A New Season - Part 2 (Home & Away)

When you look back at Italy’s most successful periods on the international stage they coincide with 2 things. Firstly, a large portion of the national team playing at the highest standard in the English and French leagues. Secondly, a competitive domestic league that nurtures young talent and excites the fans that follow rugby at a local level. I remember a time when Martin Castrogiovanni, Carlos Nieto, Fabio Ongaro & Marco Bortolami were all playing in the English Premiership. While across the channel in France there was Sergio Parisse, Mauro Bergamasco, Mirco Bergamasco, Gonzalo Canale, Carlo Festuccia, Andrea Lo Cicero, Santiago Dellape, Alessandro Troncon and Andrea Masi. Since then 2 Italian teams have entered the Celtic League/Pro12/Pro14/United Rugby Champions (take your pick) and understandably the aim has been to keep as many Italian players at the franchises. Because of this we have seen much less of an impact from Italian players away from home. But with the Italian production line starting to gather steam (along with some help from Hartpury College) we are starting to see a resurgence of Italians abroad. With this comes the challenge of not only keeping the URC franchises competitive but also the domestic Top10 league. There are promising signs on this front though as this season the Top10 looks forward to a host of ex-Italy internationals joining the ranks.

Just 6 of the 22 players who beat Scotland in 2007 played domestically in Italy

ABROAD

Away from Italy there will be plenty for Italians to keep their eyes on. 

Of particular interest is Tommaso Allan’s move to Harlequins. At 28 years old, Allan still has plenty of game left in him but the question is - where on the pitch this game time will occur? Since he was 20 he has been a mainstay in the national team and if it wasn’t for injuries it is likely that he would be well on his way to becoming a centurion in terms of international caps. But with Marcus Smith likely to hold the No. 10 jersey at Harlequins for the foreseeable future, many are predicting Allan to adapt to life outside of the half-backs. Inside centre maybe? More likely at full-back where Harlequins legend Mike Brown has left a significant hole since leaving. He certainly has the skills to play the role and it might well be his best chance at forcing his way into Kieran Crowley’s game plan for the national team. We saw how effectively Benetton performed under Crowley when they attacked with both Paulo Garbisi’s left boot and Jayden Hayward’s right as he entered from full-back to become a second playmaker. Even if this occurs it may be that Allan’s biggest contribution to the national team would be to persuade new team-mate Louis Lynagh to commit to Italy at a national level over England & Australia.

Northwards of Allan lies Matteo Minozzi of Wasps. By the time the Italian team reconvene for their Autumn internationals it will have been almost 2 years since Minozzi, seen as Italy’s brightest spark during 2018, pulled on the Azzurri shirt. His decision to withdraw from the Six Nations after the exhaustion of the pandemic was entirely understandable and looked sensible as he worked his way back into the Wasps team with some excellent performances. Then a freak eye condition cut his season short just as Wasps headed for the Premiership play-offs. I still consider him as one of the best talents to come out of Italy in recent times and think his return to the national team will be a massive boost.

When you consider that Jake Polledri has also not played for Italy since November 2020 you start to realise what a tough hand Franco Smith had been dealt. In the small 2 year window that Polledri was playing for Italy he had a huge impact in Italy’s ability to live without Parisse. His ball carrying was sorely missed during Smith’s tenure and it is no coincidence that his injury saw a downturn in Gloucester’s fortunes. After spending such a long time on the sidelines (and starting his own Cider company) it may take a little while for Polledri to return to the splendours that we were used to but I’m certain that before long I will be chanting my favourite chant - ‘Give the ball to Polledri! Give the ball to Polledri!’. It’s strange to think that Polledri and Gloucester team-mate Stephen Varney spent less than 15 minutes together on the pitch for Italy. Despite the damning results Varney had to endure during his early games for Italy he still prevailed as one of the brightest prospects. With Willi Heinz moving to Worcester it looks like Varney will get a much more prominent role with the West Country side. Over the coming years Varney and Polledri could form an important partnership at 8 & 9 for Gloucester which could easily be transferred over to the national team. With Varney and Garbisi already close after their time in the U20s team you start to see a mightily impressive spine to the national team.

