O'Connor fires Aussies on debut
Teenage full-back James O'Connor continued his meteoric rise on Saturday as his hat-trick saw the Wallabies beat Italy 31-8 in Canberra.
Last Updated: 14/06/09 6:04pm
Teenage full-back James O'Connor continued his meteoric rise on Saturday as his hat-trick saw the Wallabies beat Italy 31-8 in Canberra.
Still at the tender age of only 18 and with a big international future ahead of him, O'Connor supported well for his first two scores but saved the best until last by bumping off the mighty Sergio Parisse in the first of this two-Test series.
Italy's usual strangling tactics did make life difficult for the hosts to find any fluidity in the cold conditions of Canberra.
Their first score did take just four minutes to arrive when an unmarked Lachie Turner was utilised well from his blindside wing to feed the young debutant.
But the steely resolve of the Azzurri became prominent, with Mauro Bergamasco and captain Parisse making their presence felt - the former's accidental knee collision with Lachie Turner's head leaving the back motionless for a period.
Unfortunately for the touring side though, who play the Wallabies again in Melbourne next week, their attacking arsenal did not match their tackling.
Rhythm
And with George Smith at his breakdown best throughout alongside the tactical kicking of Matt Giteau, Italy's efforts were few and far between as the scoreline remained at 5-0 on 25 minutes.
But from that moment up until the break the Wallabies finally clicked into some sort of rhythm to demonstrate the kind of form that did for the Barbarians last weekend.
First it was the in-form Giteau's late change of direction from behind the ruck that saw him pierce a gap before freeing his arms to send O'Connor over for his second. Then his partner in crime, Berrick Barnes, was on hand to set up the fly-half for a slightly fortunate try under the posts on 33 minutes.
Italy did respond before the interval with three points from the boot of Luke McLean, who had been pushed into the full-back role due to Australian-born Craig Gower's inclusion at ten, and they were also starting to look much more impressive on the turnaround.
And it was in fact Bayonne's 31-year-old that set up the Azzurri's first and only try on 43 minutes when his drop-goal dummy took him down the touchline before a switch with Kaine Robertson closed the gap to just nine points.
However, the winger's score proved only false hope for Nick Mallett's side as Australia regrouped to dominate the second period by claiming two more tries to put the game beyond doubt.
Stirling Mortlock's typical surge against the grain got them going before O'Connor's crafty footwork left Parisse and Italy slightly embarrassed.
