We’d like to be in the game in the last 20 minutes and in the last 10 minutes and then you never know how the ball’s going to bounce. You might get lucky some day.”
Although readily admitting the Azzurri will test out the Wallabies’ debutant fullback James O’Connor with some high balls, Mallett says there’s no point Italy thinking the Wallabies are vulnerable individually.
“We in Italy remain very humble and we realise we’re not here to say there’s a weakness here or a weakness there in the Australian team,” he said.
“What we’d like to do is make sure that we can match up as best as we possibly can in as many areas as we can on Saturday.
“We’ll take it little bit by bit. We’d like to make sure our scrum is competitive, that we win our ball in the lineouts and, from there, try and put them under pressure by various means.
“But there is no weaknesses in a team like the Australian side. You don’t look around that side and say ‘right, there’s a player who doesn’t tackle’.
“It just doesn’t happen.”
O’Connor, though, can expect a difficult night.
“He has played Super 14 rugby at inside centre, outside centre, he’s played at fullback, I think, and on the wings, so he’s a guy who, from a confidence point of view, is easily able to handle anything that we throw at him,” Mallet said.
“But it would be silly for him to think he will go through the game without having to take a few high balls.”
3-Australia v 12-Italy
All venues: Played: 10, Australia won 10, lost 0
In Australia: Played 4, Australia won 4, lost 0
2008: Australia 30-20, Padova
2006: Australia 25-18, Rome
2005: Australia 69-21, Melbourne
2002: Australia 34-3, Genoa
1996: Australia 40-18, Padova
1994: Australia 20-7, Melbourne
1994: Australia 43-20, Brisbane
1988: Australia 55-6, Rome
1986: Australia 39-18, Brisbane
1983: Australia 29-7, Rovigo
Biggest Australian win (margin) at all venues: 49 (55-6) Rome, 1988
Biggest Australian win (margin) in Australia: 48 (69-21) Melbourne, 2005
Most points scored by Australia at all venues: 69 (69-21) Melbourne, 2005
Most points scored by Australia in Australia: 69 (69-21) Melbourne, 2005
Most points conceded by Australia at all venues: 21 (69-21) Melbourne, 2005
Most points conceded by Australia in Australia: 21 (69-21) Melbourne, 2005
Most Tests by an Australian against Italy: 6 – David Campese, 1983-96
Most points in a Test by an Australian against Italy: 23 – Michael Lynagh, Rome, 1988
Most points in a Test by an Italian against Australia: 18 – Ramiro Pez, Rome, 2006
Most tries in a Test by an Australian against Italy: 4 – Lote Tuqiri, Melbourne, 2005
Most tries in a Test by an Italian against Australia: 1 (by eight players)
Most tries in Tests by an Australian against Italy: 6 – David Campese, 1983-96
Leading Australian pointscorers against Italy: 46 Michael Lynagh; 34 Matt Giteau, David Campese, Matthew Burke; 25 Stirling Mortlock
Leading Australian tryscorers against Italy: 6 David Campese; 4 Lote Tuqiri; 3 Acura Niuqila
Most Australian Test caps against Italy: 6 David Campese; 5 George Gregan; 4 Daniel Herbert, Matthew Burke, Stirling Mortlock, Matt GiteauTEAMS
Australia: James O’Connor, Lachie Turner, Stirling Mortlock (capt), Berrick Barnes, Drew Mitchell, Matt Giteau, Luke Burgess, Richard Brown, George Smith, Mumm, Nathan Sharpe, James Horwill, Al Baxter, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson. Reserves: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Ben Alexander, Kimlin, David Pocock, Josh Valentine, Quade Cooper, Ashley-Cooper.Italy: Luke McLean, Kaine Robertson, Mirco Bergamasco, Matteo Pratichetti, Alberto Sgarbi, Craig Gower, Pablo Canavosio. Forwards: Sergio Parisse (capt), Mauro Bergamasco, Alessandro Zanni, Carlo Antonio Del Fava, Quintin Geldenhuys, Fabio Staibano, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Salvatore Perugini. Reserves: Franco Sbaraglini, Ignacio Rouyet, Marco Bortolami, Paul Derbyshire, Tito Tebaldi, Kristopher Burton, Gonzalo Garcia.
Kick-off: 7.35pm (AEST)
TAB Sportsbet: Australia $1.03, Italy $14
Referee: Dave Pearson (Eng)
Super 14 Tipping now live on The Roar. Join now.
Like this content? Buzz it up!
Free Email updates:
Our daily emails are only sent if there is content for the sport or that author. You can subscribe to multiple daily emails; or get the daily Roar email with all our content in it. We value privacy. More...
(13)
pothale said | June 13th 2009 @ 2:50am | Report comment
Quietly confident? This is Aussie media hype. Having publicly gone on the record saying that Italy playing Australia and new Zealand was a thankless task for the Italy, he could have hardly turned around and said that he’s quietly confident of a win.
They’ll be beaten handsomely – or else Australia don’t turn up to play. At all.
