Italy salvaged some pride but
their dream of reaching the Rugby World Cup finals for the first
time ever are over after Sunday's 16-9 defeat to Ireland.
The Azzurri were much improved with the return of captain
Sergio Parisse, even though he was not fully match fit after
recovering from a badly bruised leg, following a 32-10 defeat to
France in their opener and a laboured 23-18 win over Canada.
They pushed the much-fancied Irish hard, giving them
trouble in the scrum and serving up a sterling defensive
display.
But their inability to cross the tryline, with lock Josh
Furno tackled just short early in the second half, cost them.
"It's a missed opportunity," Italy coach Jacques Brunel
told a press conference.
"We have the ability to challenge teams. We can do better
but we have shown the qualities we have".
Italy must now beat Romania in their final Pool D match in
Exeter on Sunday to ensure they finish third in the group and
qualify directly for the 2019 World Cup.
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