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Another tough day Italy finishes 2001 Six Nations without a win
ROME (AP) -- Scott Gibbs scored two tries in a 33-23 Welsh victory in Rome on Sunday as Italy lost for the ninth game in a row in Six Nations rugby to finish the campaign in last place with no points. Despite another 18 points from ace kicker Diego Dominguez and a late try by Carlo Checchinato, Italy trailed from early in the game and that debut victory over Scotland in the opening game last season's season championship now seems a long time ago. The match looked like being the last in the Six Nations for Dominguez, who was persuaded out of retirement by Kiwi coach Brad Johnstone, while Johnstone's own future also is in doubt. Gareth Cooper, a late replacement at scrum half for Rob Howley, also crossed the Italian line on his debut while Neil Jenkins kicked four penalties and three conversions for as personal tally of 18 as Wales jumped into second place in the standings ahead of Ireland and behind runaway leader England. But the Irish have only played two games with their remaining three all postponed until next season because of the foot and mouth epidemic sweeping Britain and threatening its own farms. Watched by thousands of singing, red-clad fans at the Stadio Flaminio, the Welsh were hit by the late loss of experienced scrum half Howley just before kick off because of a back injury. Cooper took over and, after Dominguez had kicked the Italians ahead with an early penalty, the Bath scrum half celebrated his unexpected callup with a try. The Welsh won possession in a ruck and, after prop forward Darren Morris had been tackled close to the line, he fed the ball to Cooper who crossed near the posts.
Jenkins kicked the conversion but Dominguez then landed his second penalty to cut the Welsh lead to 7-6 with eight minutes gone. The only player in the world to have score more than 1,000 points for his country, Jenkins then stretched the lead to four with a 25-meter penalty. The Italian fans were unhappy when Mauro Bergamasco was heading for a try after taking a short inside pass but New Zealand referee Paul Honiss ruled that the pass was forward. Some strong pressure from the Welsh brought a second try in the 30th minute when Scott Quinnell broke from a scrum and fed the ball to center Scott Gibbs who rolled through two tackles to go over for the score. Jenkins kicked the conversion and Wales led 17-6. Dominguez kicked his third penalty from almost on the half way line but, when Italian prop Andrea Lo Cicero was penalized for dragging down a scrum, Jenkins landed his second. The Italians should have scored a try just before half time but back row Bergamasco dropped the pass only a few meters from the line with no one in front of him. The referee awarded Italy a penalty, however, and the consolation was another successful Dominguez kick and the two teams turned round with Wales leading 20-12. Dominguez reduced the lead to five points with a long-range drop goal seven minutes into the second half while Jenkins missed a similar effort at the other end. But the Welsh forwards applied more pressure to the Italian defense close to their own posts and set up a second try for Gibbs, who took a short pass from Jenkins to charge through a gap and cross just by the posts. Jenkins' conversion made it 27-15 but Dominguez fifth penalty cut the lead to nine points with 28 minutes to go. Welsh center Mark Taylor almost got through near the Italian posts only to be held up by a Dominguez tackle. But the referee awarded Wales a close range penalty for handling in a ruck and Jenkins' third penalty opened up a 12 point lead. Both teams were reduced to 14 men near the end of the game when Italian fullback Christian Stoica and Welsh forward Craig Quinnell were each sent to the sinbin for foul play. The Italians produced a spell of consistent pressure close to the Welsh line near the end and were rewarded with a try. After Aaron Persico had been halted just short of the line, the ball was recycled to back row Carlo Checchinato who pushed two Welsh tacklers back on his way to the line. Dominguez missed the conversion attempt and Jenkins further punished him by landing an angled, 44-meter penalty to give his team a 10-point cushion going into the final minutes. Lineups: Italy - Christian Stoica; Massimiliano Perziano, Walter Pozzebon, Goivanni Raineri, Denis Dallan; Diego Dominguez, Matteo Mazzantini; Andrea Lo Cicero, Alessandro Moscardi (captain), Franco Properzi Curti, Wilhelmus Visser, Andrea Gritti, Aaron Persico, Mauro Bergamasco, Carlo Checchinato. Wales - Rhys Williams; Gareth Thomas, Mark Taylor, Scott Gibbs, Daffyd James; Neil Jenkins, Gareth Cooper; Darren Morris, Robin McBryde, David Young (captain), Ian Gough, Andy Moore, Colin Charvis, Martin Williams, Scott Quinnell. Referee - Paul Honiss, New Zealand.
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