Italy's Rugby Setback: Quesada Calls for Rebuild

Italy's rugby team suffered a significant defeat to Argentina, largely due to errors and lack of preparation time. Despite not playing since July, Coach Gonzalo Quesada believes the scoreline does not reflect the closeness in team levels. Italy aims to bounce back against Georgia.

Italy's rugby team fell to a disappointing 50-18 defeat against Argentina, primarily due to a series of errors and insufficient preparation. Coach Gonzalo Quesada highlighted the challenges faced as his team had not played together since July. The lack of game time led to fumbles and missed opportunities on the field, resulting in Argentina's dominance.

Meanwhile, Argentina came off a successful Rugby Championship campaign, entering the match with victories over top-tier teams like New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia. Their recent experience was evident as they capitalised on Italy's mistakes, scoring seven tries. Quesada acknowledged the differences in preparation between the two teams, attributing the loss to these disparities.

Despite the score, Quesada argued that the actual skill gap between Italy and Argentina was not as wide as the result suggested. He expressed optimism about Italy's potential for improvement, citing Argentina's resilience after their own heavy defeat to the All Blacks. Italy now looks to learn from Argentina's comeback as they prepare for an upcoming match against Georgia.

(With inputs from agencies.)