We continue our look at the Six Nations sides with Italy. Can the Azzurri avoid the wooden spoon this year? Read on for our verdict.
Strengths
The main strength of any Italian side in recent memory has been their pack, and the current contingent are no different. A set of forwards boasting quality names like Martin Castrogiovanni, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Quintin Geldenhuys and Alessandro Zanni is a match for any side, and you can add to that one of the premier number eights in world rugby.
Sergio Parisse is at times a god amongst men within the Italian game and huge pressure rests on his capable shoulders. Expect the Italians to use their considerable strength up-front to target opposition scrums and pull them into an arm wrestle in open play.
Thanks to the unearthing of Michele Campagnaro and along with the likes of Andrea Masi, Luke McClean and Leonardo Sarto, the Italians do possess dangerous operators in the backs. Whether these ‘piano players’ will get the time and space to offer a real threat will depend on the ‘piano shifters’ upfront.
Weaknesses
A gaping whole still exists in the Italian side since the mercurial Diego Domínguez hung up his boots in 2003. Kelly Haimona is the new man tasked with replacing the Italian legend in the number ten shirt. Originally form Rotarua in New Zealand, Haimona will battle it out with Tommaso Allan for a starting place. He closed out 2014 as the first choice fly-half and with their only win in the year coming against Samoa and Haimona playing a key role, it bodes well for his chances to start against Ireland.
While he is a talented player his lack of experience is a real weakness and sides will look to put him under pressure. At 21 years of age Allan does not offer a wise head off the bench either. Luciano Orquera replaced Allan for the final two rounds last year and with his exclusion from the initial squad for rounds one and two, do not be surprised to see the veteran flown in for the closing stages of this year’s competition.
Indeed, strength in depth is a constant issue across the board in the Italy squad, and a couple of injuries to key players early in the competition could make this an even more arduous seven weeks for the Azzurri.
Player to watch: Michele Campagnaro
We already know all about the key men – Parisse, Zanni, Castrogiovanni etc. – in this Italian side, so there is no need to reiterate their qualities. A player people need to look out for this year is Campagnaro. The 21 year old Treviso centre lit up the opening game of last year’s competition when he crossed for two tries against the Welsh in Cardiff. With twelve caps already to his name, he is beginning to show real promise for such a young man.
Operating in a Treviso side that are generally the whipping boys in domestic and European competitions makes his task extremely difficult, and with the national side performing poorly over the last twelve months, the hype around that Cardiff performance has been all but forgotten. Expect him to kick on this year and cause defences real issues.
Last Season: 6th
A campaign that began with so much promise and optimism after a fourth-placed finish in 2013 didn’t live up to the heightened expectation. The Azzurri did start remarkably well, pushing Wales all the way in their opening game in the Millennium Stadium. The intensity they brought on that night spearheaded by Campagnaro couldn’t be replicated in the next four outings however.
A narrow defeat to Scotland thanks to a late drop goal from Duncan Weir was bookended by heavy defeats to France and Ireland. England, needing a landslide victory to knock Ireland off the top of the table in the final round, put the Italians to the sword and they won with a margin of forty-one points. It would begin a year to forget for Jacques Brunel’s men.
Prediction
This year’s tournament sees the Italians enjoy home comfort on three occasions. They welcome Ireland, France and Wales to the Stadio Olympico. 2014 certainly didn’t go to plan and Jacques Brunel will want to bow out of Italian rugby at the end of this year with a final Six Nations campaign to be proud of. With only a solitary win last year coming against Samoa, the Italian rugby public expects a lot more from this team.
With the Scotland game in Murrayfield and Ireland and England looking to get off to a flying start in the opening games it is difficult to look past a record of zero from three after three rounds. They will then entertain France and Wales at home in the final rounds. The Italians can never be written off at home, but given the stature of the big four and signs of improvement from Scotland under new head coach Vern Cotter, it is hard to see the Italians placing higher than last. Predicted finish: 6th.
By Hugh Foyle (@hfoyle)
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images