The autumn internationals provided further evidence that Italian rugby is sleepwalking into a crisis that could become terminal. The results, given the country’s performance in the 2013 6 Nations were a massive disappointment, and the win over an imploding Fiji should not be allowed to paper over the widening cracks. Italy is an aging creaking outfit that, without the inestimable Sergio Parisse, would be in even more trouble. His durability and courage has been remarkable, he and several of his colleagues are now the wrong side of thirty and there is little sign of them being adequately replaced. Foreign imports litter the international Italian team and in the Treviso side. Zebre, it’s other “flagship side”, where the bulk of the squad are Italian internationals or Italian qualified languishes at the foot of the Rabo Pro12. The lack of success of a home based team makes it very difficult to build a meaningful fan base, who can the Italian kids watch play at home, to look up to or better still to emulate? Worse, Treviso and Zebre have both performed abjectly in the Heineken Cup damaging the ethos and credibility of the completion, as the interminable rows about its future continue. The poor Italian performances do nothing to support the notion that they are worthy of their automatic place in the Heineken Cup
Yet, the Italians beat both France and Ireland in the 6 Nations 2013 but, away from home were very disappointing. The Italian team has failed to establish a style, an easily identifiable form of characteristic coherent play. The autumn internationals started well against the Wallabies in Turin. The Stadio d’ Olimpico Turin was bouncing, when Luke Mclean scored against his home country, for his adopted one. The try was indeed well crafted but the Azzurri were soon brought to heel. It was to be their last piece of cogent play for the rest of the match that the Italians had entered optimistically. Italy coach Jacques Brunel admitted the Azzurri’s usually strong defence simply did not turn up. “Our defence just wasn’t at its usual level and when you’re up against a team known for their speed, you can’t let that happen, but we gave away errors cheaply and at the end of the day our defence certainly wasn’t up to the job.” Against Fiji, Italy won the game because Fiji lost their composure and then launched such a tremendous fightback, that the Italians were relieved to flop over the line. Argentina sent over their worst side to tour Europe for many a year but, comfortably despatched the Italians in the Stadio d’ Olimpico in Rome.
A country famous for its élan and flair finds itself with very little to cheer itself with. The quick fix of foreign players, coaches and the occasional 6 Nations victory has singularly failed to ignite the imagination of the Italian public. There is much for the F.I.R. to ponder over, and for Coach Jacques Brunel and his staff to work on for the next 6 Nations campaign, and with games in Cardiff and Paris he knows he is very much in the firing line. The appointment of Giampiero De Carli as forwards coach from Brunel’s old club Perpignan could be seen as a step in the right direction. Yet, he cannot join the country until at least June 1st and so nothing can fundamentally change. This is the time for the F.I.R. to show active and purposeful leadership and even this crucial appointment seems to emphasis their muddled thinking. Perhaps, they should consider whether Rome is the right place for the Italian team to play. The Stadio d’ Olimpico is a fabulous stadium in an iconic city but it is a long and expensive journey from the game’s heartland in the North. Often the stadium is half full, or the diehard Italian fans find themselves in the minority. There are excellent potential venues in the North; Turin, Milan and Florence this would mean full houses full of atmosphere and noise more akin to the other venues of the 6 Nations and hopefully a more fervent Italian atmosphere.
The decline of home grown talent is a growing concern and emphasises that the structures below Treviso and Zebre are failing to deliver. This is exemplified by the new kid on the block, a Scot, who currently plays for Perpignan, “Tommaso – or “Tommy” – Allan”, who qualifies for Italy thanks to the fact that he was born in Vicenza to an Italian mother, Paola, when father William was living and playing rugby in Italy. Just to rub salt into Scottish wounds, the 20-year-old playmaker was pictured on the Italian Rugby Federation’s (FIR) website sporting the Scotland Under-20s shirt that he wore just last season” (Scotsman 17/10/13). But how was the incumbent Italian u20’s fly half feeling about all Allan’s selection? The Italian u20’s are struggling and without a meaningful “A” team competition the Italians cannot build any depth or indeed prepare players for the intensity of international play. Quality coaching across the game and player development does not appear to be a priority for the F.I.R. as they spend time trawling other countries for players with Italian heritage or encouraging qualification through residency. On the other hand if they are feeling the need to look abroad then perhaps they should examine the performance of the Italian team in the recent Rugby League World Cup. There they counterattacked superbly, basic skill sets were well drilled and generally remained solid under pressure and crucially their defence was well organised and powerful. Errors were kept to a minimum and many of the players had learnt their trade in the brutal pressure cooker of the ARL. A player the F.I.R. could do well to approach is Anthony Minichiello; of the Sydney Roosters he would bring a real freshness to the Italian team. So many sides employ ex rugby league players and coaches, it is time Italy does the same.
Italy now has the obligations of a Tier one IRB nation and the quality of the team’s performances, both on and off the field, rightly subject to scrutiny. Even junior teams are sponsored and the sponsor demands immediate results or next year’s budget could be endangered. Thus, clubs are almost obliged to produce teams that win competitions rather than trying to develop players. This means that most clubs look to create effective squads who are able to win, but may consist of advanced physical specimens who simply are stronger than their opponents. This state of affairs is not helped by the FIR, who insists that the primary consideration for a youth international is that he should be big and strong, even though his rugby background may be almost non-existent. How does the FIR, therefore, support the clubs? In each region, the equivalent of a county in England, there will certainly be at least one regional technical officer who is paid by the FIR. At present given the problems in producing competitive sides at junior level the clubs appear unsure how to interact with these people. It is quite possible that they have hardly ever played rugby and almost certainly they will not have a sports development background, as sports development is not considered worthy of a university course in Italy; such a background is not even recognised as a minimum requirement. This has to change.
If the debacle of this autumn is repeated in the 6 Nations how will the F.I.R react? They could though look to provide real leadership so that the game could get a firmer grip on the Italian people. Italy is not just a soccer nation; it has a long tradition of handling games, from roman times. Watch “Calico Fiorentina and you will see a game with all the hallmarks of rugby and maybe another potential source of domestic recruits for the beleaguered F.I.R.
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You cannot buy tradition, legend or history it has to be earned, and the F.I.R. should stop shopping indiscriminately for short term success and grow it from the roots and stock it has available and accept that with the obligations of playing at the highest levels of the game comes accountability. The 6 Nations needs a strong Italy, the rugby world needs it, but Italy itself needs to first put its own house in order.
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