That's FULLTIME at Cardiff and the completion of the double header. 45,052 packed into Millennium Stadium to witness Australia and Italy take victories, this latter game finishing 32-16 in favour of the Azzurri over the Dragons from Wales. Thanks for joining our opening night coverage of the 2013 Rugby League World Cup!
Italy 32-16
TRY ITALY
Scored by Mark Minichiello. Conversion attempt by Josh Mantellato successful.
Mark Minichiello bursts onto a short ball close to the line and won't be stopped. Bump, spin, try. Mantellato gets the final say with the conversion.
Italy 32-16
Wales looked to be on their way to the tryline momentarily with Ian Webster through, but Frizell's pass is forward. Italy scrum.
Italy 26-16
TRY ITALY
Scored by Chris Centrone. Conversion attempt by Josh Mantellato unsuccessful.
Quick hands from the Azzurri has outdone the Dragons and confirmed Italy as today's winners. Centrone takes a great outside ball from Guerra. Mantellato's radar continues to skew, another missed conversion.
Italy 26-16
TRY ITALY
Scored by James Tedesco. Conversion attempt by Josh Mantellato unsuccessful.
Mantellato rises above the pack to claim a cross-field bomb, he goes to ground and *just* gets it away to James Tedesco before he's tackled. Tedesco scores untouched, but Josh can't convert James' try.
Italy 22-16
VIDEO REFEREE possible Italy try... we're checking a "pass off the ground".
Italy 18-16
Scratch that, we have an error from Wales and it's an Italy scrum 45m out.
Italy 18-16
That's what the hosts needed - a penalty and they have it. New set starts on their own 40m.
Italy 18-16
Wales looking horribly tired, having to do so much defence and now they're struggling to get out of their own end.
Italy 18-16
UNFORCED ERROR WALES
Matt Seamark makes an unforced error.
Seamark kicks it out on the full. Italy with a handover on the Wales 30m.
Italy 18-16
Italy's James Tedesco is down injured after a big heavy tackle from Tyson Frizell.
Italy 18-16
Wales hot on the attack, a chip ahead out wide and it looks like a Welsh player was tackled off the ball but on review the contact looks incidental.
Italy 18-16
Italy's Mark Minichiello blowing up at Ashley Klein - he's been ruled to have lost the ball despite a Welsh player laying in the ruck being a key contributor. Klein issues Mark a warning for his backchat.
Italy 18-16
Italy continue to build the pressure, Rhys Evans trapped in-goal after a well-placed grubber.
Italy 18-16
Welsh interchange player Peter Lupton fields an Italy kick in-goal, manages to find his way out... then is put into touch. Azzurri scrum just 10m out here.
Italy 18-16
UNFORCED ERROR ITALY
James Tedesco makes an unforced error.
Italy look certain to score - Tedesco draws the last man and finds Anthony Mincihiello inside... but that last pass is deemed forward. Wales scrum.
Italy 18-16
TRY ITALY
Scored by Josh Mantellato. Conversion attempt by Josh Mantellato unsuccessful.
And just like that Italy hit back! Josh Mantellato runs a corridor down the right touchline after taking a great offload from his inside centre. He pushes the conversion attempt of his own try across the face of goal.
Italy 18-16
A penalty against Wales for a bit of a "cannonball" style tackle - two Welsh players already had the opposition player held and a third has chopped his legs down. Italy attack now.
Wales 16-14
TRY WALES
Scored by Elliot Kear. Conversion attempt by Lloyd White unsuccessful.
WHAT A START FOR WALES! An Italian knock on sees Wales attack, and a cross-field lob of a kick finds it's way into Elliot Kear's hands... HE SCORES! Wales now lead despite White's conversion attempt missing.
Wales 16-14
We're back underway for the second half, Wales kick off and Italy now running right to left.
Italy 14-12
It is HALFTIME at Millennium Stadium in the second game of this double header. An exciting contest so far, with Wales keeping the match alive with a great try late in the half. Anyone's game in the second forty!
Italy 14-12
TRY WALES
Scored by Rhodri Lloyd. Conversion attempt by Lloyd White successful.
Superb breakaway! Elliot Kear gets away down the right flank before drawing the last defender and turning it inside for Rhodri Lloyd who streaks away to score, putting Wales back in the contest. White's conversion attempt is perfect, reducing the margin to two.
