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Carlo Mey admits Italy played around Georgia


The Italy team sing their national anthem 
Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Ben Brady
The Italy team sing their national anthem Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Francois Carlo Mey says the key to unlocking a resolute Georgia defence was to play around them, not through them.

Italy went behind twice in the opening quarter of the game, before five tries, including a stunning score from Dewi Passarella, gave them a 36-19 victory in Treviso.

And Carlo Mey believes it took some time for his team to find the rhythm and creative nous required to overcome a physical Georgia side in their Six Nations Under-20 Summer Series opener.

Italy’s start to the game was a particular source of frustration for Carlo Mey, as Nika Sutidze muscled his way over inside 90 seconds for the Lelos.

“The game ended well but we started a bit slowly,” said Carlo Mey.

“We lost the first impact in the match but then we slowly started to realise how we needed to approach the game.

“From there it was a physical match and we started to outplay them on the outside but they were very tough physically.”

The response was not immediate either, as Paata Galdava added a second for the visitors. It was only then that Italy started to execute their game plan, according to Carlo Mey.

“We were a bit discouraged when they scored, but then we started to work harder and for their forwards it was very tiring,” he explained.

“We then understood where we needed to play, on the outside and not just going face to face with them because they were very physical.

“One-on-one they are one of the best teams because they have a very good physique.

“But we understood what we needed to do and we executed it, not every time, but when we didn’t make any unforced errors, we went well.

Clermont-bound Carlo Mey believes the Italian support was a factor in the turnaround in their performance, and hopes it is something they can feed off in their upcoming fixtures against Scotland and Wales.

“It’s very nice to have my family and friends here, it’s not far for them to come,” said Carlo Mey.

“The national anthem always give you chills and pumps us up every time.

“I think with even more support maybe the other teams will be discouraged and we can start better.”

Carlo Mey has particularly happy memories of Italy’s remaining opponents in Pool B, having scored against both Scotland and Wales in the Under-20s Six Nations earlier this year.

The 18-year-old played down the significance of those earlier wins however, and believes that his side will have to raise their game if they are to secure top spot in their group.

He said: “We know it’s going to be a tough game because they always play at the maximum and we need to play game-by-game and give our everything every time.”

The Six Nations Under-20 Summer Series takes place from 24 June – 12 July. Fans can watch every match live. For more information visit: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJHm6BFw-9JRA1CMekNLwMg