Rugby, Italy to attack the world champions of South Africa. Lamaro: “We are not afraid”

GENOA – The risk is to arrive at the match with the batteries a little low, after beating Samoa and Australia. And then, tomorrow at the Ferraris in Genoa (2.00 pm, live on TV8 and Sky Sport Arena) the world champions of South Africa will attack the Azzurri from the first second. It will be a storm of footballs being kicked into the sky, and those giant Springboks charging underneath. This time there will be no one to pray to, not like in Florence on the occasion of Donaldson’s (wrong) full-time kick. But Michele Lamaro isn’t afraid: “We’ll play the game with the right attention and awareness of our means. In the last year we’ve worked a lot on attention to detail, aware that every little progress – even away from the field – would have led to greater effectiveness on the pitch. It will be a battle, they come from two defeats and will immediately try to exasperate the physical approach: we are ready, with the right degree of serenity to stay focused on our game plan”. Satisfied blues? “In theory it could be, but given the work done during the week, I wouldn’t say so. We analyzed the match against Australia to smooth out even those details that could be decisive against South Africa. And in any case, such a physical match leaves no room for relaxation of any kind. type: this is very clear to us”, explains the captain.

Thirty thousand at the stadium. And no ‘cages’, this is rugby

This morning coach Crowley’s boys became familiar with the green lawn of Marassi: “It looks like Newlands, the sporting jewel of Cape Town”, says Marzio Innocenti, watching the Azzurri try throw-ins and plays with three-quarters. The president of the Fir does not want to see the “cages” in the stadium that usually house the opposing football fans: the safety nets will be removed for tomorrow, in order to minimize the visual impact. This is rugby. As the hours go by, we get closer and closer to thirty thousand presences. The Australians confessed that they suffered from the presence of the public in Florence. “Tomorrow our fans will do even more, pushing us over the limit. Playing at home is an important weapon, a fundamental support in moments when you are forced to suffer. And then, Genoa is the city of our Pierre Bruno: we are all get excited for him.”

“The national team and its new identity. Felice”

This national team gives the impression of being a united group. Happy. “The autumn test matches are putting us in a position to express our rugby without too many second thoughts. We are building our identity, a game system that allows everyone to express their potential to the fullest. These are the ideal conditions. The The transition from Smith to Crowley has ensured the right continuity to the work undertaken, but also brought about many innovations in terms of work: it is the context in which we are moving, where each component has its specific cost”.

South Africa, a ruthless war machine

South Africa is a ruthless war machine. “He has incredible individual and collective qualities, he was seen against France even in numerical inferiority. In the scrum they are the top in the world, the setback is one of the most dangerous around. We will have to be at our best to stay in the game. Kolisi is a a player I respect very much, he leads his team by example and this makes the difference. This match represents a precise step in the growth we are working on: tomorrow the answers will have their weight, especially in view of the next Six Nations”.

A bag dedicated to Gabriele “Lele” Remaggi

On the sidelines of the conference, a moving recollection of Gabriele “Lele” Remaggi, prop of Cus Genova, unforgettable journalist and writer: in the presence of his wife, Cristiana, of Marzio Innocenti and Enrico Mantovani, president of the Ligurian Committee, on behalf of colleagues Paolo Ricci Bitti del Messaggero has formalized the collaboration between the Fir and the Italian rugby press: a co-financed scholarship has been set up and reserved for high school and university students, based on merit parameters crossing between sporting and scholastic results. The announcement will be published in the next few days on the Federation’s website.

Italy: Capuozzo – Bruno, Brex, Morisi, Ioane – Allan, Varney – Lorenzo Cannone, Lamaro, Negri – Ruzza, Niccolò Cannone – Ceccarelli, Nicotera, Fischetti. Subs: Lucchesi, Nemer, Ferrari, Sisi, Zuliani, Alessandro Garbisi, Padovani, Menoncello.
South Africa: Leroux – Kolbe, de Allende, Esterhuizen, Arendse – Willemse, de Klerk – Wiese, Mostert, Kolisi – Orie, Moerat – Malherbe, Mbonambi, Nche. Subs: Marx, Kitshoff, Koch, Etzebeth, Smith, Roos, Reinach, Libbok.
Referee: Carley (Eng)