A very good autumn for Italy, a comprehensive win over Chile of course and the excellent win over Australia a highlight. The loss to world number one, the Springboks eventually pulling away from the Azzuri. Italy looked competitive, good even magnificent at times. Wales will be worried, the other four nations should be wary.
The world class centre pairing of Ignacio Brex and Tommasso Menoncello equally adept in creating chances as they at shutting out the opposition. They are the most settled combination of the midfield of any of the nations and with the exciting Paolo Garbisi at fly-half and a fearsome forward pack Italy finally have a team to excited by, a team that could challenge the very best teams.
Italy Fixtures
Scotland (H), 7th February
Ireland (A), 14th February
France (A), 22nd February
England (H), 7th March
Wales (A), 14th March
Italy will be delighted with their fixture list, the opening game against Scotland at home is a huge opportunity. With Scotland’s recent fairly terrible form and the fact they can’t seem to close out wins such as the games against Argentina and the All Blacks in November. Italy will be in a confident mood against Wales who very much are the frontrunners for the wooden spoon.
Italy should win two games if they perform like they did in that famous victory over the Wallabies. Scotland at home and Wales away are games that very much are not just winnable that games that Italy at their best will dominate those games.
The one glaring omission from Italy’s Six Nations party is fullback, Ange Capuozzo, he is Italy’s ace in the hole, he’s quick, electric and a huge part of the way Italy attack. Along with him the experienced head of Sebastien Negri and the highly rated Ross Vintcent will be huge misses for Italy also Tommasio Allan who although behind Garbisi in the pecking order is a useful player to bring on in the final quarter of tight encounters.
There’s a return for Benneton fullback Matt Gallagher and fellow Benneton back, Paolo Odogwu two players that are more than qualified to improve the Italians. The welcome addition of Samuele Locatelli is also a bold move from Gonzalo Quesada.
Italy have improved massively since the previous World Cup and are building nicely this upturn in form along with the decline of some of the older sides has worked in their favour.
With their opener against Scotland in Rome and their trip to Cardiff on weekend five do very much look like Italy’s winnable game sandwiched in between three difficult games. The home game against England could be a feisty encounter too, Italy notoriously difficult to beat at home, England in good form but certainly beatable but I think England will have too much but two wins and a fourth placed finish would represent a good tournament for Italy.
Our Italy 23 to face Scotland
1 Danilo Fischetti (Northampton) 2 Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Francis) 3 Simone Ferrari 4 Niccolo Cannone (both Benetton) 5 Andrea Zamboni (Exeter) 6 Alessandro Izekor 7 Michele Lamaro (Captain) 8 Lorenzo Cannone (all Benetton)
9 MartincPage-Relo (Bordeaux) 10 Paolo Garbisi (Toulon) 11 Monty Ioane (Lyon) 12 Tommsso Menoncello (Benetton) 13 Igancio Brex (Toulon) 14 Louis Lynagh 15 Matt Gallagher (both Benetton)
16 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo (Zebre) 17 Mirco Spagnolo (Benetton) 18 Marco Riccioni (Saracens) 19 Federico Ruzza (Benetton) 20 Samuele Locatelli (Zebre) 21 Stephen Varney (Exeter) 22 Leonardo Marin (Benetton) 23 Edoardo Todaro (Northampton)
Last Season: 5th
Prediction: 4th
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