Italian Serie A rugby: Perugia and Gubbio face tough debuts

In the opening matches of the Serie A rugby season, Ice Control Rugby Perugia and Gubbio Rugby faced challenging debuts.

Perugia delivered a competitive performance against the highly favored Rugby L’Aquila. Despite leading 22-20 in the second half following tries from Espinoza and two from Sotelo, Perugia was unable to hold the advantage. L’Aquila utilized their experience to secure a 32-22 victory with late tries from D’Onofrio and Sorrentino.

Gubbio Rugby suffered a heavy defeat in their historic Serie A debut, losing 64-19 to Roma Olympic. Although Gubbio held a narrow 14-12 lead at halftime after scoring two quick tries, Roma Olympic dominated the second half to pull away. Gubbio coach Joe McDonnell emphasized the importance of continuous improvement despite the scoreline.

Both Umbrian teams are preparing for a local derby, with Gubbio set to host Perugia on October 25.