Barnes' boot bosses Italians
A try at each end of the game and 22 points from the boot of Berrick Barnes saw Australia home by 32-14 against Italy in Rome on Saturday.
Last Updated: 20/11/10 4:53pm
A try at each end of the game and 22 points from the boot of Berrick Barnes saw Australia home by 32-14 against Italy in Rome on Saturday.
Barnes kicked a perfect eight from eight after being handed a starting place, but it was not all plain sailing for the tourists who led by just four points at the break.
A 71st-minute try from Robert Barbieri once again exposed the Wallabies' frailties at the scrum, but a late score from Australia captain Rocky Elsom sealed the win.
Barnes had already got three points on the board when the Wallabies crossed for the first time in the eighth minute, a sweeping move stopping just short of the line before the ball was recycled for winger Drew Mitchell to bundle over.
Barnes converted before Mirco Bergamasco put Italy on the board with a penalty after 11 minutes, before the Aussie centre re-established a 10-point advantage by slotting his second penalty shortly afterwards.
However, the Italians refused to bow to their more illustrious rivals and clawed their way back into the game, Luciano Orquera slotting a penalty from long range before Bergamasco got another three-pointer shortly before the break.
But they struggled to retain any possession after the turnaround and four penalties in the space of 20 minutes from Barnes virtually put the Wallabies out of sight.
Barbieri, on as a replacement for Paul Derbyshire, picked up a loose ball following a scrum yards from the opposition line to score a consolation for the Italians, but even that was cancelled out by Elsom's effort just before the final whistle, with Barnes predictably adding the extras.
