0 min – Ceri Sweeney kicks-off for Wales
1 min – The sides exchange kicks, Italy full back Gonzalo Canale kicks well to touch deep into Wales territory.
1 min – First line out of the game, Wales win it, but knock on when trying to move the ball wide
1 min – First scrum of the game, the scrum turns90 degrees, and Wales have the put in.
2 mins – Free kick awarded for an Italian infringement
2 mins – The sides exchange kicks
3 mins – Italy centre Christian Stoica knocks on as nerves show
4 mins – Wales win their lineout well, and look to build phase play, but a poor pass from Sweeney ends possession, Italy clear and win a line out deep in Wales territory when Morgan is forced to step into touch
7 mins – Italy threaten the Wales line with good forward play, and Wales are penalised at a ruck Italy opt for the penalty shot.
8 mins – Rima Wakarua makes no mistake with a 22 m. kick WALES 0 ITALY 3
9 mins- An immediate reply from Wales. Martyn Williams makes the telling pass to prop Duncan Jones who flick passes to Mark Jones who has an easy run in in the corner. Harris makes the tricky conversion WALES 7 ITALY 3
12 mins – Italy pile on the pressure, Andrea Masi makes a fantastic break through midfield and deep into the Wales 22, there is an overlap on the right hand side, but he cant find the pass. Nicola Mazzucato is held up one metre from the line with an excellent tackle from Harris
14 mins – Italy knock on, and Wales clear
15 – mins Brent Cockbain penalised for coming in from the side of a ruck.
15 mins- Italy build possession and force mistakes from Wales. Wakarua’s 40 m. penalty goal attempt hits the post.
18 mins- Italy with better territory, and possession, but Wales’ defence is holding firm. Eventually Harris clear with a good kick to touch
19 mins – Wales penalised for having one more man in the lineout.
20 mins – Italy attack again, Santiago Dellape makes a great break, but the move breaks down, and Wales clear.
21 mins – Wales have a scrum on the Italy 10m line, which they lose.
22 mins – Rhys Williams replaces the injured Kevin Morgan
23 mins – Stoica penalised for a deliberate knock-on. Harris kicks the penalty goal from 25m from the left hand side. WALES 10 ITALY 3
25 mins – Duncan Jones is stretchered off the field, after getting trapped in a ruck, he is replaced by Gethin Jenkins
26 mins – Mark Jones is penalised for not rolling away from the tackle. Wakarua scores WALES 10 ITALY 6
28 mins – Carlo Checchinato penalised for offside. Harris scores from 25m and slightly to the right WALES 13 ITALY 6
30 mins – Italy have good field position Duncan Jones guilty of pulling down a maul. Wakarua scores an easy kick WALES 13 ITALY 9
34 mins – Wales finally have some attacking momentum
37 mins – A long delay ends with a Italy lineout, Wales win the ball, Sweeney breaks through a hole, and a fabulous link pass from Martyn Williams to Sonny Parker means an easy score. Harris converts. WALES 20 ITALY 9
HALF TIME: WALES 20 ITALY 9
40 min – Wakarua kicks off for Italy
42 min – Wakarua opens the second half scoring with a penalty goal WALES 20 ITALY 12
44 min – Wales camped in Italy 22, following a terrific break from Parker
45 min -Wales have an attacking scrum 10m out, but Italy steal the ball after Wales fail to execute a training ground move
49 min – Wales defending well, but ill discipline from Gethin Jenkins. Wakarua scores. WALES 20 ITALY 15
51 min – It’s a kicking dual at the moment
53 min – Wales look exciting when going forward, and earn a penalty when Italy are called for a late tackle. Harris misses his first kick of the tournament from wide left and 40m out
55 min -Sides exchange kicks – Italy have a lineout
57 min – Wales move the ball through the backs. Mark Jones with the chip and chase, and Italy knock the ball to touch just five metres. from their own line
58 min – The drive goes nowhere. Italy has a lineout, and clear with a kick from Troncon. It’s a tense match now
60 mins- Wales have a scrum on the Italy 22, and move the ball through the backs -Harris looking very creative, but the danger ends when Thomas knocks on. Italy’s scrum is wheeled and they step into touch
62 min – Dafydd Jones applies the finishing touches to a Wales drive following a successful lineout. Harris converts. WALES 27 ITALY 15
67 mins – Jones and McBryde suffering with cramp as the pressure of battle starts to take its tole
69 min -Wales scrum is dominant, Italy are penalised. Harris’ 45m kick drifts wide of the right hand post
71 min- Stephen Jones misses with a long drop goal attempt
72 min – Charvis picks off a Italian chip and canters toward the line. But he fumbles and the move comes to nothing
73 min – Jones keeping Italy pinned in their own half with good territorial kicking.
74 min – Bergamasco holds on the ball, and is penalised. Harris misses an easy 30m kick
76 min – Italy pile into the Wales 22, but a knock on from Troncon ends the move
80 mins – the referee blows his whistle, and Wales have qualified for the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup 2003!!
FINAL SCORE WALES 27 ITALY 15
Wales: Kevin Morgan; Mark Jones, Sonny Parker, Iestyn Harris, Gareth Thomas; Ceri Sweeney, Dwayne Peel; Duncan Jones, Robin McBryde, Adam Jones, Brent Cockbain, Gareth Llewellyn, Dafydd Jones, Martyn Williams, Colin Charvis (Captain)
Replacements: Mefin Davies, Gethin Jenkins, Robert Sidoli, Jonathan Thomas, Gareth Cooper, Stephen Jones, Rhys Williams
Italy – Gonzalo Canale; Nicola Mazzucato, Christian Stoica, Andrea Masi, Denis Dallan; Rima Wakarua, Alessandro Troncon (captain); Andrea Lo Cicero, Fabio Ongaro, Leandro Castrogiovanni; Carlo Checchinato, Santiago Dellape; Andrea De Rossi, Aaron Persico, Sergio Parisse.
Replacements – Carlo Festuccia, Salvatore Perugini, Matthew Phillips, Scott Palmer, Christian Bezzi, Mauro Bergamasco, Francesco Mazzariol.
