A train that arrives on time. As expected, the Italians won 52-8 against valiant Namibians on Saturday afternoon at the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium in Saint-Étienne.
In pool A, Squadra Azura passed France and took the lead with their improved victory (7 tries).
Italy, messy in the first period, still managed to enter the World Cup, facing a much too limited Namibia, obtaining quite easily an offensive bonus point, in addition to the victory. The Squadra Azzura scored 7 tries thanks to Lorenzo Cannone (11), Paolo Garbisi (15), Dino Lamb (46), Ange Capuozzo (55) and Hame Faiva (74), Manuel Zuliani (78) and Paolo Odogwu (80 3 ) for only one scored by Namibia by their winger Gerswin Mouton (21).
With this improved success, Italy temporarily takes the lead, ahead of France, in Group A, which also includes New Zealand, Uruguay and Namibia. She will face Uruguay in Nice on Wednesday September 20 (5.45 p.m.), before tackling the two group favourites: New Zealand on September 29 in Lyon (9 p.m.) and France on October 6, still at Lyons (9 p.m.).