De Rossi charges forward (Getty Images).

By Alex Lowe, PA Sport, Canberra

A first appearance in the World Cup quarter-finals is within touching distance for Italy after they withstood a spirited late barrage from Canada to keep the pressure on rivals Wales in Pool D.

The two sides, who have both now succeeded in grinding out unconvincing victories this week, meet on Saturday in what promises to be an epic showdown - if not for the skill on show then at least for the drama.

With New Zealand expected to top the pool unbeaten, the most likely scenario is that Saturday's winners will join the All Blacks in the last eight.

And so, while it it was the Canadians, plucky and determined to the last, who left the Canberra Stadium with all the plaudits, the Italians cared little.

They left with the win.

"I think for rugby in Italy it is a very important win," said Italy coach John Kirwan, whose joviality after the game was borne as much from relief as jubilation.

"We need to keep reaching our objectives, and our objectives were to come and put ourselves in a position to challenge Wales.

"The other important thing is that we played badly, and we are not happy with the way we played, but we still won.

"That shows a certain mental resolve. In the last 10 minutes the side stuck to their lines and made the tackles they needed to make. It was ugly but courageous."

The Italians had dominated throughout the first half, punishing the Canadian scrum and dismantling their lineout.

And yet, David Clark's men put on the kind of defensive show for which Canadian rugby is renowned, unleashing shuddering hits on the Italians to keep them out until half-time.

With two Jared Barker penalties to three from Rima Wakarua, Canada even managed to limit the half-time deficit to three points.

The Azzurri, who suffered major injury concerns ahead of the Welsh game to captain Alessandro Troncon, Marco Bortolami and Mirco Bergamasco, still came out firing after the break.

And when Marco di Girolamo, with his side under immense pressure having already survived when the video referee disallowed a Sergio Parisse try, was sin-binned for a transgression at the ruck it appeared to be game up.

Parisse crossed successfully, Wakarua - who finished with 14 points - converted and Canada shipped 10 points as di Girolamo watched on.

But almost immediately after he returned, Canada managed to turn the game on its head and those first half failings threatened to become costly.

"I was thinking 'let's go out there and win this game' and that what the whole team was thinking," said di Girolamo.

"That's the way we played the game, we put our bodies and skills on the line for 80 minutes and I am proud of the effort the boys put in."

It so nearly paid off as Italy were trapped inside their own 22 and the set-pieces which had been so disastrous for Canada in the first half clicked into place.

From the base of a scrum that had been crumbling in the first half, Canada created a magnificent open score for Quentin Fyffe to dive over and bring the 20,000 crowd to its feet.

With 66 minutes gone, the match was suddenly a five-point game, the Canadians had the momentum and Italy were in disarray.

But with Kirwan heating up in the coach's box, his side did just enough to keep the spirited Canadians at bay.

"I was very Italian in the coach's box. I was standing up hitting Marco (Bollesan, team manager) he was hitting me, there wasn't a lot of calmness," said Kirwan.

"One of the things that pleased me the most though was that I haven't seen Italy that courageous in defence.

"Before the game I said to them it doesn't matter if they have got the ball, we'll just defend. I didn't mean give it to them and then defend!

"The defence did a very good job, especially in the last 10 minutes it was fantastic."

Troncon suffered knocks to his back and shoulder, Bortolami came off after 29 minutes with a sore shoulder and Bergamasco left for hospital for confirmation on a suspected broken cheekbone.

Wales coach Steve Hansen will have watched on with interest.