[2014 EOYT] Italy

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Well i dont think anyone has made an italy thread for the Autumn tests yet so i will set one up. I'm afraid to say that things doesn't look good for italy, they had a horrible six nations including a hammering loses to Ireland away and England at home. in the summer tests they failed to win a game against teams that italy were favourite to win. Is italy going to have a year without winning a single game ?, if so then they're world cup campaign will look very short and a tier 2 nation might be best suited for italy. onto the autumn tests. Italy have called up on three uncapped players, Samuela Vunisa (Number 8), Kelly Haimona (Centre) and Simone Ragusi (Winger) and the squad also have Sergio Parisse and Martin Castrogiovanni returning to the squad.

so this is the full squad for the November tests:

Hookers: Leonardo Ghiraldini (Leicester Tigers), Andrea Manici (Zebre)
Props: Matías Agüero (Zebre), Martin Castrogiovanni (Toulon), Dario Chistolini (Zebre), Alberto De Marchi (Sale Sharks)
Locks: George Biagi (Zebre), Marco Bortolami (Zebre), Joshua Furno (Newcastle Falcons), Quintin Geldenhuys (Zebre)
Back-Rows: Robert Barbieri (Leicester Tigers), Simone Favaro (Benetton Treviso), Francesco Minto (Benetton Treviso), Alessandro Zanni (Benetton Treviso), Sergio Parisse (c) (Stade Français), Samuela Vunisa (Zebre)
Scrum-Half's: Edoardo Gori (Benetton Treviso), Guglielmo Palazzani (Zebre)
Half-Backs: Tommaso Allan (Perpignan), Luciano Orquera (Zebre)
Centre's: Michele Campagnaro (Benetton Treviso), Gonzalo Garcia (Zebre), Kelly Haimona (Zebre), Luca Morisi (Benetton Treviso)
Back-Line: Angelo Esposito (Benetton Treviso), Simone Ragusi (Benetton Treviso), Leonardo Sarto (Zebre), Giulio Toniolatti (Zebre), Andrea Masi (London Wasps), Luke McLean (Sale Sharks)

This is the fixture list for Italy's autumn tests:

Italy vs Samoa
8 November 2014, 15:00 CET (UTC+1)
Stadio Cino e Lillo Del Duca, Ascoli Piceno, Italy
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)

Italy vs Argentina
15 November 2014, 15:00 CET (UTC+1)
Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa, Italy
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)

Italy vs South Africa
22 November 2014, 15:00 CET (UTC+1)
Stadio Euganeo, Padua, Italy
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)​

 

[TheSaffycen]

I can see getting a win against Samoa but will probably lose the other two, south africa will most likely be a blow out. The pack can go toe to toe with anyone though-
1.De Marchi 2.Ghiraldini 3.Castrogiovanni 4.Bortolami 5.Geldenhuys 6.Furno 7.Barbieri 8.Parisse
In the backs Allan, Campagnaro, Masi, Sarto and McLean are all very competent at intl' level, but do lack a consistent goal kicker.

 

[Big Ewis]

they're in real, *real* peril of losing all three. Samoa depending on the team they put out can easily come put a number on Italy. The last time these two met it was at a neutral venue and Samoa put 40 on the pizza macaroni Chianti - then again that was possibly the best Samoan side of all time ?? (2012 to mid-2013) - AND they travel very well.

The Argies are back with a mighty erect phallus and I predict they'll look as good as two Novembers ago when they came knocking Wales in Cardiff and scored against France in the opening 5 in Paris. They're fresh off a win against the good-again-Aussies, and won't want their plans spoiled by lowly old Italy. They've got the scrum (does Italy right now ??...), they've got the attacking culture, they've got Nicolas Sanchez.

The blowout against the Boks is absolutely inevitable, unless they return to good form with the same rate they descended into nightmare form...so again, absolutely inevitable.

Here's a list of the past games from Italy, dating back to the quadrangular in South Africa:


1 of 14. And the one was against a 13-man Fiji side, at home. Only just.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

tells alot really

 

[TRF_Olyy]

.....where's Cittadini?

He's well better than Castro these days.

 

[psychic duck]

.....where's Cittadini?

He's well better than Castro these days.

Only when the referees allow him to cheat his way through the scrums though. I expect what happened to him last time he was in Italy may be a reason why he's not in the squad ...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Only when the referees allow him to cheat his way through the scrums though.

True enough, but saying Castro is any better would be a massive stretch - he's a penalty magnet.

