ZIMBABWE rugby sevens team’s hope of attaining core status suffered a huge knock after losing 12-17 to Italy in a closely fought Hong Kong Sevens qualifier quarter-final match yesterday.
BY OWN STAFF
A try apiece from Jacques Leitao and Stephan Hunduza and Linience Tambwera’s conversion proved too little to Italy’s three tries from Giulio Rubin, Alessandro Tartaglia, Frabrizio Sep and Alessandro Castagnoli’s conversion.
Earlier, Zimbabwe had beaten Russia 14-5 to finish top of the group with nine points. Against Italy Leitao touched down the first try barely two minutes into the match, but Tambwera failed to convert.
Barely two minutes later, Italy’s Alessandro Tartaglia levelled the score but Steven Bortolussi failed to convert. Zimbabwe restored the lead two minutes into the second half after Hunduza’s try and this time Tambwera did not make a mistake with the boot.
However, Rubin put Italy back into the match with a try which was converted by Buondonno with Sepe’s try in extra time, stealing the match for the Europeans.
