“Sent a message” – Rejected England star scores stunning try for Italy

Italy winger Paulo Odogwu sent a message to England after the rejected speedster scored a stunning try on his World Cup debut.

The Azzurri secured a 52-8 bonus-point win against Pool A opponents Namibia at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Étienne on Saturday.

Back-row forward Lorenzo Cannone scored the first of their seven tries after Namibian hooker Torsten van Jaarsveld was shown a yellow card. Fly-half Paolo Garbisi also went over and a penalty from full-back Tommaso Allan gave Italy a 17-8 half-time lease, with Gerswin Mouton having crossed for Namibia.

Italy dominated the scoreboard in the second half with tries from second-row Dino Lamb, wing Ange Capuozzo, hooker Hame Faiva, back-row Manuel Zuliani and centre Odogwu.

One fan wrote: “Paolo Odogwu has shown the kind of pace, power, and directness that England are sorely lacking”

Another said: “I wouldn’t want to tackle that Italian #22 Odogwu. He’s an absolute beast!”

A third wrote: “Odogwu sent a message to England there. He is a quality player.

“Paola Odogwu is looking awfully good for Italy. Wild to think he didn’t crack it with England,” wrote a fourth.

Another added: “Odogwu, more like Quadogwu”

Foreign-born players in the 2023 Rugby World Cup:

Update 04/09/23 – This article was first published on 30/08/23, and has since been updated with research by Americas Rugby News.

POOL A

NEW ZEALAND (9)

Ethan de Groot – Australia (Prop)

Neto Laulala – Samoa (Prop)

Ofa Tu’ungafasi – Tonga (Prop)

Tyrel Lomax – Australia (Prop)

Samisoni Taukei’aho – Tonga (Hooker)

Shannon Frizell – Tonga (Back Row)

Finlay Christie – Scotland (Scrum Half)

Leicester Fainga’anuku – Tonga (Winger)

Emoni Narawa – Fiji (Winger)

FRANCE (2)

Paul Willemse – South Africa (Lock)

Uini Atonio – New Zealand (Prop)

ITALY (12)

Ivan Nemer – Argentina (Prop)

Hame Faiva – New Zealand (Hooker)

David Sisi – Germany (Lock)

Dino Lamb – England (Lock)

Sebastian Negri – Zimbabwe (Back Row)

Toa Halafihi – New Zealand (Back Row)

Martin Page-Relo – France (Scrum Half)

Stephen Varney – Wales (Scrum Half)

Juan Ignacio Brex – Argentina (Centre)

Paolo Odogwu – England (Winger)

Monty Ioane – New Zealand (Winger)

Ange Capuozzo – France (Fullback)

URUGUAY (1)

Baltazar Amaya – Argentina (Fullback)

NAMIBIA (1)

Tiaan De Klerk – South Africa (Lock)

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