[2014 EOYT] Italy

[j'nuh]

.....where's Cittadini?

He's well better than Castro these days.

Forget Castro, they got Chistolini in there.

Chistolini.

He used to be behind Harden and Knight at Gloucester.

Perhaps I'm outdated and he's a great tighthead now, but I can't imagine it!

 

[psychic duck]

Forget Castro, they got Chistolini in there.

Chistolini.

He used to be behind Harden and Knight at Gloucester.

Perhaps I'm outdated and he's a great tighthead now, but I can't imagine it!

Improved a bit at Zebre I believe, or at least he looked okay when I saw him play the Ospreys. Harden at Treviso on the otherhand has been pummelled twice this season by Nicky Smith. He wasn't at Glos after the engagement changes, the pecking order might have changed had he been.

 

[Big Ewis]

things are moving up much too fast and Italy haven't been able to cope with the thunderous evolution of the sport and its scene. The golden generation is dying out, every year they'll be retiring an Italian monument gradually, and sure there are guys behind to pick up the flame but they're not as good and any Tier 1 nation right now needs better, bigger, faster. They haven't had an individual attraction like Sergio or Castro in too long. When's the last time we've talked about a great 6N performance from a new guy ? It's very unfortunate, looking back at 2008-ish that generation was flourishing and the future looked so bright.

 

[MauriSca7]

things are moving up much too fast and Italy haven't been able to cope with the thunderous evolution of the sport and its scene. The golden generation is dying out, every year they'll be retiring an Italian monument gradually, and sure there are guys behind to pick up the flame but they're not as good and any Tier 1 nation right now needs better, bigger, faster. They haven't had an individual attraction like Sergio or Castro in too long. When's the last time we've talked about a great 6N performance from a new guy ? It's very unfortunate, looking back at 2008-ish that generation was flourishing and the future looked so bright.

Exactly ! We went on too long with the same people and now there is anyone able to replace them

 

[MauriSca7]

Leonardo Sarto and Dario Chistolini won't play the test matches for disciplinary reasons and will be replaced by Lorenzo Cittadini and Tommaso Benvenuti

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Leonardo Sarto and Dario Chistolini won't play the test matches for disciplinary reasons and will be replaced by Lorenzo Cittadini and Tommaso Benvenuti

atleast italy will be happy to see Cittadini, but not good to see Leonardo Sarto out. we is a young player with potential.

 

[MauriSca7]

atleast italy will be happy to see Cittadini, but not good to see Leonardo Sarto out. we is a young player with potential.

Sarto and Chistolini were punished by union because there were problem inside Zebre
Zebre chairman said to media that he'll explain Wednesday what happened in last days and said also that Zebre are not a "parking lot" for national team players and what happened is contrary to this principle

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

thats a real shame good players too especially Sarto gutted not to see him

 

[MauriSca7]

I really I don't know what could have happened,they should have played yesterday but were excluded

 

[Big Ewis]

I think if anything, a big crisis is potentially a good thing. Yes a crisis can completely annihilate you to which point you won't stand up again, but it's also good because the deeper a crisis the louder it will ask questions and require a reaction, strongly. If it wasn't this bad, Italy could cruise by beating Tier 2 nations and settling for losses to everybody else. But they haven't won a game at all as of 2014, and mid til end of 2013 was awful too. So as I've illustrated it higher on the thread, it's been a good year since Italy's been completely irrelevant. They've got a chance to react this EOYT with 3 home games, and could take 2 out of 3. To start 2015 off, they've got 3 games at home this year in stead of 2, including hosting France, which haven't been able to win in Rome since 2009 (!!). They've got two major events (plus some warmup games) before the World Cup (this tour + next 6N) to put things together, attempt trial and error and make this team as relevant as possible.
Anyways it's too late now I think to really make big changes in this side and they might have to wait after the RWC for a new cycle. What's certain is nobody's counting on them to advance with France and Ireland leading their pool. I'll be selfish right now in saying as far as the pools this sudden and dramatic drop of form from Italy comes at the perfect time because France isn't at their best quite at all either and in a parallel universe a rising Italian side, who knows, France actually could stay in the pools with Ire and Ita advancing the way things are going !...

 

[MauriSca7]

I think if anything, a big crisis is potentially a good thing. Yes a crisis can completely annihilate you to which point you won't stand up again, but it's also good because the deeper a crisis the louder it will ask questions and require a reaction, strongly. If it wasn't this bad, Italy could cruise by beating Tier 2 nations and settling for losses to everybody else. But they haven't won a game at all as of 2014, and mid til end of 2013 was awful too. So as I've illustrated it higher on the thread, it's been a good year since Italy's been completely irrelevant. They've got a chance to react this EOYT with 3 home games, and could take 2 out of 3. To start 2015 off, they've got 3 games at home this year in stead of 2, including hosting France, which haven't been able to win in Rome since 2009 (!!). They've got two major events (plus some warmup games) before the World Cup (this tour + next 6N) to put things together, attempt trial and error and make this team as relevant as possible.
Anyways it's too late now I think to really make big changes in this side and they might have to wait after the RWC for a new cycle. What's certain is nobody's counting on them to advance with France and Ireland leading their pool. I'll be selfish right now in saying as far as the pools this sudden and dramatic drop of form from Italy comes at the perfect time because France isn't at their best quite at all either and in a parallel universe a rising Italian side, who knows, France actually could stay in the pools with Ire and Ita advancing the way things are going !...

