Rugby, the Under 20 World Cup in South Africa: Italy makes its debut against Argentina

The first challenge is with the Argentine pumitas, when tomorrow in Italy it will be 11 am (live streaming on the worldrugby website), at the Paarl Gymnasium in Paarl: the Azzurri U20s make their debut in the South African oval world championships in their category. It is the opening match of the world championship event and of group C, completed by the home Springboks and Georgia. Twelve teams in the competition, reigning champion France who will find New Zealand the favorite in group A, together with Wales and Japan. Group B is made up of England, Ireland, Australia and Fiji. The winners of each poule plus the best runner-up qualify directly to the semi-finals for the title. The others, depending on their placement, will give rise to a series of semi-finals and cross finals with places from 5th to 12th up for grabs. The bottom placed team is relegated to Pot 2. The blue calendar foresees the clash with South Africa, always on the same terrain, on Thursday 29 June at 4 pm; third meeting with Georgia at 11am on Tuesday July 4th.

Brunello bets on the Six Nations scrum

For the match against Argentina, coach Massimo Brunello – who has to deal with the painful absence of the talented Mey – has decided to field a team that recalls the protagonist of the last Six Nations (Italy U20 finished in 3 th place finish), confirming the scrum that had overwhelmed that of Scotland in the match in Galloway last March. The Battara-Sante duo reassembles in the middle, a backward triangle formed by extreme Brisighella and by the two wings Douglas and Gesi, in the centers Bozzo and Passarella.

“It has been raining for days, beware of the heavy ground”

“Argentina is an unknown factor, we know the value of its athletes but there was very little video material to be able to study them and therefore we will focus even more on our game plan, relying on the team’s ability to adapt to the opponent during the match”, explains Brunello. “The climatic factor will count: it’s raining a lot these days, the fields are heavy. It will certainly be an important confrontation, we have the utmost respect for the pumitas but we also know what we can give”.

Italy: Brisighella – Gesi, Passarella, Bozzo, Douglas – Sante, Battara – Botturi, Odiase, Berlese – Turrisi, Mattioli – Gallorini, Quattrini, Aminu. Subs: Gasperini, Bartolini, Pisani, Pontarini, Ruaro, Casilio, Bozzoni, Elettri.