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Celtic dawn for the Italians

Roar Guru
5th September, 2010
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Roar Guru
5th September, 2010
20
1292 Reads

It’s only the first week of the Magners League this weekend, the annual rugby union competition involving professional sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales, and it’s off to a cracking start. A glance at the table even after the first round has a few surprise names at the top.

1 Connacht Rugby 1 5
2 Munster 1 5
3 Cardiff Blues 1 5
4 Benetton Treviso 1 4
5 Glasgow Warriors 1 4

With Ireland’s development team province sitting top of the pile after a four-try thrashing of the Welsh Dragons, new coach Eric Elwood couldn’t be happier. But he’ll keep his enthusiasm in check even with a 40-17 scoreline in his back pocket. Sterner tests await with Scarlets and Glasgow Warriors away from their home patch at the Sportsground.

The province which only has enough money to keep players on one-year contracts surprised their own fans as well as the Welsh visitors by coming out of the traps and enjoying their rugby under the new law interpretations for the first time. Irish fly-half Ian Keatley masterminded the play running in a try from the half-way line as well as kicking all the points for the men from the West.

Both sides were missing some senior players, but for the Dragons their dismal record on Irish soil continues – one win in 24 visits and counting.

The other new name sitting in fourth spot is Benetton Treviso, one of the two new Italian clubs who have joined the Celtic League from this season. They hosted the Scarlets at their home stadium – Stadio Comunale di Monigo, in Treviso. Unsurprisingly, a large contingent of Welsh fans travelled for the match – one assumes a sun-drenched weekend in Italy has other obvious attractions beyond the oval ball. In fact, the Scarlets may have had their minds on other attractions too as they took their eyes and hands off the ball in the second half of the match.

For the first 40, they had comprehensively outplayed the former Super 10 side, who have beefed up their squad with nine new players in preparation for playing in the stronger league. It seemed it wouldn’t be enough as the Scarlets ran in three tries in the first half to lead 22-9 at the break.

Traditionally, Italian teams have fallen away as the game goes on and they tire, and the Scarlets must have thought a bonus point was there for the taking. They got one, but as losers as the Italians hit back with three unanswered tries and a couple of penalties to win the match 34-28 in the final few minutes, with scrum half Tony Botes, the star of the show in leading the fightback with 21 points.

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The other truly new team, Aironi Rugby, formed in the last few months from Viadana and other smaller Italian teams, has assembled a host of Italian internationals in their squad, including Quartarolie, Ongaro, Perugini, and del Fava. They’ve also recruited former Munster No 8, New Zealander, Nick Williams and South African lock, Quintin Geldenhuys to captain the side.

They had the most difficult of tasks as newcomers playing Munster in their Cork home ground at Musgrave Park. But they didn’t disappoint and traded penalties and enough early scuffles to cause the Munstermen to sit up and take notice. However, as Munster got on the try scoreboard, and started to build a lead, things began to look ominous.

But the Italians didn’t miss a heartbeat.

From a lineout throw the ball went went quickly wide, a beautiful chip kick and gather, and a swift outside pass, sent new French full-back, Julien Laharrague racing to the corner leaving former All-Black, Dougie Howlett, clutching at grass as he touched down to make it 11-11 as the first half ended.

Munster went into the dressing room suitably chastened. They came out with more vigour and vim for the second 40, and gradually their experience and nous began to tell with their forward pack rumbling over for a try by Niall Ronan. Another one followed from Buckley, before Ronan went over again for the fourth and the bonus point.

Aironi never let up, and their two penalties to leave the final score at 33-17 gave them some deserved respectability. The return match in Italy next March should have an element of grudge as both sides exchanged handbags and a few bloody noses before the ref blew full-time.

The pace of the games weren’t a patch on what we’ve seen in the Tri Nations, but the season always starts slowly up here. And players are going to have get used to playing at a faster and faster pace as experience and learning kicks in. Pace and fitness are at least 25 per cent off their SH counterparts and they will be sunk if they don’t improve drastically over the coming season.

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However, for now, as the Magners’ newcomers celebrate their first week in a new league that promises to reap dividends for the Italian test team in the next 12 months, there’s only two final words to sum up an exciting and welcome development for European rugby.

Viva Italia!

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