[2013 EOYT] Italy

[psychic duck]

What happened with James Ambrosini.
Combine him and Allan and you have a full Italian... Tommaso Ambrosini

I think he turned out to be naff. Couldn't get past Burton or di Bernardo in the Treviso ranks (which isn't really all that much of a tough task) and now Italy are selecting some Scotland U20 ahead of him. He did however play for Italy A last summer.

 

[Draggs]

His mother is Italian and he was born there, so more Italian that the Scots team being Scottish.

 

[Peat]

Looked good for Scotland U20, could work out well. Smart move for the lad too given the differing talent pools. Shame for Scotland, but that's just karma for the Heathcote poach.

 

[psychic duck]

Surprised Scotland let a player go considering they are currently snapping up any Scottish eligible SH player and offering them Edinburgh/Glasgow contracts at the moment, with a few project players as well (Josh Strauss and WP Nel are being lined up for RWC 2015).

 

[Superalexmarket]

Argentina's scrum sucks.

Ok, if you say so.



If the Pumas don't beat Italy in november definitely don't deserve compete with the big boys.

 

[SelimNiai]

With respect to the bonnie wee laddie, the fact Italy are going for a kid hardly any body has heard off is a bit tragic and says a heck of a lot about Italian rugby

 

[Peat]

Likely guess is they didn't expect anything to happen that quickly and thought he was already en route to join them. Still might end up with a Scotland cap, can't say until he's actually on the pitch for Italy.

With respect to the bonnie wee laddie, the fact Italy are going for a kid hardly any body has heard off is a bit tragic and says a heck of a lot about Italian rugby

Hardly the first player with multiple international eligibilities to earn his first cap really quickly.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

He struck me as a tidy opperator. Not sure he's 'The Answer' Italy are searching for, but worth a shot.

Bless 'em. One day they'll find a competent outside half.

 

[psychic duck]

Another one of these eligibility situations has popped up again ...

"Scotland are seeking clarification on Tommaso Allan's future"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24456254

 

[Draggs]

It doesn't seem to be that he is ineligible, but Scotland don't want to let him go.
Not like Shingler, where he was already tied to a country. Scotland 'A' is their second team, not U20.

 

[Patchey]

He's good enough to have forced a James Hook to play at full back rather than ten, that's got to be worth something?

 

[psychic duck]

He's good enough to have forced a James Hook to play at full back rather than ten, that's got to be worth something?

It might be worth something if it were true (which it isn't).

 

[Draggs]

He's good enough to have forced a James Hook to play at full back rather than ten, that's got to be worth something?

He hasn't. Camille Lopez has. Article paints it a different way.

Allan has started one game for USAP, for the record.

 

[Big Ewis]

what's this, a mention of Camille Lopez ??

 

[psychic duck]

He hasn't. Camille Lopez has. Article paints it a different way.

Allan has started one game for USAP, for the record.

It's very lazy and ****ty journalism which is misleading. He's only ever played one game in his entire professional career, and it was well over a month ago, their coaches haven't even put him on the bench since then.

James Hook is no longer considered a fly half by them. It's the equivalent of saying that when Harry Robinson started for Wales a while back he has displaced Leigh Halfpenny from wing to full back. 1) He is nowhere the near first choice 22 and 2) he's talking about a player who doesn't play there any more.

 

[Draggs]

So... Usual BBC journalism then.
funnily enough, this is exactly what Scotland did to us over Shingler. (Offered early cap to qualified player who hadn't been involved at all, although neither Shingler nor Allan were born in Scotland) Boot on the other foot this time.

 

[Patchey]

Well I just got made to look an idiot by some hype happy journalists.

I should watch more of the Top 14.

 

[Peat]

So... Usual BBC journalism then.
funnily enough, this is exactly what Scotland did to us over Shingler. (Offered early cap to qualified player who hadn't been involved at all, although neither Shingler nor Allan were born in Scotland) Boot on the other foot this time.

See also: Tom Heathcote. Ironic that Allen's probably the most Scottish of the three.

 

[Draggs]

Heathcote was the only one born in Scotland, and it's because his father was based there for the RAF.

 

[Peat]

Heathcote was the only one born in Scotland, and it's because his father was based there for the RAF.

Which just goes to show the idiocy of treating birthplace as the best proof of nationality (not saying you're doing that).