» Positive test will rule Varney out of Italian squad Sport
GLOUCESTER Rugby scrum half Stephen Varney has been ruled out from earning his first international cap after testing positive for Covid-19.
The 19-year-old has been a revelation for Gloucester Rugby since rugby started and his form earned the diminutive Welsh-born number nine a callup to join the Azzurri senior squad ahead of the autumn internationals.
The Italian Rugby Federation confirmed Varney has tested positive for coronavirus having linked up with the 34-man squad in Rome on Monday, but he is the only one in the squad, which includes clubmate Jake Polledri, to do so meaning Italy will be able to resume their Six Nations campaign against Ireland in Dublin on October 24.
Varney is asymptomatic meaning he is currently not feeling the ill effects of the virus and the scrum half tested negative in his most rest with Gloucester before flying out to Italy.
The Pembrokeshire-born number nine having come through the youth ranks with the Azzurri and earned a man-of-the-match award against Wales back in January in a 17-7 victory in the U20s Six Nations at Colwyn Bay.
Varney comes from a small hamlet of Rhoshill, a few miles south of Cardigan.
He attended Ysgol y Preseli, in Crymych, winning the Welsh Schools Under-16s Cup with them in 2017, but Stephen Lorenzo Varney, to give him his full name, qualifies for Italy through his mother Valeria, with both her parents born in Italy.
Varney’s Italian and Welsh heritage dates back to his great-grandfather who was an Italian prisoner of war at a camp near Newcastle Emlyn. After the Second World War he stayed on and lived on a farm with his wife.
Varney’s talent was spotted by Hartpury College, and like so many before him he then stepped up into the Cherry and White’s ranks.
Varney’s former Gloucester teammate Callum Braley and Zebre’s Marcello Violi are now likely to compete for the starting scrum-half berth at the Aviva Stadium.
England face Italy in Rome in their final Six Nations game on October 30. Before that England face the Barbarians on October 25 with six Gloucester players called up to Eddie Jones’ experimental side which is missing any players involved in the Gallagher Premiership play-offs.
Meanwhile, the man who coached Varney at youth level for 12 years said he was always going to be a top player.
Varney was born in Pembrokeshire and grew up in Rhoshill, a few miles south of Cardigan, with his dad being former Neath flanker Adrian Varney.
He had started out in the junior ranks at Crymych, and had given evidence of his quality when winning the Welsh Schools Under-16s Cup with Ysgol y Preseli in 2017.
Andrew Phillips, an age-grade coach at Crymych RFC, coached him from a young age and said his talent shone through.
“I coached him over a period of 12 years and you could always tell he had it in him to become a good player,” said Phillips. “He packed in for a while to concentrate on his golf but he returned after a short time away.
“We had a cup final soon after and actually played another lad instead of Steve because the other boy had been playing so well at the time.
“But Steve was a class act. He never drank, but he was always one of the boys. I know he enjoyed his time with us.”
Varney had a couple of outings for Scarlets West Under-16s but wasn’t selected for their pathway, hence his decision to take a break from the game.
He got his rugby career back on track, headed for Hartpury College and hasn’t looked back.
He’s a Welsh speaker who’s also learning Italian.
“We went up to see him playing in Colwyn Bay for Italy Under-20s against Wales earlier this year and he was put on the spot by being asked to do an interview in Welsh,” laughed Phillips.
“He came across to us and said he’d mixed a few words up, presumably because he doesn’t use the language so much any more he’s based in England, but when he was talking to the boys in Welsh he was as fluent as ever.
“It’s great for him that he’s gone as far as he has so quickly.
“Off the field, he’s a quiet lad but he’s a big talker on it, bossing things. Everyone around here is pleased for Steve.”