 

[psychic duck]

True enough, but saying Castro is any better would be a massive stretch - he's a penalty magnet.

I guess Castro gets preference as he's the better known player, was a decent better ball carrier and probably in some sort of leadership role in the squad. I would certainly agree that he's on the wane and has been really over the course of this RWC cycle, Toulon didn't even put him on their bench for their Champions Cup tie last weekend. Problem is that Cittadini, despite being fresher to international rugby, is near the same age of around about 32/33. Thinking about it though, even though he's a bit overrated by some, I'm still surprised Cittadini isn't there ahead of a worn out Castro.

 

[Big Ewis]

Castro's done for, unfortunately. Toulon couldn't have known, but in hindsight that was a pretty bad pick for them. He's just nothing like what he used to be.
Here are some screenshots I took from some older games, just for laughs:



















Told ya he's just nothing like what he used to be.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Castro's done for, unfortunately. Toulon couldn't have known

They could've if they'd have watched his last season at Tigers, or last year with Italy.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Castro's done for, unfortunately. Toulon couldn't have known, but in hindsight that was a pretty bad pick for them. He's just nothing like what he used to be.
Here are some screenshots I took from some older games, just for laughs:













View attachment 3363

View attachment 3364

Told ya he's just nothing like what he used to be.

i suppose it is hard for him, he is old and had alot off injury concerns so its hard to keep fit, but when Castro goes then italy will head downhill unless they find good talent in the pack from somewhere apart from Alberto De Marchi who i still dont understand why he doesn't start for sale he is the only good prop atm for italy.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Only when the referees allow him to cheat his way through the scrums though. I expect what happened to him last time he was in Italy may be a reason why he's not in the squad ...

na but have you seen how impressive the japanese scrum is now a days.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

from Alberto De Marchi who i still dont understand why he doesn't start for sale he is the only good prop atm for italy.

Because he's been sh*t in every opportunity he's been given. Been thoroughly outplayed by a 22yr old (Harrison) and one of the least athletic players in the league (Fridge).

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Because he's been sh*t in every opportunity he's been given. Been thoroughly outplayed by a 22yr old (Harrison) and one of the least athletic players in the league (Fridge).

its strange that as he been a really strong scrummager for italy and treviso, i suppose he will need to settle in abit more.

 

[Big Ewis]

yeah both things TROlly is saying are strange to me. I'll take his word for it but Castro wasn't awful when I saw him play for Italy during that time right before Toulon picked him. And from what I've seen with Italy and a bit back in his Italian club days, Alberto De Marchi can seriously scrummage like a motherfukker and helps out around the park too. Maybe he needs more time in England to get acclimated ?

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

@MauriSca7 what do you think off the italy team!

 

[MauriSca7]

@MauriSca7 what do you think off the italy team!

It's not a bad team but they lack continuity and then they lost almost all the last match,the June test matches were very disappointing
What surprises me is that Brunel didn't call Manoa Vosawai who is doing very well for Cardiff Blues

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

It's not a bad team but they lack continuity and then they lost almost all the last match,the June test matches were very disappointing
What surprises me is that Brunel didn't call Manoa Vosawai who is doing very well for Cardiff Blues

to me he is italy's best tackler atm.

 

[MauriSca7]

to me he is italy's best tackler atm.

I heard he's improved much since he went in Wales

 

[MauriSca7]

they're in real, *real* peril of losing all three. Samoa depending on the team they put out can easily come put a number on Italy. The last time these two met it was at a neutral venue and Samoa put 40 on the pizza macaroni Chianti - then again that was possibly the best Samoan side of all time ?? (2012 to mid-2013) - AND they travel very well.

The Argies are back with a mighty erect phallus and I predict they'll look as good as two Novembers ago when they came knocking Wales in Cardiff and scored against France in the opening 5 in Paris. They're fresh off a win against the good-again-Aussies, and won't want their plans spoiled by lowly old Italy. They've got the scrum (does Italy right now ??...), they've got the attacking culture, they've got Nicolas Sanchez.

The blowout against the Boks is absolutely inevitable, unless they return to good form with the same rate they descended into nightmare form...so again, absolutely inevitable.

Here's a list of the past games from Italy, dating back to the quadrangular in South Africa:
View attachment 3360

1 of 14. And the one was against a 13-man Fiji side, at home. Only just.

If I don't remember badly,for some minutes Fiji were 11 vs 15 and Italy had a 14 points advantage (20-6)