Wallabies crush Italy on back of surprise hat-trick
Justin Chadwick |
Josh Canham has become the first Wallabies lock to score a Test hat-trick as Australia farewelled coach Joe Schmidt in style with a 57-10 demolition of Italy in Perth.
The world No.8 Wallabies entered Saturday night’s Nations Championship clash having lost nine of their past 10 Test matches, including six on the trot.
But from the very outset Australia’s determination was clear to see, with the home side running in six tries to one in a dominant first half to open up a match-winning 38-5 lead by the break in front of 19,268 fans.
The Wallabies ended the game with nine tries, while the visitors managed two.
Canham cashed in with three tries for the match, while prop Angus Bell, hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa, centre Len Ikitau, fullback Tom Wright, reserve hooker Billy Pollard and Ben Donaldson also scored in Saturday night’s romp.
Home-town hero Carlo Tizzano was a menace at the breakdown, while Harry Potter produced a series of dazzling runs.
The champagne rugby marked the perfect end to Schmidt’s tenure, and ensured he walked off into the sunset with a winning clip of 38.7 per cent (12 wins, 19 losses).
It means he avoids owning the worst winning percentage of a Wallabies coach in the professional era, with that inglorious record still held by Dave Rennie (38.2 per cent).
In a fiery end to the game, Italy prop Marco Riccioni was red-carded in the 66th minute for his involvement in a sideline melee.
Riccioni had already been subbed out of the game when he ran in to join brawling players right near the Italian bench.
The result was already clear by that point, but it added an intriguing chapter to a match in which Australia dominated from start to finish.
The impressive win helped erase the pain of last week’s 42-26 loss to France, when Australia conceded 30 consecutive points in a woeful second half.
The Wallabies exploded with three tries inside the opening 19 minutes against Italy, with Wright’s turbo-speed effort through a gap the most memorable moment of the early onslaught.
The Wallabies spoke during the week of the importance of coming out from the halftime break breathing fire.
Instead, it was Italy who scored just 42 seconds after the restart courtesy of Australian-born winger Monty Ioane.
Normal order was restored in the 52nd minute when Canham completed his hat-trick with a pick-and-go, and reserve playmaker Donaldson added the icing on the cake with a try on the final siren.
AAP