Italy survive Condors scare as Chile turn up the heat in Genoa

Italy steadied themselves after a jittery third quarter to beat Chile 34-19 in Genoa but not before the Condors made the hosts sweat in their final Quilter Nations Series outing.

The scoreline looked routine on paper. It was anything but. Italy led 15-0 approaching half-time and appeared in full control before a late Chile try and a sharp resurgence early in the second half dragged Gonzalo Quesada’s side into an uncomfortable arm-wrestle.

Ange Capuozzo supplied the early spark with a trademark strike on 12 minutes, hitting the line from deep to break the kicking stalemate and slip clear for the opener, converted by Giacomo Da Re. Italy should have stretched away soon after through Leonardo Marin, only for a superb cover tackle from Diego Escobar to deny a second.

Da Re nudged Italy further ahead from the tee, and the hosts’ maul delivered on 31 minutes as Tommaso Di Bartolomeo was shunted over in the corner for his first Test try.

But a 15-0 lead flattered Italy. Chile’s bench injected bite and, with the half gone, Salvador Lues powered over to ensure the Condors stayed in the contest at 15-7.

If that was a warning, the next blow hit far harder.

Early in the second half a clever kick from midfield exposed Capuozzo in the backfield, and Nicolas Saab beat him to the ball down the left touchline before racing in. Tomas Salas converted and suddenly Italy were clinging to a 15-14 advantage.

Italy’s response was immediate and pragmatic. An Italian maul saw Di Bartolomeo delivered over the line for a second time, Da Re converted, and from there the hosts stayed in front with enough certainty to quieten the earlier nerves.

Clement Saavedra’s yellow card on 58 minutes didn’t help Chile’s cause. Nor did Monty Ioane’s finishing. The wing struck twice in the final quarter as Italy pushed the ball wide against a tiring defence, first strolling in on the left and then replicating the same pattern late on for his 19th Test try.

Chile, to their credit, refused to vanish into the background. Saab broke again down the left in the closing stages and, though he was dragged short, captain Saavedra arrived to crash over from close range. It was a deserved consolation for a side who showed more ambition than the rankings gap suggested.