[2014 EOYT] Italy vs Samoa

[Big Ewis]

Location: Stadio Cino e Lillo Del Duca, Ascoli Piceno, Italy
Ref: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Date: November 8th 2014
​

 

[Andre8]

Let's go Azzurri!! We need a solid win to kick start our November series.. It will be a though match, can't wait to seed the starting XV's!

 

[Big Ewis]

Let's go Azzurri!! We need a solid win to kick start our November series.. It will be a though match, can't wait to seed the starting XV's!

wear your colors goddamn it !! I haven't seen an Italian flag on this website ever I think !! Go to your settings and wear the flag ! AND FOR GOD'S SAKE STOP BEATING FRANCE IN ROME !!!!!!!!!!! We get it, we get it !!!
And indeed, forza Italia.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

wear your colors goddamn it !! I haven't seen an Italian flag on this website ever I think !! Go to your settings and wear the flag ! AND FOR GOD'S SAKE STOP BEATING FRANCE IN ROME !!!!!!!!!!! We get it, we get it !!!
And indeed, forza Italia.

MaruiSca is the most regular Italian on here; and I mean that in terms on posting regularly on these forums before you go and... mis-apply my words.

 

[Flyingdolphins]

Samoa will win convincingly and Italy will score a scrum penalty try

 

[Andre8]

wear your colors goddamn it !! I haven't seen an Italian flag on this website ever I think !! Go to your settings and wear the flag ! AND FOR GOD'S SAKE STOP BEATING FRANCE IN ROME !!!!!!!!!!! We get it, we get it !!!
And indeed, forza Italia.

I'm posting with the IPad, I don't think I can put the flag under my name.. As soon as I can do it with my computer I'll do it
Aaaaand I hope we'll not stop beating France at home

 

[Andre8]

Samoa will win convincingly and Italy will score a scrum penalty try

That seems to be our game plan ahahahah

 

[Big Ewis]

That seems to be our game plan ahahahah

eh, why the hell do you guys only get your good form out when you're playing us ?! Good luck, really hope Italy gets this one to get back into a good dynamic.

 

[RWC2011Fan]

Samoa will win convincingly and Italy will score a scrum penalty try

Are you sure about that?

 

[Flyingdolphins]

Oh **** that's dark dude. Italy are screwed mann.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

If Samoa play their usual physical gameplan, they should beat Italy. Italy tend to struggle more when teams really get in their faces. Samoa also have a good record against Italy.

 

[Big Ewis]

Are you sure about that?

and they had major issues in Japan too that summer....just what in the world is happening to Italy, goddamn it.....I've seen De Marchi look excellent at scrumtime before and even had him in my 6N xv some months ago I believe...this is shocking. Here, check this out, this was just a year before that test in Samoa:



I understand this is a different Samoan TH, but still.

If Samoa play their usual physical gameplan, they should beat Italy. Italy tend to struggle more when teams really get in their faces. Samoa also have a good record against Italy.

I don't think that's correct at all...but Italy do struggle against Oceanic style Rugby and their athletic, fast attacking brand.

 

[Andre8]

Starting line up:

15 Andrea MASI (London Wasps, 84 caps)

14 Luke MCLEAN (Sale Sharks, 60 caps)

13 Michele CAMPAGNARO (Benetton Treviso, 9 caps)*

12 Luca MORISI (Benetton Treviso, 6 caps)*

11 Leonardo SARTO (Zebre Rugby, 7 caps)*

10 Kelly HAIMONA (Zebre Rugby, esordiente)

9 Edoardo GORI (Benetton Treviso, 34 caps)*

8 Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais, 105 caps) - capitano

7 Simone FAVARO (Benetton Treviso, 21 caps)*

6 Alessandro ZANNI (Benetton Treviso, 83 caps)

5 Joshua FURNO (Newcastle Falcons, 20 caps)*

4 Quintin GELDENHUYS (Zebre Rugby, 49 caps)

3 Dario CHISTOLINI (Zebre Rugby, 2 caps)

2 Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Leicester Tigers, 67 caps)

1 Matias AGUERO (Zebre Rugby, 26 caps)

a disposizione

16 Andrea MANICI (Zebre Rugby, 3 caps)*

17 Alberto DE MARCHI (Sale Sharks, 20 caps)

18 Lorenzo CITTADINI (London Wasps, 35 caps)

19 Marco BORTOLAMI (Zebre Rugby, 107 caps)

20 Robert BARBIERI (Leicester Tigers, 37 caps)

21 Guglielmo PALAZZANI (Zebre Rugby, 3 caps)

22 Luciano ORQUERA (Zebre Rugby, 44 caps)

23 Giulio TONIOLATTI (Zebre Rugby, 12 caps)


Starting role for Haimona at 10, we have to see if he can be an international fly half.
So happy Zanni and Favaro are back!!
With Gori and Palazzani we have good depth in the number 9 spot.
I'm really happy hooker Giazzon has not been called up, the reserve hooker is promising Manici who already has a few caps!
Leggo boyzzz!

 

[Andre8]

And this is Samoa:

Ascoli Piceno â€" Stephen Betham, Commissario Tecnico di Samoa, ha ufficializzato la formazione che sabato alle ore 15 (diretta DMax canale 52) affronterà l’Italia nel Cariparma Test Match in programma allo Stadio “Cino e Lillo Del Duca†di Ascoli Piceno.

