Rome romp for Argentina

Gonzalo Camardon feeds the ball out for Argentina

Italy 6-36 Argentina

Italy's players were jeered from the pitch after they were crushed 36-6 by Argentina in Rome's Flaminio Stadium.

The home side began well, Diego Dominguez kicking two early penalties, but from then on it was one-way traffic.

It was always going to be difficult for us, but we're going to keep working, trying to improve

Italy coach
John Kirwan

Tries by Jose Orengo and Ignacio Corleto, plus a conversion and penalty by Felipe Contepomi, enabled the Pumas to lead 15-6 at half-time.

And further scores from Rolando Martin, Diego Luis Albanese and Martin Durand helped complete a crushing victory over the Azzurri.

The Italians, coached by former All Black John Kirwan, will now play world champions Australia in Genoa next Saturday.

Argentina coach Marcelo Loffreda was delighted with his team's performance.

"Italy held us for the first 20 minutes of the second half, but after that we didn't have problems," he said.

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Italy: M. Bergamasco, Vaccari, C. Stoica, Barbini, Mazzucato, Dominguez, Troncon, Faliva, Moretti, Pucciarello, Bortolami, Dellape, Garozzo, Persico, Palmer. Replacements: Ongaro, L. Castrogiovanni, Pavanello, Parisse, Queirolo, Peens, Zanoletti.

Argentina: Corleto, Camardon, Orengo, Arbizu, Albanese, Contepomi, Pichot, Grau, Mendez, Hasan, Fernandez Lobbe, Alvarez, Phelan, Martin, Longo Elia. Replacements: Villar, Reggiardo, Sporleder, Durand, N. Fernandez Miranda, J. Fernandez Miranda, Nunez Piossek.

Referee: Andrew Cole (Australia).