Italy finally won a rugby test in the South Pacific islands when it beat Tonga 36-14 on its first visit to Nuku’alofa on Friday.
The Italians were able to move the ball wider than they did in the loss to Samoa a week ago, and their pressure and scrum earned them five tries to two against a Tonga team playing its first match since the Rugby World Cup nine months ago and starting four debutants.
Italy had gone 0-9 in Fiji, Samoa and the Cook Islands.
The visitors led 15-0 at halftime after tries to Jacopo Trulla, who escaped two defenders on top of him on the right touchline, and to fellow wing Monty Ioane between the posts after consecutive attacking scrums. Ioane was denied another on halftime by a try-saving tackle from Tonga scrumhalf Aisea Halo.
No. 8 Viliami Taulani barged over from a ruck for a converted try after the break, but Tonga was only briefly back in the game.
Italy counterattacked from its own 22 and smashed into Tonga’s half through Tommaso Menoncello. Great support play was capped by captain Michele Lamaro scoring.
After multiple close-in rucks, replacement scrumhalf Alessandro Garbisi exposed a huge gap to score and his brother Paolo Garbisi’s conversion made it 29-7.
Then Tonga scored its own highlight try, stealing from an Italy maul two meters from its tryline, breaking out and finishing with center Fetuli Paea scoring untouched from halfway.
Italy had the last say, though, in injury time with a penalty try after a series of attempted scrum pushovers.
The Italians play Japan this weekend.