Italy 14-12
Wales with another set of six inside the Italian danger-zone... they're getting closer but just lacking that last tackle option. Italy has it after a basic grubber is taken quickly.
Italy 14-6
Wales on the attack but their final tackle kick is hoisted across field and eventually claimed by Italy. They'll now work it off their own line.
Italy 14-6
SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL ITALY
Penalty goal attempt by Josh Mantellato successful.
Another penalty for Italy, this time while they're on the attack. The decision is easy, Mantellato takes the ball and makes it two more. Margin now eight for the Azzurri.
Italy 14-6
Italy with a penalty... but we don't really know what it's for. Either way, it gets them out of their own half and in with a chance to extend their lead.
Italy 12-6
TRY ITALY
Scored by Aidan Guerra. Conversion attempt by Josh Mantellato successful.
It's a DOUBLE for Roosters' premiership player Aiden Guerra! He's pushed his way over and somehow got it down despite the attention of three defenders, and Hayne upstairs is satisfied it's grounded. Mantellato adds the extras.
Italy 12-6
Another trip to the VIDEO REFEREE - Shayne Hayne getting a workout early today. Italy might have scored, we're checking grounding.
6 all
NO TRY - it's ruled a two-man strip against Wales, Elliot Kear reefing the ball from the Italian player. It's now a PENALTY to Italy.
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VIDEO REFEREE possible Wales try - there was a strip but we're trying to figure out if it's one-on-one or two-on-one...
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TRY WALES
Scored by Ben Evans. Conversion attempt by Lloyd White successful.
The Italians have let the ball race toward the dead ball line, but Ben Evans has beaten them all and grounded it before the line! Great determination from the the Wales second-rower. Conversion is good from Lloyd White.
6 all
VIDEO REFEREE for a possible Welsh try... looks like we have a lazy clean-up of a kick from Italy and Wales have pounced...
Italy 6-0
PENALTY for Wales. They start on halfway in this set, could get their first attacking chance here.
Italy 6-0
TRY ITALY
Scored by Aidan Guerra. Conversion attempt by Josh Mantellato successful.
Great try for Italy! Paul Vaughan makes a break up the middle, he's dragged down but the Welsh defence can't reset. Italy goes left and Aiden Guerra forces his way over! Mantellato is the goalkicker and makes no mistake with his first attempt.
Italy 6-0
Brief moment of excitement, Wales soccering the ball ahead but the last kick has too much toe. Italy 20m restart.
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Poor fifth tackle option and it's a handover, Wales to come from their own 10m line.
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UNFORCED ERROR WALES
Matt Seamark makes an unforced error.
Costly error for Wales, Matt Seamark loses it just 30m from his own line. Great chance again for the Azzurri.
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Cameron Ciraldo (ITA) has taken Lloyd White (WAL) after he'd passed it, he's up now and looking okay, but time was off for a moment. Italy on the attack.
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Ashley Klein blows TIME ON. Wales have it first in their red strip. The Azzurri are in all blue.
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Anthems over, the field has cleared and we noticed between games plenty of ground staff out doing their best to repair the surface. Plenty of seats vacated after fulltime in the earlier game but still a boisterous atmosphere inside the ground. Italy to kick off, Wales running right to left.
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Both sides are out on Millennium Stadium for the National Anthems of both Wales and Italy.
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A chopped-up surface awaits these two nations as Wales host Italy in the second game of the 2013 Rugby League World Cup. The Australia-England clash preceeding this one has caused a fair bit of grief to the surface. The team lists are confirmed for this one - hit the "Teams and Info" tab for the full list. Rhys Evans lines up at fullback for Wales against Italian captain and Roosters' premiership captain Anthony Minichiello.
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Referees & scorers:
Referee: Ashley Klein
Touch Judges: Jamal Thompson, Jose Periera
Video Referee: Shayne Hayne
WALES (16)
Tries: Ben Evans, Rhodri Lloyd, Elliot Kear
Field Goals:
Conversions: Lloyd White (2/3)
Penalty Goals:
ITALY (32)
Tries: Aidan Guerra (2), Josh Mantellato, James Tedesco, Chris Centrone, Mark Minichiello
Field Goals:
Conversions: Josh Mantellato (3/6)
Penalty Goals: Josh Mantellato (1/1)