Italian Squad for Autumn Internationals

[Shaggy]

Here's the Italian squad named by Nick Mallett ... looks pretty strong in the forwards to me

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/italian-squad-named-to-face-wallabies-20101104-17e9w.html

Italian squad named to face Wallabies
November 4, 2010 - 3:49AM
AFP

Italy coach Nick Mallett on Wednesday named a 25-man squad for this month's internationals against Australia, Argentina and Fiji.

Captain Sergio Parisse of Stade Francais was included despite suffering a slight neck injury last week.

There are two uncapped players in the squad in backs Edoardo Gori and Tommaso Benvenuti, who both play for Treviso.

Mallett made his choice following a three-day get-together in Rome.

"It's never easy making choices especially after a group has worked well as they have these last few days in Rome," said the former Springboks coach.

"To those who've gone home I would say that there are still two more games against Australia and Fiji."

Italy tackle the Pumas in Verona on November 13 before taking on the Wallabies a week later in Florence and then finishing with a game against Fiji in Modena on November 27.

Squad:

Forwards:

Robert Barbieri (Treviso), Mauro Bergamasco (Stade Francais/FRA), Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester/ENG), Lorenzo Cittadini (Treviso), Carlo Del Fava (Aironi), Santiago Dellape (Racing Metro/FRA), Paul Derbyshire (Treviso), Quintin Geldenhuys (Aironi), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Treviso), Andrea Lo Cicero (Racing Metro/FRA), Fabio Ongaro (Aironi), Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais/FRA - capt), Salvatore Perugini (Aironi), Alessandro Zanni (Treviso)

Backs:

Tommaso Benvenuti (Treviso), Mirco Bergamasco (Racing Metro/FRA), Gonzalo Canale (Clermont/FRA), Pablo Canavosio (Aironi), Edoardo Gori (Treviso), Craig Gower (Bayonne/FRA), Andrea Masi (Racing Metro/FRA), Luke McLean (Treviso), Luciano Orquera (Brive/FRA), Alberto Sgarbi (Treviso), ***o Tebaldi (Aironi)

 

[Conal]

only a 25 man squad?

 

[Thingimubob]

Benvenuti's had a really good season for Treviso so far this year, glad that he's been called up. Hopefully they can give the Aussies a run for their money, and they should be aiming for 2 wins against Argentina and Fiji.

 

[danit]

Squad:

Forwards:

Robert Barbieri (Treviso), Mauro Bergamasco (Stade Francais/FRA), Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester/ENG), Lorenzo Cittadini (Treviso), Carlo Del Fava (Aironi), Santiago Dellape (Racing Metro/FRA), Paul Derbyshire (Treviso), Quintin Geldenhuys (Aironi), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Treviso), Andrea Lo Cicero (Racing Metro/FRA), Fabio Ongaro (Aironi), Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais/FRA - capt), Salvatore Perugini (Aironi), Alessandro Zanni (Treviso)

Backs:

Tommaso Benvenuti (Treviso), Mirco Bergamasco (Racing Metro/FRA), Gonzalo Canale (Clermont/FRA), Pablo Canavosio (Aironi), Edoardo Gori (Treviso), Craig Gower (Bayonne/FRA), Andrea Masi (Racing Metro/FRA), Luke McLean (Treviso), Luciano Orquera (Brive/FRA), Alberto Sgarbi (Treviso), ***o Tebaldi (Aironi)

front row: not as excellent as expected. the veteran Lo Cicero is in good form, Castrogiovanni and Cittadini are in decent shape too, but actually Perugini is really weary so as Ghiraldini and Ongaro

locks: big trouble here, none of them is actually playing at a decent level, I really don't understand how Antonio Pavanello has not been selected (he was in the 30 men squad), he's having an excellent season with Treviso

backrow: very very strong, beoynd the well known Parisse - Ma. Bergamasco - Zanni, there's Barbieri who's actually playing great and the talented youngster Derbyshire

halves: as usual this is the major weakness
at sh Tebaldi is on an inconsistent season and Canavosio's playing shite, the young Gori is very promising but he didn't play a sole minute this year so far due to an injury problem
at no. 10 there's noone decent, Gower will play but he's a centre, Orquera is not playing enough time in Brive and is not decent enough for the international level

backs: well, there's some quality here, some very talented youngster in a very good shape (Benevenuti, Sgarbi) mixed with some experienced players (Masi, Mi. Bergamasco, Canale, Mc Lean), problem could be that, except Mc Lean who is a full back, all the others are in fact pure centres, a couple of them will have to adapt in winger positions (Bergamasco and...?)

