Print

Mail

wiki links

Serra personal-best leads Argentina to victory over Italians

Fullback Federico Serra scored a personal-best 19 points to lead Argentina to a 24-6 victory over Italy in an international rugby Test on Saturday.

The victory boosted Argentina's record to 9-1-4 against Italy since their first match in 1978.

Argentina were without injured kicker Federico Todeschini but Serra filled his place capably, notching a converted try and four penalties.

"We were very focused today and our defense held up well," said winger Francisco Leonelli, the other Pumas tryscorer.

Leonelli and Serra scored their tries five minutes apart in a fast-paced first half for the Pumas to have the result in hand at 18-3 by the break.

The Italians' desperation to bridge the deficit led to them conceding too many penalties, and their cause was further hindered by playing 20 minutes of the second half without flanker Josh Sole then captain and prop Andrea Lo Cicero, both of whom were yellow-carded.

Serra hit his first penalty in the second minute but despite some good ball handling and open play by both sides, tough defense prevented any scoring for the next 23 minutes.

Then Serra scuttled through the defense, center Martin Gaitan broke it open, and Manuel Contepomi flicked a crisp pass to the speedy Leonelli for the first try.

Serra hit the post with the ensuing conversion kick, but made up for it in the 30th minute when he took a long pass and eluded a defender to score the second try, which he converted for 15-0.

Italy fullback David Bortolussi notched the visitors' first points with his first penalty after flanker Roberto Mandelli stole a Pumas lineout throw-in, but Serra restored the 15-point gap with his second penalty, from 45m.

Bortolussi managed to score Italy's remaining points off a penalty four minutes into the second half.

Three minutes later, a rolling maul to the line ended with Sole being sinbinned and Serra kicking over the penalty.

In the 67th, yet another scrum collapse by the pressured Italians led to Lo Cicero's yellow card, and Serra's last points.
This story has been viewed 856 times.