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Italy have managed to improve a great deal thanks to head coach Jacques Brunel taking over from Nick Mallett in late 2011.
Last year’s Six Nations showed how Brunel’s methods are slowly but surely working on the Italians; through using their strong pack he has added creativity among the backs.
Italy
2013 Six Nations finish: fourth
Head coach: Jacques Brunel
Captain: Sergio Parisse
Italy are now willing to run with the ball and not afraid of offloads, even at times doing it on their own 22.
Two Italian teams in the Pro 12 (Treviso and Zebre) has helped produce young and exciting backs for the Italians.
Last year their young talents – centre Tommaso Benvenuti and powerful winger Gio Venditti – impressed for Italy in the Six Nations. However, Venditti misses at least the first two of Italy’s Six Nations games with injury, joining veteran duo centre Gonzalo Canale and utility back Andrea Masi on the injury list among the backs.
But with injuries comes opportunity, showing how Brunel has injected youth into the backs.
Of the 14 backs within Italy’s 30 man squad, eight are 23 or younger. Within the squad are young backs such as 21-year-old winger Leonardo Sarto, 20-year-old uncapped winger Angelo Esposito, 23-year-old winger Tommaso Iannone and 21-year-old centre Michele Campagnaro.
These players no doubt will form Italy’s future for the next five to ten years and the Six Nations will help give them valuable experience on the international scene.
These youngsters will be helped by the recall of 89-cap veteran Mirco Bergamasco. Playing for Rovigo in the Italian league, the 30-year-old has proved his fitness after suffering over a year out with a broken kneecap and his return will help bring guidance to this young squad.
Moreover, it is possible Brunel might have solved Italy’s fly half conundrum, which has plagued the Italians ever since Diego Dominguez’s retirement in 2003.
20-year-old Tommy (or Tommaso) Allan was born to a Scottish father and Italian mother, meaning both Italy and Scotland were keeping tabs on him. Though his family (his uncle played for Scotland) wanted to declare for Scotland, it seems Allan has chosen Italy.
Allan is a talented player and can also play at fullback or centre, but it is at flyhalf where he is at its most comfortable. The 20-year-old has played well for Perpignan and has managed to enjoy first team action with regular flyhalf Camille Lopez out for the season.
Allan no doubt will play in the Six Nations and it will be interesting to see how he does.
Among the forwards the same names appear, showing just how illustrious the Italian pack is.
The front five, led by the behemoth that is Martin Castrogiovanni, will no doubt will try to impose themselves in the scrum.
In the back row Sergio Parisse will show why he is regarded as the best No.8 in the northern hemisphere, but I love to see flanker Alessandro Zanni play – the Treviso flanker is one of the most underrated players in world rugby, toiling manfully in the breakdown and breaking a gut for his team.
It is no wonder he has been capped 80 times and will likely reach the 100 club just like Parisse and Castrogiovanni.
Italy’s Six Nations starts off with two imposing away games. The opener is in Cardiff as they face the holders Wales.
Everyone expects a Welsh win but Brunel will no doubt want his team to give Warren Gatland’s men a real battle.
The following week they are in Paris, where the French will no doubt want revenge after a humiliating defeat in Rome a year ago began their disastrous Six Nations campaign.
The Italians play their first home game at the Stadio Olimpico against Scotland, a game Brunel will no doubt have targeted as a potential victory. The Scots have never done well in Italy and haven’t beaten the Azzurri in Rome since 2006.
Their penultimate game is Ireland in Dublin, with the Irish keen to avenge their shock defeat to Italy in Rome last year. The Irish are under new management in Joe Schmidt but losing Stephen Ferris and Sean O’Brien leaves them weak in the loose, which Brunel will no doubt target, as well as their scrum.
That leaves their final game against England in Rome, which is a potential banana skin for Stuart Lancaster’s men. Lancaster will be well aware that Italy beat Ireland in Rome on the final day of the Six Nations. However, it will certainly be a keenly fought contest between the two teams.
This year’s Six Nations will help Jacques Brunel see where his team are at and what needs to be done with nearly 18 months left until the World Cup.
Player to watch
Tommaso Benvenuti – The centre has the ability to create line breaks and run great angles.
His performances for Treviso and Italy last season earned him a move to Top 14 club Perpignan, showing he is one of Italy’s most dangerous players.
Predicted finish
Fifth
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