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Italy leaves World Cup after heavy defeat by France – ARN News Centre
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AFP
Italy had hoped to make up for their disastrous 96-17 defeat by New Zealand when they faced France in their last game at the Rugby World Cup, instead, they suffered their worst-ever loss as they were thrashed 60-7 on Friday.
On a night when Italy gained their only points of the game just past 70 minutes and the hosts ran in eight tries, coach Kieran Crowley could only admire the superiority and class of the French in their final Pool A fixture.
“You just need to listen to the support they’ve got. They were too good,” Crowley said.
“We gave away a lot of penalties early on and then we just didn’t get any momentum because our breakdown work wasn’t good enough. The interpretation sometimes left a bit to be desired but that’s the way it was.
“They were just too physical, too powerful for us.”
In what was Crowley’s last game in charge of Italy, the coach still spoke of his side’s spirit and bright future, despite another heavy defeat.
“These boys, they’d die for you. They’ve got a lot of pride,” he said.
“I just hope they start getting treated with a bit more respect after this. For the next World Cup cycle there will be a lot of players with 50 or 60 test matches by then so that will be good.”
Italy’s captain Michele Lamaro, replaced just four minutes into the second half, was at a loss to describe how it felt to have won their opening two games against Namibia and Uruguay and then come nowhere close to building on that.
“We managed to put ourselves into the position we wanted to be in but unfortunately a word to describe it, I can’t think of anything right now.”
Lamaro denied, however, that there had been too much expectation and pressure on his team.
“Within the group we set our goals and concentrated on our performance,” he said.
“Everyone reads the media articles but we leave that outside, so I don’t think the expectations had an influence on the group.”
What is undeniable is that this Italy side have failed to live up to expectations.
“The reason is quite simple. In rugby when you’re struggling to play your basic game that’s what happens,” the captain said.
“I know that we would like to wave a magic wand but there is no such thing in this game.
“If we win the physical fight, we carry on playing. Otherwise, we lose the game.”
Like his coach, Lamaro admitted France were simply too strong.
“France’s forwards were very powerful. To stop their attacks we need an extra man or two. It’s as simple as that. I don’t know what you expect as an answer,” he said.
“You are drawn in by the opposing forwards and the wide spaces open up. We were ready but we lost the last two games, unfortunately. It’s hard to accept.”
Italy end the World Cup in third place in Pool A on 10 points, enough to see them qualify for the next World Cup, but the heavy defeats by France and New Zealand leave them with little to celebrate.
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Tributes have poured in after the son of former Chelsea star Eddie Newton was found dead alongside his friend following a hike in the UAE, where temperatures soared to 50C.
Cassius Newton, 34, and his friend Aran Martinson, 33, were found by rescuers on July 18 after setting out on a hike in the mountainous Wadi Naqab region.
The pair, from Dorset and Essex respectively, both lived and worked in the UAE. Their bodies were discovered between 3km and 4km from their vehicle.
According to a report, Chelmsford area coroner Michelle Brown said their provisional causes of death included cardiac and respiratory arrest.
Cassius, a non-league footballer, was the son of former Chelsea midfielder and coach Eddie Newton, who spent more than a decade with the club.
His wife was in the UK when she became concerned after Cassius failed to contact her following the hike and reported him missing.
The two men had been living at a luxury resort in Ras Al Khaimah.
Tributes after desert tragedy
Tributes poured in after the deaths.
Aran’s wife described him as “incredibly driven, hardworking and ambitious”, saying he had recently begun a new chapter in his career and was excited about the future.
Blackfield & Langley Football Club paid tribute to their former player, saying: “It is with heavy hearts that we share the sad news of the passing of former player Cassius Newton; our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”
National League club Eastleigh, where Cassius had previously played, said it was “deeply saddened” by his death.
Chelsea connection
Cassius’ father Eddie Newton played for Chelsea from 1990 to 2001 and famously scored in the club’s 1997 FA Cup final victory.
The former midfielder also represented Cardiff City, Birmingham City, Oxford United and Barnet.
After retiring as a player, Newton moved into coaching, working as assistant manager at MK Dons and West Brom before returning to Chelsea.
He later served as assistant manager under Roberto Di Matteo and Rafael Benítez.
(With inputs from BBC, The Sun)
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