What we've been missing

Then there is Marco Riccioni who will join up with Saracens on their return to the Premiership. With his short back and sides haircut (reminiscent of a young Lo Cicero) Riccioni is a tough cookie who looks likely to play a major part in the future of Italian rugby. At 23 years old he is really just starting his career as a prop forward. Already he has been to a World Cup, had 4 seasons at Benetton and 15 caps with the national team. With Vincent Kock (31) his main rival for the tight-head shirt I would presume that Saracens are looking to the future with the signing of Riccioni but that doesn’t mean he can’t have an immediate impact. Being at one of the most successful club teams of recent years can only help in his development in terms of the coaching, facilities and team-mates that he will find at the club. If Saracens go straight back to competing for titles, after one year out, then he will be able to bring that confidence back to Italy. Just like how Castrogiovanni did when he was in a victorious Leicester team. 

Riccioni rocking the Lo Cicero look of old

Then over the channel to France.

As a massive fan of Michele Campagnaro I still hold a hope that he can return to the player he once was. A long time has now been spent on the sidelines and I think Colomiers is a great place for him to restart his career. A step down from the Premiership but still a very competitive league. The fact that he has his old Benetton and Italy mate Eduardo Gori there makes the move all the more sensible. At 28 he still has many a season left in him and if he can stay fit and get some much needed game time he may still have an important role to play for Italian rugby.

There is also a young Italian wing/full-back making waves in the Pro D2. 22 year-old Ange Capuozzo has been impressing at Grenoble over the past few season and will be looking for another positive season after being named in the fan voted XV of season. His name will be familiar to fans of the under 20 team where he impressed in his 5 appearances. He has stated his desire to play for the Italian national team and another season like the last will certainly prompt the selectors to look his way if a some French-esq flair is required.

Capuozzo impressing with the Azzurini

One more season at Toulon. What all Italian fans wanted to hear. No words can describe the player that is Sergio Parisse. Even calling him a player doesn’t do him justice. While his immediate future will be in the guise of a player there have already been rumblings that Parisse would take on a player/manager role at the French outfit. While this didn’t occur it is highly likely that Parisse will have a long career past his retirement as a player. Two questions remain. Firstly whether the Italian federation will be able to tempt Parisse into a roll within the Italian hierarchy when much more impressive roles, both in terms of stature and finance, will likely come from France. The second question being as to whether he will finally get his swan song match with the national team nearly 3 years after its original date. 

Last but by no mean least, Paulo Garbisi and Fedrico Mori’s moves to the French top flight. Garbisi’s move to Montpellier shocked the world. The rugby world? Ok, my world then. The timing of the move after Benetton’s Rainbow Cup win made it a surprise that caused mixed emotions. Happy that a player of such quality and prospect will play in arguable the best league in the world. Sad that Benetton will be without such an important player for the future. Happy that under the guidance of a player like Hendre Pollard, Garbisi can only improve as a player and even adapt to new positions and ways of playing. Sad that the federal contract he was under was so easily circumnavigated. The fact that Garbisi’s contract allowed him to leave so easily has to be a warning to the Italian Federation. Add to that Mori making his way to Bordeaux before he has even had his first full season with Zebre. The growth of the game in Italy is dependent on multiple factors and one of those is that the URC franchises are competitive enough that they garner more and more interest. If the franchises just become a stepping stone for young Italian players to seek contracts abroad then the domestic game will come to a standstill. Despite this I cannot wait to see how they both do, in particular Garbisi with my new favourite French team Montpellier!

