Rugby Top 10, Petrarca first finalist. He will challenge Rovigo or Calvisano

Argos Petrarca Padova is the first finalist of the Peroni Top 10 rugby championship. At the “Geremia” in Padua he loses 24-23 against Valorugby, suffering 4 tries, but by virtue of the defensive bonus point and the +11 of the first leg (victory 27-16) the semifinal series ends 5-5 in the score and +10 points difference in favor of Petrarchians. For their fifth final of the play-off era, after those lost in 1998, 1999 and won in 2011, 2018.

Final thrill

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It is a qualification with the thrill, just when it seemed acquired, in the 48th minute at 10-0. At that point the Valorugby has nothing more to lose and starts playing at the sword (if he had done it before …), thanks to the rhythm of the scrum half Emilio Fusco, man of the match, and the percussion of the Vaega center. , entered the recovery. Petrarca’s hitherto hermetic defense is surprised by infinite multiphase, openings in hand, climbs up from every part of the field and undergoes 4 tries in 24 ‘, as had happened only against Calvisano this year. For Padua it is the second knockout in 20 games, fortunately for him it is irrelevant.

First half

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The Valorugby starts well. At the 4 ‘kick to climb over by Chillon after a maul advancing in midfield, touch in favor at 5 meters, but this time the maul is stopped by a turn over and then by a foul by Favaro in the scrum. Same script the other 3 times in which Valorugby enters the opponents 22 meters and wastes with a forced off load (12 ‘, great break by Majstorovic), a foul (13’), another turn over (23 ‘). Frenzy, lack of concreteness, indiscipline and the number one defense of the championship are holding back the attempts. Petrarca instead capitalizes with a kick from Lyle for the first time in the red zone (10 ‘), but does not deliver the shot on 29’, when Lyle himself finds a touchdown at 5 meters with a kilometer “50-22” kick. Time ends 3-0 and +14 overall.

Second half

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The music does not seem to change and this time Padua materializes in goal with Trotta, primed by Tebaldi vertically. Here the reaction of the Emilians starts with Fusco’s first try in the 52nd minute from a series of pick and go (seen by the linesman and granted by the tmo, after the referee Gnecchi had not considered it valid); that of Vaega in the 58th minute on a football blocked by Fusco and subsequent break; the third at 73 ‘still of the unleashed scrum half, elected man of the match, on a break by Majstorovic and a five-a-side football followed by Vaega; the fourth at 76 ‘by Ruffolo on the recovery ball and advancement to the foot. Four knockout blows on which Petrarca swerves, but does not collapse and between them slips the points of qualification. You are thanks to superlative Lyle in the foot and in defense, he punishes the indiscipline with two kicks (48 ‘, 60’). At 68 ‘with the goal of Capraro, with a full escape from maul, transformed by Lyle. In the last action Valorugby could still turn the tide. Winning +8 would take away the defensive bonus from rivals. But the maul in the 22 meters ends in a turn over, not in the decisive goal.