The Italian's progression
Thursday 15 December 2011
The Italian's progression
''In the next two or three years we need to be in a position to win the Six Nations''
Those are the ambitious goals of Jacques Brunel, recently appointed head coach of the Azzurri. Brunel replaces the departed Nick Mallet who leaves the post without disgrace having guided Italy to some memorable Six Nations victories in recent years and also, possibly of greater significance, installing the essential structures which will allow for Italy to continue challenging the top tier nations. It's a unique challenge in world rugby, and Mallet acquitted himself incredibly well. I'm choosing to ignore his somewhat confusing decision to use Mauro Bergamasco as a scrum half against England in 2009. That one remains a mystery.
Mallet is a tough act to follow but we wait to see how his successor will fair, and Brunel arrives having previously led Perpignan to a Top 14 championship. Whilst his stated ambitions for the Italian national side are arguably a little over enthusiastic, there remains cause for optimism in the Italian camp, and dare I say it, the possibility of a strong Italian challenge in the Six Nations cannot be completely ruled out of the question.
Despite taking great strides forward under Nick Mallet, Italy fell short of their World Cup aspirations. The Azzurri had hoped to rock the boat in their pool but defeat to Australia and Ireland meant they failed to progress from the group stages for a seventh successive tournament. Mallet will have been disappointed to bow out without achieving a coveted quarter-final spot in New Zealand but their early elimination will hardly have surprised many. The Italians were unfortunate in some ways, coming up against an Irish side just hitting form after an inspired win over Australia. They were always up against it, yet just a few weeks earlier the Irish had appeared vulnerable, struggling for form, to the real possibility of a shock Italian defeat. Mallet must be cursing the schedule.
A rock bottom finish in the 2011 Six Nations did little to suggest Italy are on the cusp of challenging for titles, yet there were good performances during the championship including a memorable comeback victory against France in Rome which prompted emotional scenes at the final whistle. The Azzurri also came agonizingly close to beating Ireland, Italy leading by a point until Ronan O'Gara popped over a 78th minute drop goal (sounds very familiar) to give Ireland a last gasp 13-11 win. Italian stand-off Luciano Orquera failed to emulate O'Gara with his own drop at goal in the last play.
Sadly it was an altogether more familiar story in defeat to England, Wales and Scotland. They briefly held the lead against Scotland but in truth never looked like pushing on to victory at Murrayfield. Those games were littered with too many unforced errors, missed tackles and Italian ill-discipline. Their inability to create clean line breaks or offload from the tackle meant they struggled to threaten the opposition try line regularly, whilst Italy still suffer at times from their lack of a recognised or reliable goal kicker. The Azzurri have always been tricky opposition, and well capable of causing a sensational upset but if Brunel wants his team to reach the next level he must search for consistency.
Central to the development of the national side is the continued progress of Treviso and Aironi competing in the Pro 12 and Heineken Cup. And there are encouraging signs for Brunel, who seems keen that youngsters be given a chance to prove their worth. Treviso in particular, currently sitting sixth in the league, are in impressive form this season having recorded notable wins against Ulster and Connacht in Ireland for the first time. Whilst their narrow Heineken victory over Biarritz means the French side have now lost successive matches in Italy following their shock defeat to Aironi last season.
On two occasions I have watched Italian sides at Ravenhill this season. Firstly, a largely second string Treviso came to Belfast and outmuscled a lacklustre Ulster team. It was an impressive display, with the pack almost entirely dominant and some nice touches from the backs thrown in for good measure. If that game was a measure of the progress in Italian rugby then we're sure to see that translated into greater success for the national team.
The second viewing was less impressive. Aironi made little or no effort to take the game to Ulster in their Heineken fixture, despite the unusually good weather conditions at Ravenhill. Their limited and poorly executed pick and drive game-plan was disappointing to watch and surely won't offer them much reward at this level. Aironi have now lost their opening three Heineken games, conceding a total of sixteen tries, whereas Treviso have now recorded one win and a draw in their pool.
Despite the contrasting fortunes of the club sides this season, Italian rugby has certainly progressed under Nick Mallets stewardship. The national side are far from the whipping boys of the Six Nations, instead they can now hold their own against any side as illustrated against France and Ireland in last year's championship. To find a consistency in their game allowing them to regularly beat the top tier sides is the next challenge. They would have hoped to kick on from their French victory last spring, but defeat in the final round to Scotland and a relatively indifferent World Cup campaign appear to have stalled those ambitions.
Whilst writing this piece, I have been held back by an overriding feeling that Italy will remain nothing more than dangerous underdogs in the Six Nations for the foreseeable future. Brunel wants to challenge for the title within the next two to three years, but there is little to suggest his target is anything more than hopeful enthusiasm on the part of a new coach attempting to raise ambitions within the squad. Personally, I would be surprised if the Azzurri manage anything more than a home win against Scotland in the 2012 Six Nations with difficult fixtures away to France, Ireland and Wales proving beyond them.
@viscount_89
