A New Season - Part 3 (Gli Azzurri)
The national teams of Italy paint vastly contrasting pictures.
Then there is the under 20s team which, although being an ever changing team, provides an idea of where Italy is in comparison to the other rugby nations. From 2008 to 2016 the U20s picked up 6 out of 8 wooden spoons during their equivalent of the Six Nations. Since then they have been on an upward spiral culminating in this years edition of the tournament which saw them competitive against every opponent. Their rise from perennial whipping boys to a team of ultra talented youngsters provides a ray of light for Italian fans.
Then there is the men’s national team which is on a downward spiral. Without a win since the World Cup. Without a Six Nations win since 2015. Currently without a sponsorship deal. The pressure of Georgia squeezing from below. The inability to keep up with the pace of better teams squeezing from above. For fans of the national team it is time to be realistic but also to find the little pockets of hope that keep us dreaming of better times ahead.
NATIONAL TEAM
It is funny how quickly a Rainbow Cup can change an opinion of someone. After a winless campaign in the Pro14 it was announced that Kieran Crowley would be leaving the helm at Benetton. It felt like the right time, at the end of a cycle, leaving the club in a better place than where he found it. But then came the news of his appointment with the national team. An appointment which had a certain despondence to it. Are we really signing a coach who hasn’t won a league game this season, to join a team that hasn’t won a game in years? But then came that Rainbow Cup. Crowley’s team played far and above expectations, playing a brand of rugby that was attractive in attack and aggressive in defence. So now the appointment of Crowley seems far more sensible. He now has the chance to continue working with the young players he has brought through at Benetton while also getting a chance to add premiership players like Jake Polledri, Matteo Minozzi and Stephen Varney to his gameplan. It will also be interesting to see how he works with the Zebre players he now has at his disposal. He has brought in Zebre’s forward coach Andrea Moretti and will now be able to add a promising set of front rowers to his plans. He already has history with Luca Bigi from his time at Benetton but adding in Danilo Fischetti and Giosue Zilocchi will give him far more options in the front row. This is something that he didn’t have at Benetton last season and they suffered because of it.
The planned summer tour of New Zealand was cancelled meaning the national team lost the ability to expose players to one of the top teams in the world. Whilst 3 tests against the Kiwis would’ve undoubtedly resulted in 3 losses, it would’ve provided 69 international caps to be dispersed among a young team in need of experience. One plus side is that the break will have allowed Italy to go through a recuperation period, allowing Crowley to focus on getting players accustomed to his gameplan. It also means players have had time to recover from injuries and helped prevent any further injuries being sustained before the start of the United Rugby Championship.
Looking forward Italy have an interesting Autumn schedule which will provide different tests and opportunities. Penciled in so far are New Zealand, followed by Argentina and then ending with Uruguay. There is a possibility that an extra test against a Tier 2 nation (most likely Spain) might be organised before the international window which, although attractive to Italy fans, might create a headache in terms of the URC schedule. If it goes ahead then it will be a good opportunity for players like Pierre Bruno and Giovanni Pettinelli to make their debut. Next Italy would welcome New Zealand in what has often been little more than a money making exercise to get fans through the gates. But if you add on to that the potential of it being Sergio Parisse’s last game for Italy then it could make for a special occasion.
Against the South American sides is where we will learn the most about the current Azzurri. Argentina have been in stellar form, impressing in last year’s Rugby Championship and then going undefeated in their summer tour of Europe (albeit against an under strength Wales). Italy will go in with the underdog tag that they have become so accustomed to. However, being at home with fans back in the stadium will provide a chance for Italy to be competitive, something that we haven’t seen them do for a long time. We saw in the Rainbow Cup final how big the influence was of home fans returning. Their ability to create momentum just when the home team needs it is a huge factor in creating an advantage. With the likely return of big players like Minozzi, Polledri and Braam Steyn there is no reason Italy can’t at least compete with the Pumas. Then there is the must win game against Uruguay who sit just 3 places below Italy in the rankings. 14 losses out of 14 games since Italy beat Canada in the World Cup means Italy must win this game. The temptation to experiment in this game is far too risky for my liking. I would play a full strength team and give them the chance to dominate another team. A chance to hone their style of play so that they feel more comfortable with the ball against better teams.
Although it may be unlikely to imagine Italy creating any upset performances this Autumn we can at least look forward to the experience of being favourites for once. A win against Uruguay and competing with Argentina will be a reasonable return for Crowley and his men.
UNDER 20s
The sudden emergence of young players like Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney and Federico Mori has turned eyes towards Italy’s under 20 team. The current crop look to be one of the most competitive sides Italy have had. Ending this years U20 Six Nations with the second best defence is a sign of how competitive they were, even giving England a scare. Their tenacity in defence caused every opposition problems. If they can add to that a level of discipline then they could reduce their penalty count which was often their un-doing in searching for wins. Most pleasing was the confidence they showed in attack. Simone Gesi in particular looking capable of scoring from anywhere. The 40 point win against Scotland showing what can happen when everything clicks into place.
The fact that the competition was played in such a short space of time shows the depth they currently posses, especially in the front row. For this reason the URC teams have looked to bolster their squads with U20 players from the squad. Leonardo Marin, Lorenzo Pani and Lorenzo Cannone will join Benetton this season joining their current U20 team-mate Tommaso Menoncello. Zebre have also added U20 captain Luca Andreani and Ion Neculai to their ranks. Franco Smith will be licking his lips in his new role as head of high performance in Italy. The question is whether the Top10 can become a competitive enough home for the other players to continue their development?
Sports fans know that success for youth teams doesn’t always translate to success in the professional game. But Italian rugby is in such a strange place that I think it will have more of an impact than with most other nations. When you look at some of the more experienced players in the senior team like Maxime Mbanda, Eduardo Padovani and Mattia Bellini you see players from a U20 squad that experienced torrid U20 Six Nations campaigns. Since then they have never been part of a national setup with confidence. Young players are entering the squad from a youth setup that hasn’t got lower than 7 points in the Six Nations since 2016. 7 points shouldn’t be anything special but the senior team would be over the moon if they managed that next year. 7 points also means wins and wins bring confidence.
Young players are now entering Benetton & Zebre who expect to be competitive with other teams. They will have a confidence that will push them and the players around them higher. You can see from the way Garbisi played in his solitary year with Benetton that he wasn’t afraid to be barking orders at players far more experienced. The way Michele Lamaro has been named co-captain after just his 3rd full season at the club. Italian rugby has never had this steady stream of players coming through the youth ranks and this will unfortunately mean that some players will move to France. Much like Scottish rugby there is simply not enough room in just 2 professional teams. Garbisi’s sudden rise in stature is because he was given gametime. Who is to say that in a year’s time I couldn’t be talking about Leonardo Marin as the new savour of Italian rugby?
Lastly a mention for the under-18 team who beat England!
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