 

[lynam1104]

25? thats a bit low is that because they don't have depth?

 

[danit]

25? thats a bit low is that because they don't have depth?

the complete squad was/is 30, 25 have been picked for the first game but 5 more players could be called at any time (they are Bernabò - lock, Sepe - winger, Bocchino - flyhalf, Favaro - flanker, Toniolatti - winger/sh and Majstorovic - winger)

 

[Cheery & white]

Danit, I understand that one of the problems with Italian rugby is that it is not played in schools ! Is this a fact and is there any likelihood of things changing .? A strong Italian side can only be good for European rugby .

 

[danit]

Danit, I understand that one of the problems with Italian rugby is that it is not played in schools ! Is this a fact and is there any likelihood of things changing .? A strong Italian side can only be good for European rugby .

you understand correctly

but that's definitely the framework of italian sport, not rugby only

even the so popular "calcio" is not played in schools, sports practice is organized by clubs and/or by academies and/or by private associations, but always out of schools

in Italy schools at any level (from primary to high school) only have a couple of hours per week of sports practice and usually they teach basics of threee sports: athletics, gymn and volley

but the real job is developed out of schools circuit, expecially in clubs often supported by the central and local branch of the "federation" (that's the central governing body)

I have to say by the way that actually in italian rugby many efforts are taking place, creating 3-4 new academies, enforcing the cooperation between FIR and Clubs, trying to develop a network that should be able to support also minor and peripherical clubs, still a long way to go though

 

[Cheery & white]

Cheers Danit, Just remember France took a long long time to catch up when they first joined up to the nations tournament !

 

[Charles]

France has the same system; everything is done in clubs, not in schools.

 

[Seaton]

France has the same system; everything is done in clubs, not in schools.

I think he is referring to player depth, although I called easily be wrong

 

[Charles]

Danit, I understand that one of the problems with Italian rugby is that it is not played in schools ! Is this a fact and is there any likelihood of things changing .? A strong Italian side can only be good for European rugby .

I think he is referring to player depth, although I called easily be wrong

I was responding to this comment. The sysytem of schools foming players is very anglo-saxon. It doesn't exist in France Italy or Spain, and I'm pretty sure Germany is club based as well.

 

[Melhor Time]

Hopefully Sergio Parisse can recover in time to play in this match. Garcia will be missed.

Treviso have been playing well in the Magners League but Aironi are yet to win a match. One team has surpassed expectations and the other has been below par. On paper Aironi is the better side. Ricardo Bocchino seems to be an example of a player not picked based on Aironi in the ML. I thought he coudl well play 10 with Gower playing 12. Not to be.

Based on the players selected I would go for:

15 Luke McLean
14 Andrea Masi
13 Tommaso Benvenuti (aged 19)
12 Gonzalo Canale
11 Mirco Bergamasco
10 Craig Gower
9 ***o Tebaldi
8 Alessandro Zanni (or Parisse)
7 Mauro Bergamasco
6 Paul Derbyshire
5 Santiago Dellapé
4 Quintin Geldenhuys
3 Martin Castrogiovanni
2 Leonardo Ghiraldini
1 Salvatore Perugini

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Luke McLean has looked awful everytime I've seen him this season! No way should he be anywhere near a test shirt.

 

[Charles]

Where is Andrea Marcato?

I like this boy...

 

[danit]

Where is Andrea Marcato?

I like this boy...

he didn' recovery from his latest injury yet, didn't play a sole minute in the season so far

honestly, I doubt he will ever be back at international level... too fragile...

 

[Nicola Bro]

It's not a bad team with many good "foreign" players and considering the Celtic experience but I've complitely lost my confidence in Mallett.
I strongly hope we'll change all staff because we haven't a leadership although our captain Parisse is a great player with a good charisma but is far from Dominguez and Troncon. Our forwards are good but we can't develop game. In addition many players play in different positions in national team compared to their role in clubs. In Italy rugby is earning success with national team but our movement can't improve without clubs and not many clubs have money, leadership to grow up.