Italy coach attributes All Blacks loss to scheduling and referee decisions
Italy’s Coach Expresses Frustration After All Blacks Match
Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada voiced strong opinions following his team’s 47-17 defeat to the All Blacks in Wellington. His post-match comments highlighted concerns regarding the match officials’ decisions, the team’s travel schedule, and even the weather conditions in Wellington.
Quesada described the second half of the match as “terrible,” noting that a rapid scoring spree by the All Blacks early in the second half effectively put the game out of reach for Italy. At halftime, the score was 14-10, but the All Blacks scored 24 points from four tries in the 15 minutes following the resumption of play.
The coach attributed a portion of the final score to the refereeing team, suggesting they made numerous mistakes. He questioned several key decisions, including the reversal of a yellow card issued to Ruben Love of the All Blacks, the severity of a red card given to an Italian lock, and a disallowed try for Italian centre Tommaso Menoncello in the first half.
Quesada maintained that Menoncello’s disallowed try should have stood, arguing that the attacker had not released him after being instructed to do so by the referee. He also expressed dissatisfaction with the card decisions, particularly the yellow card for Love and the upgrade of Niccolo Cannone’s yellow card to a red card after a review.
Scheduling and Travel Challenges
Beyond the officiating, Quesada also criticised the schedule imposed on Italy by World Rugby. He pointed out the demanding travel itinerary for his team, which saw them play Japan in Tokyo, then New Zealand in Wellington, and were scheduled to play Australia in Perth, all within a fortnight. This contrasts with the All Blacks’ schedule, which involved shuttling between Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch for the first three rounds of the Nations Championship.
The Italian coach also mentioned the challenging weather in Wellington as a factor. He stated that the team had discussed the difficult travel and weather conditions throughout the week, especially after their loss in Japan at the end of the season.
Historically, matches between the All Blacks and Italy have often resulted in significant score differences. The All Blacks have won all 18 encounters between the two nations, scoring 50 or more points in 11 of those matches. Notable past results include 70-6 in 1987, 101-3 in 1999, 70-7 in 2003, and 96-17 in 2023. The closest Italy came to a positive result was a 0-0 draw in 2019 when their match was cancelled due to a typhoon.
Quesada acknowledged the quality of the All Blacks and admitted that his team was at times disorganised. Despite the loss, he expressed pride in his team’s effort, noting that they made almost 300 tackles during the match. He emphasised the difficulty of conceding over 40 points in such a game and stated his desire to defend his players’ efforts.
The coach’s comments reflect a long-standing tradition of coaches attributing sporting failures to external factors. For instance, former Wallabies coach Dave Rennie had a notable experience in 2022 when he rested 13 players for a match against Italy in Florence, which Italy won 28-27. This outcome reportedly led to Rennie’s services no longer being required shortly thereafter.
The match in Wellington was described as a “game of two halves,” with the All Blacks holding a narrow lead at halftime before dominating the second period.
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Source: thespinoff.co.nz