Per il settimo scontro diretto tra le due squadre, il CT dei guerrieri del Sud Pacifico punta su una formazione di grande esperienza, con tredici ***olari provenienti dai campionati di Francia ed Inghilterra e due dalla massima divisione giapponese.

Sette i cambi rispetto alla formazione ***olare che il 14 giugno, ad Apia, aveva superato l’Italia per 15-0 nell’ultimo scontro diretto contro gli Azzurri.

Samoa torna ad Ascoli a cinque anni dalla sua ultima apparizione italiana, sempre al “Del Ducaâ€: nell’occasione furono gli Azzurri ad aggiudicarsi il match per 24-6 nella sino ad oggi unica affermazione contro Manu Samoa.

15 Faatoina AUTAGAVAIA (Nevers RC, 11 caps)

14 Ken PISI (Northampton Saints, 3 caps)

13 John LEOTA (Sale Sharks, 13 caps)

12 Alapati LEIUA (London Wasps, 7 caps)

11 David LEMI (Bristol Rugby, 39 caps) â€" capitano

10 Tusiata PISI (Suntory Sungoliath, 21 caps)

9 Kahn FOTUALII (Northampton Saints, 19 caps)

8 Taiasina TUIFUA (Bordeaux Begles, 2 caps)

7 Jack LAM (Bristol Rugby, 10 caps)

6 Piula FAASALELE (Castres Olympique, 4 caps)

5 Faatiga LEMALU (Sanix Blues, 10 caps)

4 Kane THOMPSON (Newcastle Falcons, 28 caps)

3 Anthony PERENISE (Bristol Rugby, 16 caps)

2 Tii PAULO (Clermont Auvergne, 20 caps)

1 Sakaria TAULAFO (Stade Francais, 28 caps)

a disposizione

16 Wayne Ole AVEI (Bordeaux Begles, 18 caps)

17 Albert TOETU (Bordeaux Begles, esordiente)

18 Viliamu AFATIA (Agen, 3 caps)

19 Teofilo PAULO (Cardiff Blues, 10 caps)

20 Maurie FAASAVALU (Oyonnax, 21 caps)

21 Pele COWLEY (Auckland Suburbs, esordiente)

22 Michael STANLEY (Counties Manukau, esordiente)

23 Winston STANLEY (Hurricanes, esordiente)

Just one word: SCARYING!! Let's hope they haven't already found the balance between the individual and the team!

 

[Big Ewis]

strange they don't pick Fritz Lee, ay. I see he was picked from NZ in 2010 but didn't earn a cap, they must've just tried him out in the training camp. They've got two very good hookers, Avei probably the most underrated 2 in the world. Clean throws at lineout, high Rugby IQ, can step, offers a lot in the loose, high activity, just a joy to watch. Superb Rugby player. Paulo who's seeing some good minutes of play in European powerhouse Clermont.

I'm laughing at the fact they won't be using Census Johnston...AT ALL ! Not to start, nor even off the bench. They might be looking to throw away the bad scrummaging Pacific Islander tag, going for different specimens perhaps. Faasalele is one heck of a specimen, and has been a force for Castres. Very powerful, consistent flanker. Strong carrier, good in the rucks: 1m96 124kg.

For Italy, good to see some old timers still there. Never heard of Haimona. De Marchi and Cittadini on the bench, hopefully have somehow regained some good form because after showing some promising things, even very good, they've had trouble at scrumtime in recent matches. Happy to see Campagnaro is available, he's shown some very, very good things, a major hope for Italy. Morisi I don't know much of, but also part of this new generation, and Leo Sarto on the wing.

Godspeed and good luck to you guys, I'm not expecting a lot for this tour, Italy are obviously in a slump and that won't restore itself in one month, but they are at home and do need results. Italian fans must show patience, yes I know - MORE patience !..

 

[Tautahi]

I believe Fritz Lee represented New Zealand in the sevens in 2010. That is probably why he is not picked.

 

[Big Ewis]

I believe he represented New Zealand in the sevens 2010 i think.

ah yeah that makes sense....it just says 2010 New Zealand on his wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_Lee

What a fkng player. Most underrated no.8 in the world right now. Easily. Huuuge carrier, breaks almost every first tackle, strong runner, can make the meters, knows how to pass, powerful in the rucks, strong tackler, gets TO balls often....has played for Clermont regularly, one of the best Euro clubs in recent memory... superb, superb player.

 

[Tautahi]

A shame really he would have been great for Samoa

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

strange they don't pick Fritz Lee, ay. I see he was picked from NZ in 2010 but didn't earn a cap, they must've just tried him out in the training camp.

I believe Lee played for the NZ Sevens, so he's not eligible for Samoa anymore.

EDIT: Whoops, took to long to reply!

 

[Andre8]

I'm showing patience from the first time I watched Italy play, 20 years ago
Morisi is playing in Treviso, last November he got injured very badly playing against Fiji and is spleen had to be taken off! He came back this season and he's showing very good form!!
Haimona is a kiwi playing for Zebre, he's at the first season with them! He came out from nowhere.. 3 years ago he was playing for Piacenza in the Italian lower leagues, last season he went to Calvisano in Super 10 where he won the league and gained some game time for Zebre as a permit player and this season he's in the Zebre set up.
De Marchi and Cittadini are playing quite a lot in the Premiership, as well as McLean and Furno.. We hope their English experience will be useful to the Italian cause!