Hooker - No. 2 (The Ball Throwing Kind Of Hooker)

The battle to be Italy's No. 2 is a more interesting one than it first seems. 100+ cap Ghiraldini was an amazing servant for Italian rugby, often overshadowed by Parisse (but then again who hasn't been). For him to be denied his swan song against New Zealand was unfortunate but he hasn't actually played a match for club or country since a serious injury at the end of last years Six Nations. In recent times the jersey has been worn by Italy's new captain Luca Bigi who until this season was playing for Benetton. Italy's No. 1 hooker playing for Italy's No. 1 team seemed a good fit but in the summer Bigi made the switch to Zebre to compete with Italy's No. 2 hooker Oliviero Fabiani. Bigi's problem at Benetton was that he had to compete with Hame Fiava, currently one of the most in form hookers in the Pro14. The New Zealander has scored 9 tries in 12 appearances this season alone. Bigi's move now leaves Zebre with two tried and tested hookers who have both been in the national setup for a number of years. Over at Benetton their is a different setup. As mentioned Benetton have a hooker in Fiava who is central to their game plan and he allows them to have a different setup of reserve players. The No.2 spot left by Bigi is now being fought between 23-year-old youngster Engjel Makelara and former prop forward Federico Zani. As if that wasn't enough they also have Argentine Tomas Baravalle competing for the shirt (now you can see why Bigi left). With Bigi firmly established as Italy's new first choice hooker it seems a wise move to make him the captain of the squad. He will be following in the footsteps of many great Italian hookers who led their country (Moscardi, Ongaro & Ghiraldini) and will be trusted in keeping his temperamental front row out out of trouble.

Luca Bigi (Age: 28 Caps: 24)

I didn't consider Bigi as a potential captain in my earlier articles but now he has been chosen it seems a good fit. Although he doesn't possess an awful lot of international caps Bigi has a lot of experience at 28. He has played a lot of rugby in the Top12 and contributed to Benetton becoming the team they are currently. His work in the line out made the team's rolling maul the threat it is today with Hame Fiava now capitalising on it. His move to Zebre seems logical not only due to the fact that he will see more game time but also because his wife and child are situated nearby. This all gives the impression that both Bigi's personal and rugby life have become settled just in time for him to embark on the journey of captaincy. Another reason that he is a good choice for captain is that he one of the few players to be secure as first choice in their position. His work at the set piece has been excellent during a rocky spell for Italy's front five forwards and his intelligence will be vital when competing against some of the best front rows in world rugby. I will be interested to see if a spell at Richmond RFC during his early carrer will help Bigi with his communication to the referees. During Parisse's time as captain he was constantly talking to the ref and it seemed like his stature (both physically and within the rugby world) often saw officials more easily persuaded by his complaints. Although Bigi may not have the same influence as Parisse, he will need to be the mouthpiece for Italian rugby. 

Oliviero Fabiani (Age: 29 Caps: 10)

Don't let his happy little face fool you. Oliviero Fabiani is an aggressive, feisty hooker. Fabiani has been a core cog for Zebre since he joined in 2014 and has fit well into the style of play that coach Michael Bradley is teaching. He is a player who likes running the ball in the loose which may be down to his time playing Rugby Sevens for Italy. The thing which worries me about Fabiani is his temperament. His aggression can be a strong attribute but too often he loses his head, a suspension for biting an opponent being an ugly stain on his career. With Andrea Lovotti and Nicola Qauglio's brain fade against South Africa still fresh in the memory it will be hoped that Fabiani can make an impression for the right reasons this championship.

Federico Zani (Age: 30 Caps: 13)

Zani is the perfect representation of what me and my friends call a cannonball. His weight to height ratio allows him a low centre of gravity when either taking contact or competing at the breakdown. Zani has been present as a prop in the Benetton front row since 2016 when he made the move up from Mogliano in the Top12. By 2017 Zani was in and around the national setup but suffered an injury which would keep him out of the 2018/19 season. When he returned from injury he was being used at hooker by both Italy and Benetton, a position he knows well from his time in the Top12. Now back at Benetton, after getting a World Cup try against Canada, the 30-year-old is proving to be a useful utility front row forward. It seems crazy that the 30-year-old has only amassed 13 international caps and Italian fans will hope that he can stay fit and healthy for the last few years of his career.

Franco Smith's selection of hookers doesn't contain much in terms of youth but there are certainly a few names being spoken within Italy about potential successors to Bigi. Over at Zebre they have a brilliant 22-year-old called Marco Manfredi. Originally born in Germany, Manfredi has been progressing well with the competition of both Bigi and Fabiani. He was called up to the 35 man informal training camp consisting of Pro14 players which suggests that Franco Smith is already lining him up for international duty. Unfortunately an injury against Benetton will rule him out for the rest of the season and denies him a shot at this years Six Nations. 

Until recently Benetton were still harbouring a hope that Albanian born hooker Ornelo Gega could return from a 2 year absence through injury. Gega was scoring tries for fun in the Pro14 and was Italy's starting hooker in the North American tour of 2017. Having not played since the 2016/17 season it would've been a miracle for him to return to the form he had upon injury and unfortunately this month it was announced that he would retire from the game. Complications in surgery and post-surgery meant his knee would not recover enough for the world of professional rugby. In the meantime Benetton have been slowly developing a young hooked named Engjel Makelara. Makelara is sleight for a front row forward and is often used by Benetton off the bench. With Bigi now cemented to the starting spot it could be good to have a pacey super sub on the bench. Like Gega, Makelara has ancestry from Albania and will be hoping to take on the reigns as Gega ends his career. One more player who is for the long term may be Andrej Marinello who scored 2 tries in his 3 appearances at last years under-20 Six Nations.