The Wallabies have a fight on their hands early on in Udine, leading Italy 12-9 at halftime.
The Aussies arrived in Italy hungry for victory after a disappointing loss to England at Twickenham, with valuable World Cup calculations in the background.
Watch every second of the 2025 Autumn Nations Series live and on demand via Stan Sport.
Joe Schmidt named a strong line-up, with Carter Gordon returning at flyhalf for his first Test in over two years. Tom Hooper comes back into the side, with Aidan Ross added to the bench.
However, the Italians dominated the opening 20 minutes with three penalties to Paolo Garbisi before tries to Matt Faessler and Angus Bell saw the hosts regain the lead in the final ten minutes.
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40' ITA 9 AUS 12 - The teams are back out on the field and we are back underway!
40' ITA 9 AUS 12 - McReight wins another penalty for the Wallabies after a messy lineout, and the visitors have the chance to attack before the break. Tupou makes a good run but knocks it on, and the Italians counter well! However, Hooper and McReight combine well to win a penalty and shut it down. Kellaway kicks it out and that's halftime.
37' ITA 9 AUS 12 - PENALTY: Paolo Garbisi The Italians attack for an extended period, but then lose the ball and knock it on. However, after a break, the TMO penalises the Wallabies for playing them off the ball, and the hosts point to the sticks. Garbisi nails it without issue.
33' ITA 6 AUS 12 - TRY+CONVERSION: Angus Bell Great passage from Jake Gordon, Wilson and Suaalii, and the Wallabies are on the 5m line. Bell is too strong, he puts his hand out and scores! Kellaway converts and the Wallabies lead for the first time.
30' ITA 6 AUS 5 - Wallabies pinch back the lineout and restart their attack. Carter Gordon now kicks it and it goes out on the full again. Back-to-back mistakes from the visitors, and they try a long lineout, but McReight nabs a penalty for Italy holding on.
28' ITA 6 AUS 5 - The Wallabies attack again, but Italy shut it down well and earn a penalty. They kick ahead, the Wallabies regather and restart, with Toole winning back two aerial contests before Jake Gordon kicks it out on the full.
23' ITA 6 AUS 5 - TRY: Matt Faessler A well-orchestrated and patient maul and the Faessler benefits! Wallabies are on the board. Andrew Kellaway steps up to convert the try, and it goes wide.
20' ITA 6 AUS 0 - Menoncello nearly makes a break, but knocks it on and the Wallabies attack again, before a good Gordon kick forces Italy to clear near their 22. Italy are then penalised for going off their feet. Wallabies go to the corner, they want a try.
17' ITA 6 AUS 0 - The Italians target yet again, but kick it out, and the Wallabies regather and clear. They pinch the lineout, but the Azzurri knock it on the messy clean-up, Wallabies scrum. They win it, and Gordon splits the defence and combines with Toole! The Italians win it back on their 5m and clear it, but better from the Wallabies.
12' ITA 6 AUS 0 - PENALTY: Paolo Garbisi The Italians point to the sticks immediately, and Garbisi takes it without issue.
11' ITA 3 AUS 0 - everything is going to script for Italy at the moment. A butchered aerial kick from the Wallabies sees Italy 5m from the line with a scrum. After a reset, Italy earns a penalty for the Wallabies collapsing the scrum.
8' ITA 3 AUS 0 - PENALTY: Paolo Garbisi Ominous signs for the Wallabies as Italy attack well, and get an offside advantage, but it comes to nought. Ref takes it back, Garbisi points to the sticks, nails it, and Italy leads.
5' ITA 0 AUS 0 Strong rush defence from Italy proves effective, and the Wallabies kick it out on the full. Azzurri go into enemy territory but lost it, and the Wallabies start on halfway but are penalised again. Italy kick it long to try and get into the 22 - but it goes dead! The Wallabies restart with a scrum.
0' ITA 0 AUS 0 Andrew Brace blows his whistle, and we are underway!
Tries:
Cons:
Pens: Garbisi 3/3
Tries: Faessler, Bell
Cons: Kellaway 1/2
Pens:
KO T-MIN 1: The players are in position, and it's time to go! Let's play!
KO T-MIN 5: Both sides head out to a rapturous reception, with a full 25,000 crowd in attendance at the Stadio Friuli in the northern Italian city. The anthems are sung, and the players are ready to go!
KO T-MIN 10: Conditions in Udine are very cool, with the temperature nine degrees Celsius, but no wind and clear skies all around. It should be an excellent evening for running rugby. A large crowd is expected, as the teams depart the field to complete their preparations and get ready to head out for kick-off!
KO T-MIN 30: Welcome to our live coverage as the Wallabies face Italy in Udine.
The match marks the third of the Wallabies' five-Test overseas trip, with the match being the first of the November window for the hosts, with matches against South Africa and Chile to follow.
The Wallabies have made four changes to the side that lost to England last week, with Carter Gordon and Pete Samu set to play their first games since the infamous 2023 season under Eddie Jones.
This match looms as a critical fixture in Joe Schmidt's campaign to finish the 2025 season in the top six of the world rankings, with 2027 World Cup calculations under consideration.
Italy (15-1): Ange Capuozzo; Louis Lynagh, Juan Ignacio Brex (capt), Tommaso Menoncello, Monty Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Lorenzo Cannone, Manuel Zuliani, Ross Vintcent; Andrea Zambonin, Niccolo Cannone; Simone Ferrari, Giacomo Nicotera, Danilo Fischetti
Replacements: Tommaso DI Bartolomeo, Mirco Spagnolo, Marco Riccioni, Federico Ruzza, Alessandro Izekor, Martin Page-Relo, Tommaso Allan, Leonardo Marin
Australia (15-1): Andrew Kellaway; Corey Toole, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Hunter Paisami, Harry Potter; Carter Gordon, Jake Gordon; Harry Wilson (capt), Fraser McReight, Tom Hooper; Jeremy Williams, Nick Frost; Taniela Tupou, Matt Faessler, Angus Bell
Replacements: Billy Pollard, Aidan Ross, Zane Nonggorr, Rob Valetini, Pete Samu, Ryan Lonergan, Tane Edmed, Filipo Daugunu
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
Assistant Referees: Hollie Davidson (SRU) & Sam Grove-White (SRU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)
FRPO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
The Wallabies' clash with Italy will be shown LIVE on Stan Sport.
Coverage will be live and ad-free on Stan Sport, scheduled to start at 4:00 am (AEDT), with kick-off slated for 4:40 am.
The game will not be shown on free-to-air TV, not covered under the anti-siphoning laws.
