If you want to know why Carlo Tizzano has a chip on his shoulder, you’ve got to go back to 2017.
After a state schoolboys match, the teenager went to exchange jerseys with his rivals from the eastern states.
What happened next left his blood boil.
“When you to go to state teams as a WA boy, you get the NSW and Queensland boys who laugh at you,” the now 24-year-old recalls in an interview with The Roar.
“I remember once we went to swap kit with the boys and they laughed at us and asked us why we would want WA kit? We’ll put WA on the map.”
With the Western Force temporarily removed from Super Rugby, it’s fair to say Tizzano carried that baggage across the Nullarbor when he arrived at the Waratahs wanting to give Super Rugby a shake in 2020.
It didn’t take Tizzano long to make an impression, with the openside flanker immediately earning a spot on the bench behind Michael Hooper in the opening match of the 2020 season against the Crusaders.
But he also put a target on his back with his bold ambition – by stating that the only reason he came to the Waratahs was to take Hooper’s spot in the No.7 jersey.
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Carlo Tizzano says his boldness at the Waratahs wasn’t taken well by his teammates. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Talk about ruffling feathers.
“My teammates, they probably didn’t take it the right way – and I felt that,” Tizzano said.
“But that’s not a me problem – and it took me a while to realise that.”
So how does Tizzano reflect on the infamous line?
“My mindset isn’t any different,” Tizzano said.
“I think a lot of people don’t understand that. At the end of the day, saying that to the media probably wasn’t the right thing. But what an awesome mindset for a 19-year-old kid to be like, ‘No, I’m coming here to compete.’
“I think people kind of come away from that and they go, ‘Oh, who does he think he is?’ But I’m just a kid who wants to compete.
“I’m from WA. It’s always been a lot harder for me to get to where I am because we don’t have the rugby schools, our programs aren’t as elite, and we don’t get recognised as much.
“Being from WA, you’ve got to have that chip on your shoulder and want to compete at every moment otherwise it’s going to be a bloody tough journey to being a professional rugby player because everyone plays AFL. If you want to play rugby in this AFL town, usually people laugh at you.
“I look back on it and think I probably shouldn’t have said anything, but I won’t hide behind it.”
Carlo Tizzano says the change at the Western Force since his return to the Super Rugby franchise has been stark. (Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images)
Tizzano left the Waratahs at the end of 2022.
With Charlie Gamble having a breakout season and Hooper ultimately playing his final season in the blue jersey last year, Tizzano left and spent a season in England’s second tier RFU Championship with Ealing Trailfinders.
The season gave Tizzano, whose physicality, work rate and prowess over the ball have always been strong features of his game, a new perspective.
“To be honest, the quality of the rugby in the Championship wasn’t great,” he said.
“But, for me, I’ve been full-time since I was 17 and to go somewhere where I was a bit more relaxed and do a bit more travel and do this, do that … when I’m playing Super Rugby I’m very tunnel-visioned and that can be quite consuming, so it was nice to move away and get a bit more perspective on things.
“It made me appreciate the game a lot more playing in zero degrees on a cabbage patch.”
It wasn’t long before Tizzano made his way home, as new Force coach Simon Cron, a former loose-forward himself, welcomed the local talent back to the Super Rugby franchise.
Despite coming off an ankle injury, Tizzano was catapulted straight into the firing line and made an instant impression towards the back end of last season.
His strong work rate and ability to get on the ball made many sit up and take notice.
Tizzano, too, has noticed a significant change at the Force since he first burst on the scene for the club in Andrew Forrest’s Global Rapid Rugby series.
“When I got here I was like ‘Holy’,” Tizzano said. “I thought I’d missed out over the past year.
“It’s crazy. When I look back when I was that age, you think you know a bit but you’ve got no clue.
“Coming into this season compared to 2019, it’s exciting. To see the club and where it’s gone to. Look at our women’s program. We’re the first club to sign multi-year deals for some of our players. That’s unbelievable.”
Simon Cron’s Force open their campaign against the Hurricanes on Friday night. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
Tizzano said Cron, who is in his second season at the club, has helped drive the Force forward.
“He’s awesome. He’s a competitor himself,” Tizzano said.
“I come in early myself. But on the occasional morning he’s not in early, I’ll stand outside his desk and say, ‘Day off mate?’ Then he’ll go and Facetime me behind his desk at 7pm.
“His knowledge around the breakdown.
“To have Michael Hooper, Scotty Wisemantel and Mike Cron come in over the pre-season because they want to help out Cronny, and what we’re building, is unbelievable.
“For all of them to say what we’re building here is legit, the culture and the high performance program we’re building here is bloody good, for them to say, it just proves we’re on the right track.”
As for Tizzano’s relationship with Hooper?
“Hoops is awesome,” the flanker said. “He’s so competitive himself. I’ve had so many yarns with Hoops. He came in over pre-season and how generous he is with his knowledge is second to none.”
Tizzano will start in the No.7 jersey against the Hurricanes in the Force’s opening Super Rugby match against the Hurricanes on Friday night.
