Captains switch sides as Australia meet Italy at Rugby League World Cup
Italy are playing Australia on Saturday night for the first time in 62 years and the teams are almost as mismatched now as they were then. The Kangaroos – featuring legendary players Reg Gasnier and Harry Wells, Johnny Raper and Rex Mossop – were playing the 37th and final match of a mammoth two-year European tour and romped to a 67-22 victory in Treviso. It would be no surprise if there was a similar scoreline on Saturday in St Helens.
Germano Occialini was among the 3,105 spectators at the Stadio Omobono Tenni on that freezing afternoon in January 1960 to see Ken Irvine score six tries for the visitors. A rugby fanatic, he slogged 75 miles through snow from Udine to see these mystical Australians. Now, six decades later, his grandson Ippolito Occhialini is in the Italy squad. And the 24-year-old halfback hopes to make his international debut against the Kangaroos and complete an extraordinary family circle.
“I knew my nonno loved rugby but it was only when I went through his things earlier this year that I found the programme from the Treviso match,” says Occialini. “He had got nearly all the Australia player’s autographs. He was 50 years old then – not a kid – but he was so into rugby.”
Back in 1960, Italy had a 24-team league that spread from Venice to Florence. Now the bulk of their squad was born and bred in Australia, adding emotional layers to Saturday night’s encounter. In fact, Italy may be captained by a former Australia player and Australia may be captained by a former Italy player. James Tedesco and Nathan Brown, who were both born in Australia, played together for Italy at the last World Cup, then both represented Australia – Tedesco as Test match fullback, Brown as roaming forward in their triumphant World Cup nines team – but are now opponents.
Australia are already through to the quarter-finals, but their skipper has pleaded for coach Mal Meninga not to rest him. “I’m keen to play, for sure,” says Tedesco, whose grandparents are from Calabria. “I want to play against Italy. I always show great respect for Italy. The last three years I’ve not been able to get games in for Australia so while I’m here I want to play as many games as I can. It will be a special moment for my family back home – and for me. It won’t be too weird – it will be cool.”
Tedesco has been at a different stage of his career for the last three World Cups: an unknown rookie in 2013, an NRL star in 2017, and the leader of the world champions in 2022. “Each one has been different,” he says. “It’s just how my career has gone. In 2013 I was just getting started as an NRL player, playing in the centres at the Tigers. I was only 19 years old then. I enjoyed the whole experience, coming over here and playing with guys like Minichiello, Guerra and Laffranchi.
“My proudest moment was putting the jersey on for the first time and then winning the opening game, against Wales in the Millennium Stadium. I got an early ball and flicked it to our winger and everyone said: ‘Ah, this kid goes alright.’ It was probably my breakthrough moment. It’s pretty special for me. I will remember for ever. I can’t thank Italy enough for what they’ve done for me and my confidence.”
There was a possibility that one Tedesco would be playing for Italy at this tournament. James’s older brother Matt captained Italy against the Philippines in 2019, but did not keep his place in the squad. “We never got to play together, other than in the backyard as there was too much of an age gap,” says James. “I love Matt. He’s my biggest fan and a proud Italian.”
With the next World Cup only three years away, Tedesco hopes to be in the Australia side in France. “Hopefully I will still retain the jersey, but there are a lot of great full-backs coming through. It was always my dream to play full-back for Australia, but there were so many great full-backs it took a while. My main heritage is Australian. It’s where I was born and bred.”
Italy skipper Brown started his international career with the Azzurri in 2017 before switching to the green and gold of Australia in 2019. Now he is back in the blue of Italy. “One of the reasons I’m here is to help grow these kids, to teach them as much as I can and help those young Italian boys coming through,” says the Parramatta Eels forward. “Every time at training or outside the training field, the way you act and behave, the knowledge and standards you have, shows them what it takes to be a professional rugby league player. It’s their dream to play in the NRL, which really makes me feel humble and very grateful as I know how much these boys would give up in their lives to play in the NRL.”
That impact will be immediately measurable. Occhialini expects to be in action for Lignano Sharks against Pasian di Prato in Udine next weekend, when domestic rugby league returns to Italy for the first time since the pandemic. His grandfather would be extremely proud.
World Cup memory
Having lost to England for the third straight tournament, France will exit the World Cup this weekend if they lose to Samoa. But at least they can take comfort from knowing they started the World Cup. Not only did Paul Barrière launch the tournament back in 1954, but France played in the first World Cup match to be staged on English soil when they lost agonisingly 13-12 to Australia in Wigan on 24 September 1960. France fell apart after that effort, hammered 33-7 by eventual winners Great Britain at Swinton and ending with a miserable 9-0 defeat to New Zealand.
What they said
“This is my third World Cup here and it’s a rugby league adventure – the more you embrace it, the more you get out of it,” says commentator Andrew Voss, the voice of the NRL on television. “It’s far more than the 80 minutes played. It’s the experience of the fans and the towns getting up close with the stars of the game. It’s an exceptional line-up.” Voss is loving his latest tour of northern England, particularly comparing pies from rival bakeries.
Buzz about: Kyle Evans, Wales
After they had surprised many with their heroic performance against Tonga on Monday night, Wales coach John Kear was incredulous that union-convert Kyle Evans has not been snapped up by a Super League club after four months in the code at Wakefield Trinity. “I can’t understand why Wakefield have not offered him another deal,” said Kear. “That’s basically a very good NRL team and our fellas went punch for punch with them. It was difficult for Kyle, but he coped so well.”
Off the record
Don’t expect Australia to come back to these shores any time soon. The Kangaroos are likely to stay at home next year at least before possibly touring Europe before the 2025 World Cup in France. Instead it seems likely that New Zealand will tour England and France next year. Here’s hoping they can announce that as soon as the World Cup finishes.