Italy overcomes competitive Chile to win 34-19 in first ever rugby meeting

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GENOA, Italy (AP) — Italy recovered from a mid-game slump to record a far from comprehensive 34-19 victory over Chile on Saturday in the first international rugby contest between the teams.

The Azzurri scored five tries with Ange Capuozzo setting Italy on the way. Tommaso Di Bartolomeo scored a try in each half before Monty Ioane added another two.

Giacomo Da Re converted three of those tries and added a penalty.

It was a somewhat poor performance from Italy, which allowed Chile to cross for three tries.

“Obviously I’m not happy with the match,” Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada said. "We can find many excuses, but we have to be much more precise. There was a lack of precision in attack, with more than 20 balls lost, so it was a difficult match.

“We have to be able to play these games, that we have to win, dominating a little more. We were never able to really take control, and this is a job we have to do.”

Chile was the 23rd of 24 teams to qualify for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, edging out Samoa in qualifying in September, and will be getting more access to test matches against higher-ranked opposition.

Italy had been leading 15-0 before two of Chile's tries, from Salvador Lues and Nicolas Saab either side of halftime, saw the visitors slash the margin to one.

Clemente Saavedra added another try for Chile right at the end.

“Finding ourselves at 15-14, 10 minutes into the second half, after the first half we had done, I must say that it was a moment in which obviously we looked at each other and said ‘OK, something needs to be done here,’” Italy captain Michele Lamaro said.

On a positive note for Italy, there were debuts for teenagers Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi and Edoardo Todaro, who went on as late replacements.

Quesada made 10 changes to his starting lineup from last week’s 32-14 defeat to South Africa. The Azzurri opened its autumn internationals by stunning Australia 26-19.

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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby