Inside & Outside Centre - No. 12 & 13 (To Tackle and Be Tackled)

Long gone are the days of Mirco Bergamasco, Gonzalo Canale and Andrea Masi all battling it out for the 12 & 13 shirts while simultaneously competing with their respective clubs in the French top division. But nowadays Italy do have an excellent centre partnership in Luca Morisi and Michele Campagnaro. The problem is that one of them is always injured.  Since 2014 the pair have only played 5 Six Nations matches together and with Campagnaro's knee injury that tally will remain as it is till next year. Campagnaro has been the shining beacon of Italian rugby during some pretty horrible results over the past few years. From following him at Benetton, then Exeter, Wasps and Harlequins in England, it is easy to see how he has become a poster boy of Italian rugby. Every Italian fan lives to see his golden locks flow in the wind as he beats two English defenders on his way to a try. But while Campagnaro is sideline, not all hope is lost. In Luca Morisi Italy have a top class centre who is not only reaching a good maturity but also a good vein of form with Benetton. A big question will be who Franco Smith pairs him up with.

Luca Morisi (Age: 28 Caps: 29)

Although in 2015 it was a young Campagnaro that English clubs came sniffing around for, Benetton also had a great young centre in Luca Morisi. Although a number of injuries have created hurdles along the way, Morisi has blossomed since his centre partner left the club. Last season he helped his club achieve qualification to the playoffs for the first time and has looked dangerous since returning from the World Cup. He is not the tallest or heaviest of centres but what he lacks in stature he makes up for in desire. He has made a habit out of exploiting the smallest of holes in a defence and is feisty in the tackle. His two tries against England at Twickenham (2015) stand out as a particular career highlight. With the ability to play both inside and outside centre it is likely that Morisi will feature heavily in the championship.

Tommaso Castello (Age: 28 Caps: 18)

The Zebre captain has had a torrid year after being sidelined with a broken fibula in the last Six Nations. It is a shame that along with Campagnaro it is another of Italy's big ball carriers that is sidelined. With a centre partnership of Castello and Campagnaro (or Morisi) Italy would have real muscle in the midfield to accompany a ball carrying back row of Sebastian Negri, Jake Polledri and Abraham Steyn. By having these ball carriers dotted around the field Italy would be able to create much better momentum in attack which in turn gives the front five a much easier time at the breakdown. He knows his game plan well and picks up a lot of try assists rather than tries himself. His ability to beat the first defender means players can run supporting lines knowing that he will be looking for an offload. I have my reservations regarding Castello's decision making at times, an example being against Georgia (2018) where he butchered an easy opportunity for a try by cutting inside. But there is no doubt that he will provide any Italian coach with a battering ram at No. 12 when fit. 

Castello providing assist after assist.

Tommaso Boni (Age: 27 Caps: 11)

Castello's absence from the squad has been filled by fellow member of the 'Italian Centres who play for Zebre called Tommaso club' - Tommaso Boni. Boni has been in and out of the national team since 2015 and has amassed just 11 caps. Though among those 11 caps he was able to become one of the few people in the world to have scored a try against New Zealand. Despite not having as much of an attacking threat as either Morisi or Castello, Boni offers a lot in terms of defence. He has explosive acceleration and a good read of the game which allows him to be a threat when playing a rush defence. Anyone who watched him play against Bristol this weekend will have seen how he and centre partner Giulio Bisegni suffocated the Bristol attack with their tackling. He has played a lot of minutes for Zebre this season and their upturn in form has coincided with his. Don't be surprised to see him feature in this championship, especially if Italy start leaking tries early on.

