Italy v South Africa Italy’s hope is in speed of the back row
Brendan Gallagher looks at the challenge facing Italy and fancies they have an outside chance
SO can Italy, ever present at Rugby World Cups since 1987, finally grab some glory after decades of mediocrity? And are the Italians really thinking about starting talisman Sergio Parisse on the bench against South Africa in Fukoroi on Friday?
Make no mistake, Italy will think they have a shout. From the moment the draw was revealed 18 months ago they knew their World Cup revolved around this match and the outside chance of progressing that it offers.
Italy’s preparation has been good, they are free from major injuries and they are riding high after convincing, free-scoring, wins over Namibia and Canada which were a gentle reminder that Italy can be a very decent team.
Yes, they struggle for wins in the Six Nations but when they move down to the next level they are much too good for most T2 nations. It’s like the athlete coming down from high altitude training and suddenly setting personal bests at sea level. When Italy leave the rarefied atmosphere of the Six Nations they can start to breathe deeply again
Their run into the World Cup and those opening two games have thrown up a couple of interesting selection dilemmas, not least Parisse. The great man is fit, healthy and motivated but he hasn’t got the pace around the pitch of old and doesn’t make the same impact.
And that is amplified because Italy have unearthed two really quick and effective ball carriers in the backrow in Jake Polledri and Seb Negri who are both maturing as players at a rare rate of knots and backs like Matteo Minozzi and Mattia Bellini who take some stopping and need that backrow roaming the field in support.
Italy now have the option of Braam Steyn at No. 8 – a strong, quick runner – which could see them shunt Parisse up to lock, a long-mooted move. Parisse is the last player who would want to be picked for sentimental reasons but there also remains a strong argument for starting him.
The biggest challenge for Italy will be matching the Springbok power and grunt up front and Parisse is still extremely tough and combative. He has never just been a sublime ball playing forward. He’s nails. Italy won’t be operating on the glut of possession they enjoyed against Namibia and Canada. The challenge will be very different. He also has the stature as captain to ‘manage’ the referee to use the modern-day euphemism.
Elsewhere, Gloucester’s Callum Braley went really well at scrum-half against Canada and has immediately clicked with fly-half Tomasso Allen. So another big call to mull over. The incumbent Toto Tibaldi has been a standout in adversity for Italy in recent years but if Italy are to move up another level a smoother link at half-back might be beneficial.
And finally where to play the brilliant Minozzi? Despite two other classy in-form full-backs in the squad – Edorado Padovani and Jayden Hayward – Minozzi’s best and most influential position is clearly full-back. He is a great wing but he is an even better full-back.
Of course Italy do have a recent win over South Africa to reflect on, in Florence just three years ago – but that result and its aftermath is very curious. Although it seemed a launching pad to greater things that team simply melted away.
Only one of Italy’s outstanding pack that started that day – Parisse – is even in Japan. The other seven have all departed the scene with the most grievous loss being former Glasgow
flanker Simone Favaro who simply became disenchanted and quit to become a policemen. He currently plays occasional club rugby for a team based around the National Police Academy in Rome.
Other standouts that day were blindside Francesco Minto and lock Marco Fuser – both from Benetton – but they have faded away. Pugnacious Albanian born hooker Omei Gega seemed another one for the future, but no, as did young scrum-half Sami Panico who has disappeared into obscurity. Among the backs only Padovani and wing Giulio Bisegni have really batted on while the jury remains out on Carlo Canna who remains frustratingly erratic.
So, instead of heralding the good times, that win seemed to spark off another period of decline and selfdoubt even if there have ben good signs with Benetton beginning to be competitive in the PRO14 and some encouraging performances from Italy’s age group teams.
As for South Africa, they, too, have been rebuilding – Florence 2016 and that autumn generally was possibly an all-time low for the Boks. Since then they have enjoyed an infux of new blood, relaxed their attitude to key players employed overseas so the likes of Faf de Klerk and Willie Le Roux can play and undoubtedly rediscovered their mojo.
They beat the All Blacks in New Zealand last year and although the Springboks lost their opening Pool game to New Zealand last week it was nip and tuck. On another day they might have won.
In yesterday’s game against Namibia their second string leaders largely took the lead but their Gun XV will be back in action against Italy. We have already had one huge upset in this World Cup and the Boks won’t want to be on the recieving end of a second shock result.