Italian NT players almost all back in Italy

[Rugby09]

Hi,

I was wondering if there is a reason that almost all Italian players have moved back to Treviso or Aironi over the last few years? I havent been able to find any details but I was wondering whether the Italian Rugby Federation insists that the National team players must play in Italy or is it just that as the two teams now play in a good league they have decided to move back?

I think only Mirco Bergamasco, Canale, Castrogiovanni and Parisse are not playing in Italy who are likely to be picked. (I know Dellape and Lo Cicero are still at Racing Metro and Nieto at Saracens but I believe they are unlikely to be picked due to age)

I was wondering whether we may see players such as Benvenuti, Gori or Semenzato moving abroad to develop or whether they are much more likely to stay at home in Italy than in previous years?

 

[psychic duck]

The reason is because since the Treviso and Aironi left the Italian league which then went semi-professional, the governing body of Italian Rugby the FIR has been able to put more money into these two franchises instead of spreading across a 10 team professional league, add to that the sides now play a better standard of rugby which will attract players and in Treviso's case their raised success levels will attract players to stay or to come

Because the FIR has been able to fund these sides more numerous Italian internationals have returned from overseas clubs, Bortolami, Perugini, Ongaro, Mauro Bergamasco, Orquera, Masi, Festuccia, Aguero, Staibano

Gonzalo Canale is also rumoured to be returning to Italy for next season as well

Italians are not as likely to move abroad but it is still possible, especially with the cream of the talent, Alessandro Zanni is rumoured to be joining Perpignan

 

[Rugby09]

Thank you for the detailed response, really appreciated. Good to see Italian rugby getting stronger.

 

[fede_front_row]

More specificly FIR pays the 60% of the salaries, not just for the players but also to the whole staff of both the franchises! they did a table in wich they listed the players that they will pay that 60% of the salaries, most of em joined Aironi (that is in most of the way a federal franchise) Treviso bought most of the player after Calvisano's penalisation (Zanni, Ghiraldini, Cittadini, Mc Lean and many others came from there and joined treviso in its last season of the Super 10)!
about the rumors, not just Zanni is rumored to join Perpignan next year, there are rumors that wants also Ghiraldini and Cittadini, cause the new director of rugby for perpignan was their one in Calvisano!
Gonzalo Canale probably will join Stade Francais next year, he will not join Aironi!

 

[Jayatron]

Surely this approach of just cutting down to two teams is only a short term fix? What is the long term goals for professional rugby for the FIR?

 

[fede_front_row]

honestly i don't know what the long term goals are!

 

[Jayatron]

honestly i don't know what the long term goals are!

Well what would you like to see happen? Are happy with only having two sides? Or would you like to see a return, and strengthening, of the Super 10?

 

[fede_front_row]

to me a third side will be perfect, but only if it's competitive in the pro 12! a return to super 10 will be a step back, but at the moment in the italian championship, wich is called Eccellenza, there must be more space for the italian players, we got talented players, but a lot of em ain't got a chance!
for the rest it will take a lot of time, you have to consider that the mentality here is almost amateurish!

 

[Pierce Brosnan Rugby]

More specificly FIR pays the 60% of the salaries, not just for the players but also to the whole staff of both the franchises! they did a table in wich they listed the players that they will pay that 60% of the salaries, most of em joined Aironi (that is in most of the way a federal franchise) Treviso bought most of the player after Calvisano's penalisation (Zanni, Ghiraldini, Cittadini, Mc Lean and many others came from there and joined treviso in its last season of the Super 10)!
about the rumors, not just Zanni is rumored to join Perpignan next year, there are rumors that wants also Ghiraldini and Cittadini, cause the new director of rugby for perpignan was their one in Calvisano!
Gonzalo Canale probably will join Stade Francais next year, he will not join Aironi!

Perpignan sucks too much by now so they need help and zanni makes sense for perpignan... about Gonzalo canale he will stay on clermont believe me