DOMESTIC

In previous posts I have described my desire for elder players to return to the domestic Top10 to help apply their wisdom and experience at a lower level. Players like Tito Tebaldi, Fabio Semenzato & Paul Derbyshire have shown that a former international’s career doesn’t end when you enter the Top10. Well this year my wishes have well and truly been answered as the Top10 sees an influx of impressive talent moving in from franchises. Whilst it is the finalists of last season (Rugby Rovigo Delta and Argos Petrarca Rugby) who have benefited most from the Benetton ranks, their acquisitions have been felt in a positive way throughout the league. 

Rovigo winning last season's Italian championship final against bitter rivals Petrarca.

Rovigo in particular have been busy in both directions, releasing 15 players with a further 8 incoming so far. Of the 8 incoming the biggest and most exciting transfer has to be that of Leonardo Sarto. 28 years old, 35 international caps and 30 tries over his time at Zebre, Glasgow, Leicester, Benetton and Italy. Despite a large chunk of his career spent injured, Sarto is a proven try scorer. It will be a surprise to many to see him plying his trade in the Top10 after such an impressive career but the impact he can have on league could be massive. Never before has the league seen such a player of quality at such an age. As if Sarto wasn’t enough for Rovigo’s attacking exploits they have also recruited Top10 player of the season Alessandro Ciofani from Viadana. Up front joins another Italian international in Nicola Quaglio, who after the pandemic decided to take a step away from top flight rugby. His return to Rovigo after 5 years with Benetton in the Pro14 will be a huge scoop for the side, as well as the league. This ambition from the champions has been matched in terms of the coaching staff as they see the arrival of Allister Coetzee, assistant coach to Jack White’s World Cup winning South Africa side of 2007. Many Italian fans will remember him fondly as the head coach of South Africa during a historic victory for Italy in Florence.

Sarto almost unplayable in his early days at Glasgow Warriors

Rovigo’s rivals Petrarca have also been busy raiding the Benetton ranks by bringing in Marco Barbini, Angelo Esposito and Alberto Sgarbi. All 3 of them centurions with Benetton, comprising of 454 appearances in total. That is a whole lot of knowledge and know-how coming Petrarca’s way. The impact this will have on young players cannot be underestimated. That kind of experience is almost like gaining 3 additional head coaches as well as players. If this season’s final is to be a repeat of last years then I cannot wait to see these 5 former teammates fighting against each other for their respective clubs in what is traditionally the biggest game in Italian club rugby.

Barbini showing how to offload

The most exciting aspect of these accomplished arrivals is the impact it will have on the other teams. Every game there will be young players given the chance to challenge themselves against former Azzurri. Among them are many of the younger talents who have made waves with the under 20s team this year. The stand-out player being Simone Gesi who often seemed unplayable during the U20 Six Nations. Gesi will be linking up with Scudetto winning coach (with Rovigo last season) Umberto Casellato at a new look Colorno. 

While the break up of the federal academy has benefitted both Benetton and Zebre with depth, the Top10 clubs have also benefitted from the sudden availability of young talent. One to keep an eye on is Fabio Schiabel who has joined Valorugby Emilia. He is a big ball carrying centre but showed during the U20 Six Nations that he also possesses deft handling skills that will keep opposition defences guessing.

If Marzio Innocenti’s goal as president is to improve the quality of the domestic game then his first year in charge suggests that things are going in the right directions. This seasons Top10 is already shaping up to be a classic. The one headache remaining for Innocenti is the conundrum of permit players. There is a tightrope to walk between finding a way to allow players to move between the two leagues without detriment to either’s competitiveness. A disagreement has already broken out between Fiamme Oro and Zebre as to the terms of their agreement. Fiamme Oro president Francesco Montini argues that to keep their team competitive then players should only be released to Zebre if they are going to play minutes. This is to avoid the players finding themselves in a place where they train with the franchise but then end up lacking the game time which is so important to their development. From Zebre’s side they will argue that they require more time with the players to ingratiate them with the squad and the tactics being deployed. While this may provide Innocenti with a headache, overall he can feel extremely positive as to how his tenure has gone so far.