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2024 Guinness Six Nations
[2019 Six Nations] Italy vs Wales (09/02/2019)
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<blockquote data-quote="Chetto4" data-source="post: 930940" data-attributes="member: 79310"><p>Thanks! I agree with you on Wales but one can still hope, right? <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite7" alt=":p" title="Stick Out Tongue :p" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":p" /></p><p></p><p>I think O'Shea is trying to somehow have Italy replicate Benetton's performances but the main problem imho is very simple: the majority of Benetton's key players are not italian. Monty Ioane has been amazing for Benetton and not just as a try scorer, he's been great on defense and at putting pressure on the opposition after a kick as well, something we struggled a lot against Scotland. Same thing can be said for Tavuyara, the other winger. And having them instead of Esposito or Benvenuti or somebody similar (since Sarto and Bellini are both unavailable) is a huge difference. Same thing at scrum-half, where Duvenage has been a difference-maker so far and Tebaldi was playing his best rugby in years. Palazzani and Gori (with both Violi and Tebaldi out) are not close to that level. You would like to rely on some help from Zebre to fill the gaps but they also had some key injuries (Violi and Bellini, like I said, and Minozzi).</p><p>The sad truth is that we improved a little bit but we are still not even close to have the depth that is requested to compete at this level, especially in some key-roles. There are some promising young guys coming up but they are still years away, not months. It's a long and difficult process but the press and the fans dont' have patience and they are starting to really question O'Shea because of the lack of results. I can hardly blame them but at the same time I'm sure that re-starting again with a new DOR will be a disaster.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Chetto4, post: 930940, member: 79310"] Thanks! I agree with you on Wales but one can still hope, right? :p I think O'Shea is trying to somehow have Italy replicate Benetton's performances but the main problem imho is very simple: the majority of Benetton's key players are not italian. Monty Ioane has been amazing for Benetton and not just as a try scorer, he's been great on defense and at putting pressure on the opposition after a kick as well, something we struggled a lot against Scotland. Same thing can be said for Tavuyara, the other winger. And having them instead of Esposito or Benvenuti or somebody similar (since Sarto and Bellini are both unavailable) is a huge difference. Same thing at scrum-half, where Duvenage has been a difference-maker so far and Tebaldi was playing his best rugby in years. Palazzani and Gori (with both Violi and Tebaldi out) are not close to that level. You would like to rely on some help from Zebre to fill the gaps but they also had some key injuries (Violi and Bellini, like I said, and Minozzi). The sad truth is that we improved a little bit but we are still not even close to have the depth that is requested to compete at this level, especially in some key-roles. There are some promising young guys coming up but they are still years away, not months. It's a long and difficult process but the press and the fans dont' have patience and they are starting to really question O'Shea because of the lack of results. I can hardly blame them but at the same time I'm sure that re-starting again with a new DOR will be a disaster. [/QUOTE]
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2024 Guinness Six Nations
[2019 Six Nations] Italy vs Wales (09/02/2019)
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