[Six Nations 2018] Round 1: Italy Vs England (04/02/2018)

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

ITALIA
15 Matteo MINOZZI (Zebre Rugby Club, 3 caps)*
14 Tommaso BENVENUTI (Benetton Rugby, 45 caps)*
13 Tommaso BONI (Zebre Rugby Club, 8 caps)*
12 Tommaso CASTELLO (Zebre Rugby Club, 5 caps)
11 Mattia BELLINI (Zebre Rugby Club, 8 caps)*
10 Tommaso ALLAN (Benetton Rugby, 33 caps)
9 Marcello VIOLI (Zebre Rugby Club, 8 caps)*
8 Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais, 129 caps) – capitano
7 Renato GIAMMARIOLI (Zebre Rugby Club, 1 cap)*
6 Sebastian NEGRI (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)
5 Dean BUDD (Benetton Rugby, 6 caps)
4 Alessandro ZANNI (Benetton Rugby, 99 caps)
3 Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)
2 Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Stade Toulosain, 89 caps)
1 Andrea LOVOTTI (Zebre Rugby Club, 20 caps)*

a disposizione
16 Luca BIGI (Benetton Rugby, 6 caps)
17 Nicola QUAGLIO (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)*
18 Tiziano PASQUALI (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)
19 George BIAGI (Zebre Rugby Club, 19 caps)
20 Maxime MBANDA' (Zebre Rugby Club, 11 caps)*
21 Edoardo GORI (Benetton Rugby, 65 caps)*
22 Carlo CANNA (Zebre Rugby Club, 25 caps)
23 Jayden HAYWARD (Benetton Rugby, 3 caps)

Pleasantly surprised to see Allan get the nod at flyhalf as he seemed to have dropped behind McKinley in the pecking order at Treviso recently? I'd have liked Mbanda to start too and I'm unconvinced by Benvenuti on the wing (I can only assume the excellent Sarto is injured or deemed ineligible as he doesn't play in Italy). Very happy to see Minozzi start although this probably isn't the fixture to showcase his talents. Overall a reasonable selection.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

ITALIA
15 Matteo MINOZZI (Zebre Rugby Club, 3 caps)*
14 Tommaso BENVENUTI (Benetton Rugby, 45 caps)*
13 Tommaso BONI (Zebre Rugby Club, 8 caps)*
12 Tommaso CASTELLO (Zebre Rugby Club, 5 caps)
11 Mattia BELLINI (Zebre Rugby Club, 8 caps)*
10 Tommaso ALLAN (Benetton Rugby, 33 caps)
9 Marcello VIOLI (Zebre Rugby Club, 8 caps)*
8 Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais, 129 caps) – capitano
7 Renato GIAMMARIOLI (Zebre Rugby Club, 1 cap)*
6 Sebastian NEGRI (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)
5 Dean BUDD (Benetton Rugby, 6 caps)
4 Alessandro ZANNI (Benetton Rugby, 99 caps)
3 Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)
2 Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Stade Toulosain, 89 caps)
1 Andrea LOVOTTI (Zebre Rugby Club, 20 caps)*

a disposizione
16 Luca BIGI (Benetton Rugby, 6 caps)
17 Nicola QUAGLIO (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)*
18 Tiziano PASQUALI (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)
19 George BIAGI (Zebre Rugby Club, 19 caps)
20 Maxime MBANDA' (Zebre Rugby Club, 11 caps)*
21 Edoardo GORI (Benetton Rugby, 65 caps)*
22 Carlo CANNA (Zebre Rugby Club, 25 caps)
23 Jayden HAYWARD (Benetton Rugby, 3 caps)

Pleasantly surprised to see Allan get the nod at flyhalf as he seemed to have dropped behind McKinley in the pecking order at Treviso recently? I'd have liked Mbanda to start too and I'm unconvinced by Benvenuti on the wing (I can only assume the excellent Sarto is injured or deemed ineligible as he doesn't play in Italy). Very happy to see Minozzi start although this probably isn't the fixture to showcase his talents.

 

[danit]

I can only assume the excellent Sarto is injured

He is, as well as Campagnaro, Gega, Fuser, Zani and Esposito

 

[Hap]

Pleasantly surprised to see Allan get the nod at flyhalf as he seemed to have dropped behind McKinley in the pecking order at Treviso recently? I'd have liked Mbanda to start too and I'm unconvinced by Benvenuti on the wing (I can only assume the excellent Sarto is injured or deemed ineligible as he doesn't play in Italy). Very happy to see Minozzi start although this probably isn't the fixture to showcase his talents. Overall a reasonable selection.

Treviso hasn't a stable selection order, but it seems Tommy Allan is the choiche when Banks is out (often). But he's been injuried too so McKinley took the spot frequently this year. As I wrote we have a lot of pure talents at backrow and Max Mbanda is one of them, he's very versatile as blindside and a real smart player. I think COS will try to find space for everyone during the tournament. Probably Licata would have played Sunday but it's injuried too. I told you now: if nothing bad happens next years Licata will be the closest thing to Parisse we can obtain.