You hit the target once again.
To come out from a crisis you have to react in a strong way but it's not in italian DNA to be strong,unfortunately
It's more than 20 years people say that italian union should care more about basic rugby but nothing was done in all this time

 

[Big Ewis]

You hit the target once again.
To come out from a crisis you have to react in a strong way but it's not in italian DNA to be strong,unfortunately
It's more than 20 years people say that italian union should care more about basic rugby but nothing was done in all this time

you mean they give up easily ? Yeah it seems that's the latin thing...well I don't want to generalize as Latin Americans or Spaniards are typically very resilient and notorious fighters, but I can imagine that Mediterranean side you're talking about. We have this in France big time too, especially where I am right now, Southeast Côte d'Azur. It seems the temperament is much too light and life is too easy, and ppl in this part of the world just don't have that conquering rebellious spirit..things happen and we just go with it.

Anyways: prop Chistolini and winger Sarto suspended and dropped from this November tour for Italy (as well as their club). Something they did in the win in Brive yesterday, no precisions.

 

[MauriSca7]

you mean they give up easily ? Yeah it seems that's the latin thing...well I don't want to generalize as Latin Americans or Spaniards are typically very resilient and notorious fighters, but I can imagine that Mediterranean side you're talking about. We have this in France big time too, especially where I am right now, Southeast Côte d'Azur. It seems the temperament is much too light and life is too easy, and ppl in this part of the world just don't have that conquering rebellious spirit..things happen and we just go with it.

Anyways: prop Chistolini and winger Sarto suspended and dropped from this November tour for Italy (as well as their club). Something they did in the win in Brive yesterday, no precisions.

Yes give up easily and lack of will to react,Zebre chairman said that wednesday he'll explain better what happened to Sarto,Chistolini and South African Andries Ferreira but said that they weren't involved in fights or aggression

It looks Sarto and Chistolini were punished to have skipped team's dinner,but for now it's only a rumour. There is the risk of disciplinary problems also for Castrogiovanni,but in this case it's for a dangerous tackle

 

[MauriSca7]

Ban has been removed and Sarto and Chistolini will be available for the test matches

 

[MauriSca7]

Martin Castrogiovanni has been banned and won't play against Samoa

 

[Andre8]

We are struggling to produce new players.. Sarto, Campagnaro and Esposito are not enough! Benvenuti is lost in Perpignan, he's not even on the bench or he is fighting for a spot on the bench. Castro is not on form, banned and getting not so much game time in Toulon, Sergio has too many things to do on the pitch and he looks a lill bit confused... Furno is the rising star of the pack, with Zanni now fit and Favaro and Minto coming back from injury too the pack looks better. We only have the 33 yo Orquera and the newbie Allan in the fly half spot, we are definitely too weak!
I'm really scared, we don't win matches from last November (an awful match against Fiji) and in the short time we can only loose. We have to rebuild everything, but the major problem is we don't have a figure to make this change..I don't think Brunel is the right man for the job!

 

[MauriSca7]

Italian rugby is in an awful situation,nobody is the right man there,if coaches like Nick Mallet or John Kirwan didn't have good results I don't see how other coaches could have good results

 

[Big Ewis]

Perhaps it is not Bruneli's time for Italy anymore, it's true...he's done a fantastic job there, really one heck of a job, but maybe it's time for change. I think Italian Rugby needed this crisis to (as a Phoenix !...) be reborn from its ashes. I think virtually "everything" needs to change for Italy, it's the end of a cycle and this RWC will be the very final step in that evolution. Castro, Parisse and that golden generation, soon all gone. They need new blood, and already have 3maybe 4 promising adequate talents who will amount to something good enough for Test Rugby.
I fear the situation isn't very fertile for all this in the country right now. From the outside, it FEELS like Italian authorities, and people, care less about Rugby now than that 2005-2012 period.

 

[Andre8]

I fear the situation isn't very fertile for all this in the country right now. From the outside, it FEELS like Italian authorities, and people, care less about Rugby now than that 2005-2012 period.

You're right! The president of FIR and the directors in general don't have a clue of what they're doing and they are ruining our NT..
Success in a short period is unthinkable, let's just hope the likes of Campagnaro, Esposito or even younger players will bring new life to the NT.. With all the money we spend on national academies that should be an easy result but unfortunately it's not to be taken for granted!