Genoa, Italy – In a closely contested autumn rugby match, Italy narrowly secured a 20-17 victory over Georgia on Sunday, avoiding a potential upset. Georgia took a commanding lead in the first half with tries from Aka Tabutsadze and Vasil Lobzhanidze, putting them ahead 17-6 at the intermission. However, their lack of discipline after the break proved detrimental, leading to Italy being awarded a penalty try and a score from substitute Alessandro Fusco during Tabutsadze’s time in the sin-bin.

Both teams approached this match as a critical opportunity to establish their standing. For Italy, it was essential to demonstrate their place among the elite, while Georgia aimed to reinforce their argument for replacing Italy in future competitions. The Lelos had previously upset Italy during their last encounter in Batumi in 2022, increasing the stakes for this latest match.

This win was particularly important for Italy following a heavy 50-18 defeat to Argentina the previous week, which served as a sobering reminder after their best Six Nations performance to date. Looking ahead, Italy faces a challenging match against New Zealand, but for now, they can celebrate their first victory ever in Genoa.

Italy fielded a significantly altered squad, making eight changes from the loss to Argentina. However, their plans faced an early setback when captain Michele Lamaro left the match just two minutes in, clutching his left shoulder.

In the 18th minute, Italy nearly scored as Dino Lamb was stopped just short of the line. They could only manage a penalty kick from Paolo Garbisi, which would not last long as Georgia quickly reclaimed their lead. Following the restart, Georgia’s swift passing cut through the Italian defense, culminating in Tabutsadze scoring his 40th try in 45 tests, which Luka Matkava converted.

Georgian penalties created scoring chances for Italy, leading to attempts by fullback Matt Gallagher and Garbisi, but the visitors restored their four-point lead with another penalty from Matkava. Unfortunately for Italy, things spiraled when fullback Davit Niniashvili evaded multiple tackles to allow Lobzhanidze to score, with Matkava converting once more.

Tabutsadze then thwarted Italy’s efforts with a crucial tackle against Gallagher right before halftime. Despite controlling 70% of the ball, Italy found themselves down 17-6 at the break, plagued by poor decision-making, handling errors, and a lack of offensive precision, which allowed Georgia to regroup and slow down play effectively.

As fatigue set in for the Lelos, who had made 255 tackles compared to Italy’s 78, they struggled with discipline, conceding 15 penalties throughout the match. Finally, Italy capitalized on Georgia’s indiscipline in the 53rd minute with a much-needed penalty try while Tabutsadze was sin-binned for a deliberate knockdown.

Italy quickly utilized their numerical advantage before Tabutsadze’s return, with Fusco, making a comeback after 14 months away from the game, scoring from an attacking lineout. Garbisi converted, giving Italy a 20-17 lead with 17 minutes remaining.

Nevertheless, that would be the last score of the match as Italy failed to add any further points. Tabutsadze came through again with another pivotal tackle, this time on Monty Ioane, while Gallagher missed another goal attempt, leaving Italy to cling to their narrow victory until the final whistle.