Italy 32-22 Romania: Azzurri overcome tough Oaks to confirm qualification for 2019 Rugby World Cup with third in Pool D

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Italy finish third in World Cup's Pool D with second win at Sandy Park
Italy's four tries from Leonardo Sarto, Edoardo Gori, Alessandro Zanni and Tommaso Allan, who kicked three conversions and a penalty
Adrian Apostol (2) and Valentin Popirlan scored late tries for the Oaks
Romania failed to overtake Italy for automatic 2019 World Cup qualification
Rugby World Cup 2015: See the latest RWC news, results and highlights

Published: 10:28 EST, 11 October 2015 | Updated: 17:51 EST, 11 October 2015

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Tommaso Allan put in a near flawless performance at fly-half as Italy built on a promising display in defeat against Ireland to end their World Cup on a high despite a late Romanian fightback.

Allan - who has a Scottish father, was schooled in England and plays his club rugby in France - scored a long range try and kicked a further 12 points as Italy secured an automatic place at the next World Cup by finishing third in Pool D ahead of their opponents at Exeter's Sandy Park on Sunday.

This was Jacques Brunel's last match in charge of Italy and whoever takes over from him will have certainly found cause for optimism watching the invention of their young, attacking backline in the first-half.

Italy's Tommaso Allan celebrates scoring their third try in their win over Romania in their last World Cup match

Leonardo Sarto runs in the Azzurri's opening try of the match at Exeter's sold out Sandy Park on Sunday

Romania's Valentin Calafeteanu soars over the top of Leonardo Sarto after he scores the game's first try

MATCH FACTS

Italy (22) 32

Tries: Sarto, Gori, Allan, Zanni.

Cons: Allan 3. Pens: Allan 2.

Romania (3) 22

Tries: Apostol 2, Popirlan.

Cons: Vlaicu 2. Pens: Vlaicu.

Att: 11,450

But it was Romania who got the first points on the board as they punished an erratic start by Italy, with Florin Vlaicu slotting over from distance after French referee Romain Poite had awarded a penalty at the game's first scrum.

Italy though were soon into their stride as Michele Campagnaro showed the Exeter crowd a glimpse of what is to come. The 22-year-old centre, who joins up with Rob Baxter's side now the Italian World Cup campaign is over, drew in the Romanian defence brilliantly before timing his pass perfectly to leave wing Leonardo Sarto with a relatively simple finish.

Campagnaro hobbled off later in the first-half to leave a watching Baxter sweating ahead of the start of the Aviva Premiership campaign. Allan missed the conversion but extended Italy's lead with a penalty minutes later after Johann van Heerden was pinged and sent to the sin bin for tripping.

Italy would score 10 points while the Romanian lock was off with livewire scrum-half Edoardo Gori - who had come close to scoring earlier before the TMO spotted a knock on as he chased down his own kick through - diving over from close range off the back of a scrum.

Italy scrum-half Edoardo Gori stretches out to cross for Italy's second five-pointer of the Pool D match

Allan scores for Italy in their win that confirmed they would automatically qualify for the 2019 World Cup

Ionut Botezatu touches down under pressure in the Romanian in-goal to prevent another try to Italy

Van Heerden's return to the fray brought about Romania's best spell of the first-half. They had the Italian defence camped on their own line for several minutes but when their forwards couldn't break down the door there was little invention behind that.

A penalty was eventually conceded for holding on in the tackle and once Italy had cleared their lines to halfway they had the platform for their next score.

Gori darted across the line, throwing several dummies to draw would-be tacklers out and leave a gaping space in behind.

Allan's line saw him tear through unopposed, displaying the rare pace that makes the fly-half such a prospect.

Allan shows his speed on the break in a starring performance for Italy that included a try and 12 points kicked

No 8 Alessandro Zanni, starting in the absence of injured Sergio Parisse, busts over for Italy's fourth try

England fans mock their home side as they enjoy the encounter between the Azzurri and the Oaks

The giant Romania and Italy packs struggles to keep its shape during a hard-fought Pool D clash

Allan's trickery led to another try early in the second half. The ball was deemed held up by the TMO following his chip, chase and offload but No 8 Alessandro Zanni went over from the resulting five-metre scrum. Allan added the extras.

Romania's dogged forwards did get reward for their endeavour as the match wore on with both Adrian Apostol and Valentin Poparlan scoring either side of on Allan penalty. And Apostol had his second try just before the end as Italy went through the motions waiting for the final whistle.

Their pack may not have been what it was but Italy's imagination behind it won the day.