Australia survived an early scare before easing past Italy 26-7 in Padua on Saturday. Italy, chasing their first win against the Wallabies, had two early tries ruled out before Australia broke away with two of their own, one from the late addition Marika Koroibete and one from Taniela Tupou.
Mattia Bellini scored a converted try at 21-0 down and the Australia scrum-half Will Genia added barely deserved gloss to the scoreline with a try near full-time. The Wallabies lost to Wales 9-6 last weekend in Cardiff, their eighth defeat in 11 tests, and were hoping for a convincing victory in Padua to get their groove back.
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Yet it was Italy who started stronger and thought they had taken a shock lead when the No 8 Abraham Steyn – deputising for the injured Sergio Parisse – scored in the right corner. But his foot had gone out just before he dived over the line.
There was more controversy in the 14th minute, when Italy had a second try disallowed. Jake Gordon’s pass from the lineout was intercepted by Tito Tebaldi but the referee harshly deemed the Italy scrum-half to be offside.
The Azzurri were also defending well and a great tackle from Bellini prevented a near-certain try from Israel Folau as he looked set to run clean through to the line.
The match changed on the half-hour mark when a first mistake by Italy allowed Samu Kerevi to create the break. Adam Ashley-Cooper and David Pocock got the ball to the left wing Koroibete, who ran unchallenged through the posts. Koroibete was a late addition after Jordan Petaia, set to make his debut, was ruled out injured.
Koroibete got his second try five minutes later thanks to a fine pass from Ashley-Cooper, who offloaded as he was being tackled by Bellini and Michele Campagnaro. Matt Toomua converted both.
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The prop Taniela Tupou raced over the line for Australia’s third try in 14 minutes, shortly after the break, and it looked as though the Wallabies could be in for a rampant win. But Italy, who have so often collapsed in the second half of matches, swiftly reduced the deficit when Bellini raced down the left flank from his own half to score before Tommaso Allan converted.
The hosts were handed an opportunity to get back into the match just before the hour, when the Australia prop Scott Sio was yellow carded for a poor tackle on Jayden Hayward near the tryline, but the could not make the one-man advantage count despite sustained pressure.