Wolzal
Roar Rookie
The AFL would love it if people did, it would really help them reinforce their marketing to co-opt the code and make their league synonymous with the sport, along with re-writing history and erasing anything that isn't "VFL-AFL". But it is still just a league, and not the sport. You don't play NBA, or have a round of PGA, or train UFC.
Cec
Roar Rookie
:laughing: Fart, it’s the professional era. State lines became irrelevant decades ago. Nostalgia is nice but outdated.
Farthing
Roar Rookie
Yeah they get poached in the juniors. Correct.
Cec
Roar Rookie
Hey fart. Try reading just a bit further…here you go pal. “ You do know that even juniors are seeking out the Brums as it’s the only consistent high performance outfit.” I guess the Brums can pull back a bit and make a less compelling value proposition for your juniors.
Farthing
Roar Rookie
We are in the context of junior footy here Cec. Keep up.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Cec. You need to look in yours. I accept that the NSW and Qld schools don’t come out out of the story above showing acceptable behaviour. Just don’t pretend that the load of those players that go on to the Brumbies are somehow not part of it.
Cec
Roar Rookie
Jez mate perhaps just look in your own backyard. Keeps it simple. i won’t bother listing other names like KB. You can do that
jeznez
Roar Guru
Cec mate, the Brumbies recruit the very players that Carlo is complaining about. Schoupp, Pollard, Ala'alatoa, Frost, Swain, Hooper, Reimer, Cale, White/Goddard, Lolesio, Wright, Ikitau, etc. all played for the schools teams you are complaining about. I point out some of their actions on the pitch but the magic water in the ACT has made them all humble now? Did they learn from Mr Humility himself? Old 'Four More Years' Gregan?
Cec
Roar Rookie
Wow jez you’re framing moments within games that are heat of the battle events which every player experiences and often in retaliation. You should know this article, and what Carlo has described is after the whistle off-field events where I nstead handshakes and respect should mean something & be given whether in juniors or in pros. If you’re okay with what Carlo experienced as a junior from those Tahs boys then I’ll leave you with it to further contemplate.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Admittedly White has moved on but was always gobby. Some of the crap he was pulling on Anstee a season or two ago will have made for an interesting new team dynamic. _ Wright continues to throw the ball in the face of tacklers when he scores. _ Lolesio shouts out his opponents name when he scores if he thinks they are being talked up. _ Valetini is in there with head rubs and plenty of chat for Swinton and Wilson. _ Swain is an absolute pork chop, the list goes on an on. _ And you talk about the investment in culture. Best we not talk about the old days and pro athletes belting up punters in the car park, refusing to pay taxi fares and then stoving in the bonnet and roof in Durban, etc.
Cec
Roar Rookie
Happy to accept that’s your view jez but I just don’t agree with it at all. Our coach and senior players just won’t let that happen. Too much has been invested in the club’s culture which is a reason for their success. If you ever get a chance to meet these guys you’ll understand what I mean. Teams get in trouble when they read their own press which I think has been Tahs issue like the customary pre-season talk.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Brums pretty arrogant of late. No surprise, they’ve been top of the Aussie heap for a while.
Cec
Roar Rookie
:laughing: :laughing: I think some here confuse pro rugby with u16s. Since when did it matter where players come from? It’s pro rugby!
Cec
Roar Rookie
That’s the way it should be BF. Keep it real no matter the success. A hiding is where players learn a few things too. My post was an exaggerated wind up nothing more. When the boys on my team, who are mostly private school boys, get a hint of arrogance about them I make sure to find a few drills that quickly stamps it out. Most of them are throwing up on those days :laughing:
Cec
Roar Rookie
Hey Fart. Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good rumour. The only ones who I think have a Reds/Tahs jumper at Brums is Nev & Slips and they were cut from your teams. No probs we’ll have them. :laughing: You do know that even juniors are seeking out the Brums as it’s the only consistent high performance outfit.
Cec
Roar Rookie
Nice one jez :laughing: Brums are pretty selective though. Have you met those boys at the Brums from NSW & QLD? They are quite humble. Brums culture and guys like Bernie, AAA & Slips set the tone. I’d say that any big headed baggage from GPS days gets ironed out & if not then there’s the door, don’t let it hit you on the way out. :laughing:
MO
Roar Rookie
I liked Peter Bols interview after his race at the olympics. He said to be honest I came here to win it. You won’t be very competitive if you are not trying to win
MO
Roar Rookie
The environment helps the skills too. I toured the UK and played in 0 degrees and played in 10 inches of mud played Germany on a frozen pitch in -10 and played in Perth in 35 degrees. It’s all good stuff
HiKa
Roar Rookie
What a great interview! Real character shining through. Worth noting how that "year off" in English second division was a positive for a young man. People designing "pathways" to elite rugby need to include growth of the person, not just the rugby player.
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
I was on the wrong side of a record 86 point loss once (back in the days of 4 point tries). Next time we played them, our opponents didn’t take us seriously. We won that game 10-4. Win or lose, you’ve got to respect your opposition.