Show of the Lions: the Scots always ahead, then Lucchesi gives breath. Thrilling final, the 18-year-old finds magic in the 84th minute. It ends 28-27
TREVISO. Strengthen cardiology immediately, that here the risk is very high. Benetton puts Treviso’s coronaries at risk with an old-time victory, which came with a drop in the 84th minute. Yes, a drop in the 84th minute. Leonardo Marin, born in 2002, born in Mestre, marks it. This is how he presents himself to the world of rugby, shattering the dreams of Edinburgh, who had the possibility of conquering a Monigo who has instead remained inviolate since last April.
It ends 28-27. The lucky ones who were there, one day, will be able to brag about it. But when you happen to see a team that – aware of having only the last chance, and that as soon as you make a mistake it’s over – pushes, pushes and pushes again, it gets to conquer precious meters, until the oval reaches the hands – indeed, in the feet – right. Who knows what went through Leonardo Marin’s head: from over 30 meters he started a rainbow that shattered the dreams of Edinburgh and, at the same time, unleashed the race of the Lions, who went to embrace the author of the prodigy. What a prodigy.
The game, of course, is not all here, but it is from the emotions that we start. Of course, there is Lucchesi who finds the first passage, there is Edinburgh who comes back and passes forward, there is Ioane who finalizes an Albornoz kick-cross. And a lot of pressure. In the second half the Scots go ahead by even 9, but in the final, first Lucchesi is catapulted into the goal by Lamaro, then van del Walt finds the place that gives Edinburgh two points ahead. 5 ‘from the end. Until the incredible feat of Marin, who exalts Monigo and all the Italian rugby fans.
BENETTON-EDINBURGH 28-27
Benetton Rugby: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ratuva Tavuyara, 13 Tommaso Menoncello, 12 Joaquin Riera (72 ′ Tommaso Benvenuti), 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Tomas Albornoz (53 ′ Leonardo Marin), 9 Dewaldt Duvenage (c) (51 ′ Callum Braley ), 8 Riccardo Favretto (48 ‘Lorenzo Cannone), 7 Michele Lamaro, 6 Giovanni Pettinelli (64’ Gianmarco Lucchesi, 72 ‘Giovanni Pettinelli), 5 Federico Ruzza (45’ Niccolò Cannone), 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Tiziano Pasquali (40 ′ Ivan Nemer), 2 Gianmarco Lucchesi (45 ′ Giacomo Nicotera), 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro (45 ′ Federico Zani). Head Coach: Marco Bortolami.
Edinburgh Rugby: 15 Henry Immelman, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 James Lang, 11 Jack Blain, 10 Jaco van der Walt (79′ Chris Dean), 9 Ben Vellacott, 8 Viliame Mata, 7 Connor Boyle (62′ Luke Crosbie), 6 Jamie Ritchie, 5 Grant Gilchrist (c), 4 Jamie Hodgson (51′ Pierce Phillips), 3 WP Nel (66′ Lee-Roy Atalifo), 2 Stuart McInally (53′ Dave Cherry), 1 Boan Venter (45′ Pierre Schoeman). A disposizione: 21 Charlie Shiel, 23 Ramiro Moyano. Head Coach: Mike Blair.
Markings: 4 ′ goal Lucchesi, 16 ′ goal Nel tr. Van der Walt, 22 ′ pp. Bathrobe, 24 ′ meta Vellacott tr. Van der Walt, 28 ′ meta Vellacott, 33 ′ meta Ioane tr. Bathrobe; 49 ′ to McInally, 56 ′ to Marin, 70 ′ to Lucchesi tr. Marin, 74 ′ pp. Van der Walt, 80 ′ drop Marin.
Notes: 61 ‘yellow card in Nicotera (BEN). Transformations: Benetton Rugby 2/3 (Albornoz 1/2, Marin 1/1); Edinburgh 2/4 (Van der Walt 2/4) ;. Free kicks: Benetton Rugby: 1/1 (Albornoz 1/1); Edinburgh 1/1 (Van der Walt 1/1). Man of the match: Ben Vellacott (EDI).