Another Six Nations weekend and another loss for Italian rugby. They are winless going back to 2019 and ranked 14th in the World Rugby rankings. While many fans want them out of the Six Nations, Italy is a cool rugby story. Here’s what the future looks like for Gil Azzuri and why they deserve more respect.
How Has Italian Rugby got to this Point?
Winning is not a word that comes to mind when it comes to Italy. Their last victory was a 48-7 triumph against Canada at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. They haven’t beat a Tier 1 team in almost five years. Their loss against Ireland this weekend is another example of a tough defeat to swallow.
When I was writing this, I was trying to recall the last great win for Italy. There’s an argument for their 2018 test match win over Georgia in Florence. You could convince me that their win over Japan in 2018 at Kobe Misaki Stadium fits that description. Either way, it’s been a while for them.
Their recent losses also come at a strong point among other Six Nations teams. Wales, who some thought would finish 5th, is undefeated so far. England was in the finals of the 2019 Rugby World Cup. France has one of the best duos in the world, when healthy, with Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack. Scotland beat England at Twickenham. Ireland has two bonus points in their losses. So it shouldn’t be surprising to see Italy struggle against five of the top eight teams in the world.
Why Should I Pay Attention to Italy?
This is an excellent question. There are several reasons why you should watch Italy. First, the most exciting player on the team right now is Paolo Garbisi. The 20-year-old fly-half is just six months younger than I am, yet is already a star. Just watch this try against Ireland last fall below. You won’t be disappointed.
Garbisi is tied for the most offloads during the Six Nations with Antoine Dupont and has the fourth-most points. He will be even better once Jake Polledri returns to the Italian lineup. The Gloucester star suffered a significant knee injury in the Autumn Nations Cup against Scotland last fall. He had surgery for the incident but there still isn’t a timetable for his return to the pitch. Once Italy can pair those two together, they’ll be a hard unit to go up against.
Finally, you should want to root for the underdog story that is Italian rugby. Most people care about the results, not the process. While the results aren’t pretty, the process is becoming less painful. When you watch this team, you can see the improvement that is being made. They’re making better passes, taking fewer penalties, and nearly had 60% of the possession against France.
Final Thoughts on Italian Rugby
You might say that Italy is not good. But think about the level of competition they’re facing! While they probably aren’t going to beat anyone this year or next year, the process is putting them in a good spot. They have quality pieces and could be a top 10 team at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Watch out for Italy and don’t knock a team taking the long way to success. Between Garbisi and Polledri, they’ll be contenders sooner than you think.
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