I agree about Benvenuti. After his experience at Bristol and abroad in general he came back to Treviso and showed really average performances. His luck is that he can play decently at 13 or 14 either, that's why is there. I don't know where he lost the spark he has at 20 years old, back at that time it seemed he'd have ruled the world (I remember the impressive Heineken Cup he played against Leicester Tigers). In my opinion Bisegni, who had a great start at Zebre this year, deserves the 14 more than Benvenuti.

Sarto is injuried as Campagnaro, so we have our best backs injuried. These missings are heavier than every single english one, we have no back up at the same level for such talented players.

Don't know what to expect from Minozzi. We are not used to have this kind of sneaky, fast and aggressive players. I'm worried about his defence since he's not a mountain but hey, Halfpenny isn't too. Anyway he's one of the best talents we have, let's see how grows

 

[MikeTheNative]

Even Hogg is a brilliant attacker but his tackling is a bit suspect at times. It's a very green team but filled with promising young players something Italy has struggled to generate the past few years.

 

[Hap]

... It's a very green team but filled with promising young players something Italy has struggled to generate the past few years.

That's correct. The Academy system seems starting to produce something valuable. Last June our U20 got the 8th place at the Junior RWC for the first time in history.
We are renovating the national team and it's the first time we have so many promising young lads. Maybe it's nothing for you guys but I can ensure that's a big difference from the past and we'll se the result in the next few years.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Surprised that Gloucester player hasn't been fast tracked into the senior side, he's better than anything Italy have

 

[Hap]

We were surprised too but it's typical COS style. I don't agree with that decision but I think we'll see Polledri during the tournament.
You know Jake well because he plays in Premiership but if you'd have seen how Licata and Giammarioli played since September to nowdays, considering the disaster team they were in, you'd have noticed that they're not so below Polledri. Futrhermore Licata is just 20.

My 2 cents about our future's backrow:
6. Licata/Giammarioli
7. Polledri
8. Giammarioli/Licata

 

[McTallshort]

Ben Youngs, Dylan Hartley, Mike Brown, possibly even Ben Teo. Some would say Robshaw but I'd disagree, think he'll be an important player this six nations.

But of course, by the time the world cup rolls around we will have a backrow of 6/7 Willis/Underhill 8. Vunipola

Fair enough

 

[Scotty]

Would England win the World Cup with this 23?

Yes but what is out world cup winning 23 with current injuries?

 

[JJFlash]

Yes but what is out world cup winning 23 with current injuries?

Teams will always be selected without players who are injured and the World Cup will not be an exception.

 

[ncurd]

Let's be honest how many teams are going to win a world cup without most of their top players available?

That's what we need to focus on more making sure the players are fit in 18 months time than worrying about selections of non first choice players.

 

[Which Tyler]

Just remembered. Raeburn Shield is up for grabs tomorrow. Italy have never held it, not even for 1 week.

 

[SharksFan86]

England win but will be tight early on until Italy tire out then that's when our class should take over.

Just glad Six Nations are back

 

[Scotty]

I really hope england step it up for the first game, italy SHOULD just be a warm up for the rest of the tounement, im not scared we will lose but we need to put on a good show and set up for the games to come, if we can do a job over italy with a weakened back row then it sets us up for the wales game at home.

I expected ireland to do a number on france or least win by a clear margin and scotland to be competitive against wales. Neither happened.


Also wondering when roughly are our injured/banned players back available?

 

[ncurd]

Italy always make it harder work than we expect and 2014 was the last real thumping (over 50 points scored).

We shall wait and see.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

If we have any real pretensions towards Japan, this is the kind of game which should be done and dusted by 50 minutes.

We're supposedly the 2nd best team in the world. If we are, we should be looking for a lot more than a scruffy win where we give the scoreboard a bit of gloss in the last 10 minutes.

I want Italy to be much more competitive, but based on where both teams are coming from, this should be comfortable. I don't want Eddie to be saying that the team was a bit rusty because they haven't played together for a few months.

 

[Scotty]

If we have any real pretensions towards Japan, this is the kind of game which should be done and dusted by 50 minutes.

We're supposedly the 2nd best team in the world. If we are, we should be looking for a lot more than a scruffy win where we give the scoreboard a bit of gloss in the last 10 minutes.

I want Italy to be much more competitive, but based on where both teams are coming from, this should be comfortable. I don't want Eddie to be saying that the team was a bit rusty because they haven't played together for a few months.

Best of the whole prem vs the bottom 2 teams of the pro 14 conferences... even taking out the world rankings angle we still should be beating them by alot.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Best of the whole prem vs the bottom 2 teams of the pro 14 conferences... even taking out the world rankings angle we still should be beating them by alot.

Benneton are 5th but yeah.

 

[Scotty]

Benneton are 5th but yeah.

Ok fair enough i suppose an unfair assumption on my part, but still not fighting for a top spot, no doubt some good players to give us a game but we should have a comfortable lead through the game, yet i bet italy give us a scare and we win in the second half which i dont want to see