Six Nations, it’s up to Italy that never betrays: blue on the field against France

PARMA – A few months ago they wrote Italian oval history: the first national team to qualify in the quarterfinals of a World Cup. Tomorrow afternoon, the Azzurri will restart their wonderful adventure by facing France at the Lanfranchi stadium in Parma (4.00 pm, live on Sky Sport and Now) in the first round of the women’s Six Nations. We start right from the last opponent of the World Cup, the very strong France which is in 3rd place in the ranking and in the New Zealand World Cup had eliminated us quite clearly (3-39). Since then the coach of Italy has changed: Giovanni Raineri, who at the time was an excellent player and wore the blue shirt 22 times, takes the place of Andrea Di Giandomenico, the coach who made the leap in quality to girls’ rugby and today leads the men’s U18.

Raineri: “A nice mix of youth and experience”

Captain Lamaro’s men’s national team has just closed another Six Nations of defeats, but playing a game that hasn’t been seen for a long time and coming very close to a couple of successes. The U20s played in arguably their best tournament ever, finishing 3rd in the table after defeating Wales and Scotland to break the try score record. Now it’s the turn of the girls, the only ones who have never cheated in past seasons. Wales-Ireland and England-Scotland are scheduled today, tomorrow it’s our turn. Raineri can’t wait to get started. “For me it’s a double emotion: experiencing it for the first time as a coach, after taking the field as a player. All the athletes will have to give their best: the more experienced, pulling the younger ones and the girls with fewer appearances with the aim of confirming the good things they have already shown”.

Italy: Ostuni Minuzzi – Muzzo, Sillari, Rigoni, D’Incà – Madia, Stefan – Giordano, Franco, Sgorbini – Duke, Fedrighi – Gai, Vecchini, Turani. Subs: Stecca, Maris Seye, Tounesi, Locatelli, Barattin, Stevanin, Capomaggi.
France: Boulard – Manet, Menaget, Vernier, Boujard – Arbez, Bourdon – Escudero, Gros, Berthomieu – Forlani, Feleu – Khalfaoui, Sochat, Deshaye. Available; Doman, Lindelauf, Bernadou, Picut, Hermet, Chambon, Tremouliere, Dupouy.
Referee: Cogger-Orr (Nz)