Alberto Sgarbi (Age: 33 Caps: 29)

The big surprise of Franco Smith's preliminary squad was the recall of the Benetton Captain after 6 years out of the Italian squad. Alberto Sgarbi has always had the physique of a great inside centre. His tall stature and long reach make him an ideal first line of defence. Sgarbi saw the majority of his 29 caps come under South African Nick Mallet's reign when Mallett tried and succeeded in making Italy a much harder side to break down. Sgarbi was a valuable asset at the time but saw less and less of the national shirt as Jacques Brunel and then Conor O'Shea sought to transform Italy into a more attacking side. Back at Benetton, Sgarbi has adapted with age and can often be seen playing as flanker during international windows. I would be surprised if we see him play a match during the tournament but with over a decade of experience and 127 appearances for Benetton he will provide a wise head to Franco Smith's squad. 

A classic Sgarbi try saving tackle.

Giulio Bisegni (Age: 27 Caps: 14) 

Another centre making strides at Zebre in Castello's absence is Giulio Bisegni. Like teammate Boni, Bisegni has been in and out of the Italy team for half a decade, often being situated on the wing when called upon. Although he provides a good option out wide I much prefer him as an outside centre. He likes to use his speed to get out of the defensive line quickly and pressure his opposite number but as a winger this can leave space in behind him for attackers to exploit. Deputising as Zebre captain during Castello's injury has helped his game develop and with Campagnaro out for a long period this could be Bisegni's chance to make the No. 13 shirt his own. In a squad that is lacking experience and leadership it is great that Italy now have players like Bisegni available to them rather than drafting in unknown talents. Although not as experienced as either Sgarbi or Benvenuti I think Bisegni has a bit more in attack and for that reason I would like to see him start against Wales. It is unlikely that Italy are going to be able to out-defend Wales so there is no harm in taking a few risks.

Tommaso Benvenuti (Age: 29 Caps: 62)

It is unknown whether Benvenuti will feature at outside centre or on the wing this championship but as Italy's most internationally experienced back he provides a decent option at either. He is a very different player to when he first broke onto the scene as a slight, quick centre with nifty kicking skills (remember his drop goals against Leicester and conversions in the 2015 World Cup against Russia). Now he has a lot more beef on him, but what he has lost in pace he makes up for in defence. I have admired his ability to adapt his tackling technique with the change to his stature. He now uses his long arms to grab an opposing player and then becomes a dead weight, slowing them down and making it easier for teammates to catch up with play and attempt to steal possession. Although he has often played on the wing for Italy I personally prefer him as an outside centre which is where he plays more regularly with Benetton. This Six Nations will contain wingers like Teddy Thomas, Johnny May & Josh Adams and I don't think Benvenuti has the pace to keep up with them. It may be that Benvenuti's impact off the field is as vital as what he does on it. With the loss of Sergio Parisse and Leonardo Ghiraldini, Benvenuti will become Italy's second most capped player behind Alessandro Zanni and with that comes a chance to impart wisdom on the younger members of the squad. With a lot of young centres coming through the ranks in Italy I hope that Benvenuti's long international career can end in a flourish.

Italy centres Tommaso Benvenuti & Giulio Bisegni (and former flanker Simone Favaro) doing a defensive job on New Zealand.

The inclusion of Benetton's veteran centre partnership of Sgarbi and Benvenuti has resulted in a couple of their teammates missing out. First was 22-year-old Marco Zanon who after idolising Campagnaro as a youngster is now pushing him for a place in the national team. He is a big hope for Italy and it was heartbreaking to see two debut tries evade him at last years championship against France. An injury has meant little playing time this season but a good return to form with Benetton could see him feature later in the tournament. Another centre from Benetton thought highly of is tackling machine Juan Ignacio Brex. Born in Buenos Aires, the 27-year-old has represented the Argentina Jaguares as well as the Argentine sevens team. This still means that he can play for the Italian national side and his form for Benetton suggests this would be a big scoop. He is a good all around player but you can't mention him without talking of his tackling. His big hits have made him a fan favourite amongst Benetton fans much like Simone Favaro did for the national team. With young hopefuls Federico Mori and Matteo Morcardi looking to get some time in the Pro14 after impressing in the U20s team, it is likely there will be a few options for Italy over the coming years if everyone can stay healthy.

Brex.