Forza Azzurri: The Italian Rugby Renaissance
With Italian rugby’s stock price at its highest in over a decade, Ian Foster, the All Blacks head coach vying to take New Zealand to a tenth successive World Cup quarter final, is understandably not taking Friday night’s clash lightly.
Despite convincingly beating the Azzurri in their previous fifteen encounters, Italy’s current crop of players will pose a different threat to the Kiwis flawless record in this crucial Pool A match.
“History is yesterday’s newspaper, isn’t it, not tomorrow’s,” Foster said in Thursday’s press conference.
New Zealand ran out convincing 70–6 winners against a young Italian side in the 1987 World Cup.
The Italians have started their World Cup in compelling fashion, racking up twelve tries and 90 points from their opening two pool matches against Namibia and Uruguay. Foster’s compatriot, Kieran Crowley, will undoubtedly be pleased with the two bonus-point victories that place Italy ahead of three-time winners New Zealand in Pool A.
As utility forward Dino Lamb highlighted in a recent interview with Reuters, Italy have put themselves in the “best possible position to create history for Italian rugby.”
The odds are, however, stacked against the Azzurri, as former Springbok turned Italian defensive coach, Marius Goosen, highlighted. “It’s ludicrous to stand here and say we’re going to go in there and win the game,” he admitted.
After experiencing defeat in every single match of the Six Nations tournaments from 2017 to 2021, marking an unwanted losing streak that extended to 32 games, Goosen’s wary outlook will not dampen the current spirit amongst Italian enthusiasts.
The Azzurri have gone from strength to strength since clinching a famous final-minute victory at the Principality Stadium 18 months ago, against an admittedly poor Welsh side. It was there that Ange Capuozzo officially marked his arrival on the world scene – merely a week after scoring two tries off the bench at Edinburgh on debut – setting up a famous and vital victory with a weaving run up the touchline.
Ange Capuozzo skips past Louis Rees-Zammit during their 22-21 Six Nations win against Wales in March 2022.
Capuozzo, the reigning World Rugby Men’s Breakthrough Player of the Year, has captured the Italian imaginary in ways only comparable to the revered figure of Sergio Parisse, since his first outing at Murrayfield in last year’s Six Nations.
The Stade Toulousain back was also at the heart of the Azzurri’s second landmark victory of the year, this time in Florence, inspiring an unprecedented 28-27 win against the Wallabies with a brace of tries which mesmerised onlookers like a Florentine artist of yesteryear.
Italian rugby has found its new poster boy.
The Azzurri has too often found itself the victim of producing talented individuals while simultaneously struggling to build a cohesive and competitive team around them.
Sergio Parisse, a Roman gladiator reincarnated in the 21st century colosseum of the Stadio Olimpico, is a prime example of this. He would have undoubtedly improved and most likely started for any other nation until his international retirement in 2019. Yet, Parisse constantly shined brightest in an Italian side frankly lacking in quality and stamina to challenge in the Six Nations or otherwise.
Sergio Parisse racked up 142 caps over a 17-year career for Italy.
Other players that fit the same mould have come in the shape of Diego Dominguez, Marco Bortolami, the Bergamasco brothers, or even the shaggy Martin Castrogiovanni – all stars of the late noughties team.
However, the current Italian squad provides star quality from 1-15 – a reflection of an improving domestic tradition and supplemented by players plying their trade in the Top 14 and English Premiership.
Half of the current Italian World Cup squad are players of Benetton Rugby, a team based in the picturesque north-eastern province of Treviso, which is testament to their eight victories in the highly competitive URC last season.
Elsewhere, Paolo Garbisi has revolutionised the Italian back line with his incisive passing and powerful ball carrying: the Montpellier flyhalf has made 50 meters in contact so far this World Cup (ninth overall). Crowley instils a sense of belief in this Italian squad to play with freedom and panache, which is reinforced by a dynamic back row that includes the enterprising Azzurri skipper, Michele Lamaro.
Ruck speed has been vital to their front foot attack, an area of play which the Italians will hope to disrupt any Kiwi momentum. According to OptaJonny, Italy recorded the fastest ruck speed of any side at this year’s Six Nations (3.02 seconds), which consequently allowed them to benefit from the second most amount of possession in the tournament (52%).
Paired with New Zealand’s uncharacteristically poor discipline so far this World Cup (conceding 12 penalties on average per game), Italy will hope to exploit the All Blacks ill-discipline at the breakdown.
Gli Azzurri will also take heart at Australia’s capitulation against an inspired Welsh side last weekend, while New Zealand will be hoping that they don’t replicate the unlikely fate of their trans-Tasman rivals.
Paolo Garbisi poses on the shoulders of Niccolo Cannone as Italy players celebrate on the pitch after their win in Cardiff.
After the surprising news of Kieran Crowley’s early departure to the Japanese outfit Honda Heat, following the World Cup, he will be desperate to leave a final long-lasting impression on Italian rugby. “We’re not going out there trying to keep the score down, we’re going out there to try to win the game,” he insisted.
Make no mistake, Italy must pray that all the stars will align in Lyon on Friday night, and even their very best performance might not be enough against a formidable All Blacks squad with Sam Cane and Damian McKenzie to come off the bench.
A losing bonus point would be a monumental achievement of progress for Italy, with next week’s showdown against a Dupont-less France providing yet another opportunity for eternal glory.
Italy vs New Zealand, 29th September, OL Stadium, Lyon, 20:00 k.o.
France vs Italy, 6th October, OL Stadium, Lyon, 20:00 k.o.