Kento said | June 13th 2009 @ 7:59am | Report comment
Keep dreaming guys. This game is the safest bet in the world right now…
whiskeymac said | June 13th 2009 @ 8:10am | Report comment
But pothale and Kento, they have Gower!
LeftArmSpinner said | June 13th 2009 @ 9:12am | Report comment
I expect a Wallaby win, but the greatest test will be to see if they can mantain concentration throughout the game. I am hoping that the incentive of remaining in Robbie’s good books and the pressure from a strong bench and fringe players such as tuqiri and Waugh will be sufficient. Lets hope that Kimlin is about to shake his current nickname of Noodles, as in two minute Noodles, because that was the sum total of his game time on the previous tour as a Wallaby!!
Blinky Bill of Bellingen said | June 13th 2009 @ 9:35am | Report comment
Perish the thought of a loss. Could it happen? It’s hard to see how. But stranger things have happened in sport. That’s why we watch it.
Azzuri seemed to have our number in Padova but for a Cooper try that could so easily have been called back. So they’ll be up for it.
Will the weather play it’s role in helping the boys in blue? Coldest June night in Canberra in how many years?
Gower Power – Is there such a thing? He wasn’t bad at all in the NRL and has been learning his trade at a decent level in France. We know their forward pack will be competitive & Craig Gower may well pull off a few surprises.
I’m expecting the Wallabies to run riot after about 10 minutes. I’m hoping Robbie has put the fear of God into them and ‘Woe behold anyone who eases off…even a wee but’.
Let me check my list for tonight good coffee (check), tim tams (check), tawny port (buy some when in town), beanie (check), heaters (check). At least I’ll be warm & merry.
Here’s to the Wallabies starting as they finished last week. Keep on building chaps the Big Boys are waiting for us down the track.
Even looser said | June 13th 2009 @ 12:53pm | Report comment
Blinky – What no trip to the local? Too cold eh!
I just can’t see what’s in this for Italy. I expect them to get absolutely hammered in what promises to be little more than a training run for the Wallabies. Better for their development for them to play a team of similar standard. Zimbabwe, Japan, Canada, USA, Uruguay, etc.
Working Class Rugger said | June 14th 2009 @ 12:02am | Report comment
I think Nick Mallet would prefer his charges to be running around in the Churchill cup at the moment. What is it with the Italians. A couple of years ago it looked like they took a couple of steps forward only to have gone backwards since then.
pothale said | June 14th 2009 @ 12:38am | Report comment
They’re looking for a balance of games against a variety of teams, according to Mallet when he arrived down under. New Zealand and Australia should not be on their playing list this summer. They should be in US and Canada or maybe Eastern Europe against Georgia/Romanaia every now and then, according to him.
These games do nothing for Italian rugby and probably lower team esteem and confidence unnecessarily.
Darryl said | June 14th 2009 @ 8:21am | Report comment
I think the Italians looked alright last night, but they really need to invest in a decent backs coach and look for some speedters.
Even looser said | June 14th 2009 @ 9:58am | Report comment
I can’t figure if the Italians looked okay last night or whether the Wallabies played poorly thinking their game against the Baa Baas meant they would waltz it in.
How the hell the Azzuri number 9 had not practiced with Gower & yet was palying was beyond me. What kind of coaching decision was that? When the reserve 9 came on things went far better for Italy.
Not too sure what to make of Craig Gower’s efforts. He pulled off one nice inside flick pass to score a try & defended very well but apart from that he stood so far back from the 9 that we all wondered ‘what ploy is this’? Seems it wasn’t one. He also took a few dumb options even for a newish boy to Rugby. What’s with the field goal attempt when Italy had us under pressure? And general kicking in play was below poor. Still I reckon he’ll improve and hopefully next week in Melbourne he’ll take the next step up.
Justin said | June 14th 2009 @ 10:24am | Report comment
Gower was pathetic but he is much better than that. He will be better next week, a poor game, stood deep, kicked out on the full 3 times I think from halfway, a woeful option of a DG when well behind. Get rid of that 4 also he is soft as butter.
I have to disagree with the notion that Italy shouldnt be playing Australia though. To improve you need to play against better opposition. To play weak teams will not make them better. What will they learn from beating Georgia or Romania? Yes they will win but long term I dont believe it will improve them one iota.
Blinky Bill of Bellingen said | June 14th 2009 @ 10:52am | Report comment
Italy are already playing better opposition in the 6 nations and didn’t register a win this year.
I think those of us who reckon they should be playing opposition closer to their level, are thinking that it’ll give the coaching staff a better chance of tinkering with team structures.
Italy need to know what it feels like to win a few on the trot. Constantly losing must be tough to deal with. If winning becomes a habit maye losing does too.
pothale said | June 14th 2009 @ 11:24am | Report comment
That’s what I said earlier. A balance of games – some of which they are more confident of winning, allow them to build and develop skills, develop tackling, backline moves, etc.
Playing 6 Nations and then Austrlaia and New Zeland isn’t a great prospect for any 12th placed team.