Six Nations: Italy out to earn more credibility and respect

Updated Jan. 27, 2023 11:09 a.m. ET

Associated Press

A look at Italy's rugby team ahead of the Six Nations starting on Feb. 4:

ITALY

COACH: Kieran Crowley (2nd 6N)

CAPTAIN: Michele Lamaro

2022 SIX NATIONS: 6th

BEST SIX NATIONS RESULT: 4th 2007, 2013

OUTLOOK: It's still about baby steps. Coach Kieran Crowley believes they're three to four years from peaking because of the squad's limited experience. A dozen players are still in single-figure caps. The team is not as street smart as the others, Crowley says. But for the first time in nine years, Italy starts a championship on the back of a win. In the last moments of the last-round match last March in Cardiff, fullback Ange Capuozzo countered from his half, beat Josh Adams to get in the clear and sent wing Edoardo Padovani on his inside to the posts. Paolo Garbisi made the match-winning conversion and Italy had its first Six Nations win since 2015 and first in Wales. Italy still finished last for a seventh straight year but the burdensome 36-test losing streak was over. Progress was evident by autumn wins against Australia and Samoa. Captain Michele Lamaro says the results have given Italy firm belief in the path directed by Crowley. Lamaro adds their main goals are not to concede after errors and to stay in the fight to the end of games to have a chance of winning. As usual, Italy won't be favored in any game. They start with titleholder France at home and also host Ireland and Wales. They go to England (the only team Italy has not beaten in the tournament) and finish in Scotland, where Italy has won twice. Crucially, they are without Garbisi for at least the first couple of rounds, back-rower Toa Halafihi, who was among the turnover leaders in 2022, leading hookers Gianmarco Lucchesi and Hame Faiva, and danger wing Montanna Ioane, who won't be around until after Super Rugby. On the plus side are recalls after long injury layoffs for England-based forwards Jake Polledri and Marco Riccioni and back Matteo Minozzi.

KEY PLAYER: Paolo Garbisi's injury-enforced absence has put the spotlight on expected flyhalf replacement Tommaso Allan. The only other 10 in the squad is Giacomo Da Re, whose only cap was against Portugal last summer. Allan was Italy's starting flyhalf at the last two Rugby World Cups but Garbisi's rise and injuries relegated him. Concussion issues kept him out of the last Six Nations. But Allan has lifted his test tally to 66 since the summer, although he gave Italy coaches a major scare just before the squad naming this month when he was slammed in the neck by Manu Tuilagi. Allan, the Harlequins 10 while Marcus Smith was injured, had just landed from an attempted aerial catch when he was hit by Sale's Tuilagi. The incident was not as bad as it appeared, fortunately. Allan made light of it afterwards. The rare test-playing son of a mother who was a women's international — Italy's Paola Berlato — Allan was raised in Scotland and South Africa and excelled at youth level. Next season, he's leaving Quins and returning to Perpignan, where he made his name from 2013-16. But it looks like Perpignan may have to wait for his services until after the World Cup.

QUOTE: "A good Six Nations for me is building our credibility and respect and putting out performances. We work hard during the week, we get our processes right and we arrive on the weekend comfortable where we're at. Then whatever happens, happens. Hopefully, we do that in five games . . . but we’ll take any wins!” Coach Kieran Crowley

TITLE ODDS: 500/1

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