Italy started their Autumn Nations Series with a brilliant 49-17 win over Samoa on Saturday afternoon.
Samoa applied the pressure in the first 10 minutes but failed to score any points before Italy found their feet, kicking a penalty in the 11th minute through Tommaso Allan and scoring two tries in as many minutes through Ignacio Brex Juan and Pierre Bruno. Allan kicked both conversions.
Allan would add another penalty before the visitors had to end the first half with a man down after Nigel Ah Wong was yellow carded for dangerous play.
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Italy wing Monty Ioane made the most of the numerical advantage, scoring either side of half-time to put his team in the driver’s seat. Paolo Garbisi kicked a penalty just before the break, while Allan missed one conversion but added two points for the second try in the 47th minute.
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Samoa then began to find a foothold in the game and, despite the scoreline, kept playing hard until the ball bounced their way. Centre Ulupano Seuteni crossed for the visitors’ first try in the 52nd minute, with D’Angelo Leuila slotting the conversion.
The hosts were dialled in and responded only three minutes later through debutant Lorenzo Cannone, with Garbisi kicking the conversion on this occasion.
Garbisi then crossed the whitewash for a try of his own in the 63rd minute, which Pierre Bruno converted.
From then on, the game opened up, suiting Samoa, who scored two unconverted tries in the last 10 minutes through Duncan Paia’aua and Theo McFarland.