Italy

[Amobokoboko]

Hi guys,

I finally managed to see the games Italy played against SA, some weeks ago and I have to say that Italy didn't play that bad. They even pulled my attention and I think I may start cheering for them as well in the 6 nations, WRC and Heineken cup.

As I didn't really follow NH rugby this year I was hoping some of the Italian boys on the board or Italy fans could give me some tips regarding teams and players I could give a check.

Cheers.

 

[Feicarsinn]

There has been a restructuring of Italian domestic rugby since last season. As of 2010/2011, two Italian teams - Benetton Treviso and the new franchise, Aironi - will compete in the Magners League and Heineken cup in an effort to expose the best Italian players to a higher standard of club rugby, therefore strengthening the national side.

From Treviso I'd keep an eye on:
Ghiraldini - Italy's current first choice hooker
Paul Derbyshire - A promising Italian flanker
Alessandro Zanni - A prominant member of the Azzuri's backrow for quite a while now
Gonzalo Garcia - Capped centre
Andrea Marcato - Injury plauged yet talented fly-half
Luke McLean - Aussie convert who has solidified his spot at 15 for the national team

From Aironi:

Fabio Ongaro - Veteran of the Front Row
Salvatore Perugini - Ditto
Marco Botrolami - Former Gloucester Lock, a talented figure
Quintun Geldenhaus - A current member of the Italian second row
Josh Sole - New Zealand born Italian convert in the backrow
Pablo Canavosio - One of the most underrated scrum halves in the game


I feel Aironi will do alot better than most expect. Their starting 23 is fairly formidable and I'd expect to see them pushing for a playoff spot in the ML by their second season:

1) Aguero
2) Ongaro
3) Perugini
4) Bortomlami
5) Geldenhaus
6) Sole
7) Persico
8) Williams
9) Canavosio
10) Bocchino
11) Robertson
12) Pratichetti
13) Des Fountain
14) Demas
15) Laharraugre

16) De Marchi
17) Milani
18) Santamaria
19) Del Fava
20) Erasmus
21) Tebaldi
22) Mercier
23) Pavan

 

[Amobokoboko]

Cheers mate,

Thanks for the feedback.
what happened with micro bergamasco? I think you spell it that way.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Still playing for Stade in the Top 14,as is Mauro and Sergio Parisse.

 

[ORothlain]

Feicarsinn pretty much filled you in.
You are right about Italian Rugby. They played very well in their Spring Tests. With the inclusion of these two teams into the top flight competition of the Magners League (no longer as celtic as it once was, lol) they will grow leaps and bounds, and hopefully the sport will get more and more Italian Attention. I quite like the Italians, they bring a strong, forward oriented game to the sport. As a Forward myself, I love it.

 

[danit]

Still playing for Stade in the Top 14,as is Mauro and Sergio Parisse.

no, Mirco is actually (from 2010/11 season) at Racing Metrò Paris together with other italian international teammates Masi, Festuccia, Lo Cicero and Dellapè

Mauro and Parisse are still at Stade tough

other players still playing overseas are Canale (Clermont), Castrogiovanni (Leicester), Nieto (Saracens), Gower (Bayonne), Orquera (Brive)

 

[Feicarsinn]

no, Mirco is actually (from 2010/11 season) at Racing Metrò Paris together with other italian international teammates Masi, Festuccia, Lo Cicero and Dellapè

Mauro and Parisse are still at Stade tough

other players still playing overseas are Canale (Clermont), Castrogiovanni (Leicester), Nieto (Saracens), Gower (Bayonne), Orquera (Brive)

Sorry, my bad. That's some fairly awesome talent. If the new franchises could attract the likes of them they'd be serious forces in European rugby. Is Orquera starting these days?

 

[danit]

Is Orquera starting these days?

basically not, but he managed to start 10 games (out of 20 he has totally played) in Top14 last season, 2 (out of 5) in HCup, so not a bad performance

he played for Italia A in the latest Nations Cup too, but I read he has performed poorly

Nieto should come back to play for Aironi from the 2011/12 season

 

[Amobokoboko]

Thanks for all the info guys. This year I'm not able to take a long holiday but might try to go to Italy in spring and catch a game at the end of the season.
I watched the Barbarians play the AB's last year and the Baba's had two italians in their starting line up. Great players.
I think it was the game Roko started on the bench.

 

[Phlegm & Poise]

It's odd, really. Italy should have sprung a fair few more Argentinian style upsets over the last 10 years, but for some reason they just haven't really developed and they've been consistent only in one thing, battling Scotland for a wooden 6N spoon.

 

[Amobokoboko]

Maybe with the WC coming up they will start investing some more in their game

 

[munster2010]

i think the italian rugby union should make a rule where as if you want to play international you have to play club rugby in italy, like in ireland and wales. it would really strengthen the italian game. what does everyone think?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

It'd weaken it if anything.
The players are getting experience of playing at a higher standard then they would in a domestic competition.

Do Ireland have that rule? I thought it was just coincedence that they're all in Ireland, because they've got Murphy and Bowe

 

[Conal]

erm we dont have that rule
reddan waas capped while at wasps bowe is at ospreys murphy is at tigers o'connor was at wasps when he was getting caps aswell casey was capped recently he is stll at the exilesand if we count a caps aswell there is johnny murphy (also played recently for ireland but is moving to munster) i think its more if you play in ireland your more likley to play for ireland

 

[lynam1104]

SA have that rule i think that NZ and AUS have it too it'd just they don't make a big deal out of it like SA

 

[Conal]

the boks seem to have dropped that rule bj botha and pienarr are both starting and are both ulster men butch james is at bath and van der linde was selected while at lenister

 

[lynam1104]

sorry i got it worng what hapens is the likness for them to be seclted goes down they would rather pick plalyers inSA then out side

 

[Charles]

Jeez guys, hate to be the grammar nazi but please...You posts are difficult to read as it is.

Upper-cases, comas and periods, please. Oh and a bit of correct spelling wouldn't go amiss either...

 

[Amobokoboko]

i think the italian rugby union should make a rule where as if you want to play international you have to play club rugby in italy, like in ireland and wales. it would really strengthen the italian game. what does everyone think?

Nah, it's ok as it is now. Players getting some international experience.

 

[durbutter]

Jeez guys, hate to be the grammar nazi but please...You posts are difficult to read as it is.

Upper-cases, comas and periods, please. Oh and a bit of correct spelling wouldn't go amiss either...

This x10000