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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ainsthrilln" data-source="post: 558305" data-attributes="member: 68342">ItÂ´s true, but last weekend ItalyÂ´s u20 tied with IrelandÂ´s team... 25-25 with four tries to three. Actually, their results in this u20 6 Nations are not as bad, and similar to the french results...Italy U20s    6 - 13    France U20sScotland U20s    30 - 17    Italy U20sFrance U20s    13 - 27    Wales U20sItaly U20s    10 - 25    Wales U20sEngland U20s    40 - 10    France U20sIreland U20s    22 - 5    France U20sEngland U20s    52 - 7    Italy U20sItaly U20s    25 - 25    Ireland U20sFrance U20s    13 - 10    Scotland U20sDoes it mean France need to worry about their future? Of course not. The results of a generation alone are not really important, either theyÂ´re bad as you say or quite good (for Italy) as last u20 6 Nations.YouÂ´re right about the end of the retirement of the backbone of the team... But the same could be said about a lot of players and Italy kept improving. Think about the last time you saw Mauro Bergamasco, Marco Bortolami, Mirco Bergamasco, Perugini, Ongaro, Festuccia, AgÃ¼ero, Del Fava, Dellape, Sole... In fact, from the great forwards pack who won two games in the 2007 6N, Castrogiovanni (31), Parisse (29) and Ghiraldini (28) are the last survivors, as Lo Cicero is retired now. Since then, Cittadini, Barbieri, Favaro, Pavanello, Minto, Geldenhuys... had been added to the team, and the pack is consistent. But itÂ´s true Parisse canÂ´t be replaced, even if Barbieri is in great form and Mbanda looks good.The change in the backs has been the same, or better, and IÂ´m sure Italy has now the best backs they have had in a lot of time And most of them are youngs... Think on Gori, Venditti, Benvenuti, McLean, Sgarbi... Canale is not as important now, he played 5 minutes against France (Castro didnÂ´t play against Ireland either). The centers in the victory against France and the good matches in November were Benvenuti and Sgarbi. Masi is still crucial, but McLean has played well as fullback.And there are some good prospects, as Angelo Esposito (fullback/wing), Morisi (center), Campagnaro (center), Iannone (wing)...Fly half is a black hole, itÂ´s true. But it has been the same since the retirement of DomÃnguez, so italian rugby is used to <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big Grin    :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" />. ItÂ´s not true either they have given up to produce a fly half. Actually you have to be italian or be able to play for Italy in order to play as fly half in the italian league, and now thereÂ´s a program to try to develop some fly halfs from utility backs as Paolo Buso, but I donÂ´t see much future there...In the u20s Padovani has been the 10 for ages, but itÂ´s very similar to Orquera, but even worse kicker, so itÂ´s not going to be easy for him to reach the NT.</blockquote>

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