Italy ends 16-match losing run
MATCH REPORT: Pierre Bruno scored a try on his international debut as Italy held on to beat Uruguay 17-10 in Parma on Saturday to end a 16-match losing streak and hand coach Kieran Crowley his first win.
Zebre wing Bruno skipped past three players after gathering Paolo Garbisi's terrific pass out wide to touch down on 11 minutes.
Garbisi nailed a tough conversion before Federico Favaro's penalty put Uruguay on the board as Italy led 10-3 at half-time following another successful kick from the Montpellier flyhalf.
Replacement New Zealand-born hooker Hame Faiva increased the Azzurri lead with their second try on 51 minutes as Garbisi again added the extras.
Santiago Civetta's try gave Uruguay hope with the conversion knocked through by Agustin Ormaechea.
Uruguay threatened as they hovered just in front of Italy's try line in the closing minutes but the hosts clung on with 14 men after prop Danilo Fischetti was sin-binned.
It was the first win for Italy since the 2019 World Cup.
Italy was beaten by Argentina last weekend after going down 47-9 to New Zealand on November 6 in Crowley's first game in charge.
Italy and Uruguay will face each other at the 2023 World Cup after being placed in a group with hosts France and New Zealand. Uruguay qualified for the fifth time last month with a victory over the United States.
The scorers
For Italy
Tries: Bruno, Faiva
Cons: Garbisi 2
Pens: Garbisi
For Uruguay:
Tries: Civetta
Cons: Ormaechea
Pens: Favaro
Yellow cards: Tomas Inciarte (Uruguay, 32), Danilo Fischetti (Italy, 75)
Teams
Italy: 15 Edoardo Padovani, 14 Pierre Bruno, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Luca Morisi, 11 Montanna Ioane, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Callum Braley, 8 Abraham Steyn, 7 Michele Lamaro, 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Marco Fuser, 3 Ivan Nemer, 2 Luca Bigi, 1 Danilo Fischetti.
Replacements: 16 Epalahame Faiva, 17 Cherif Traore, 18 Pietro Ceccarelli, 19 David Sisi, 20 Giovanni Licata, 21 Alessandro Fusco, 22 Carlo Canna, 23 Ratuva Tavuyara.
Uruguay: 15 Rodrigo Silva, 14 Federico Favaro, 13 Felipe Arcos Pérez, 12 Nicolás Freitas, 11 Gastón Mieres, 10 Felipe Etcheverry, 9 Tomas Inciarte, 8 Manuel Diana, 7 Santiago Civetta, 6 Manuel Ardao, 5 Manuel Leindekar, 4 Eric Dosantos, 3 Diego Arbelo, 2 Germán Kessler, 1 Mateo Sanguinetti.
Replacements: 16 Facundo Gattas, 17 Ignacio Peculo, 18 Matías Benítez, 19 Diego Magno, 20 Franco Lamanna, 21 Agustín Ormaechea, 22 Mateo Viñals, 23 Juan Manuel Alonso.
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant referees: Ludovic Cayre (Italy), Tual Trainini (Italy)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)