Where can Italy of women’s rugby arrive in the Six Nations that is starting again. Coach Nanni Raineri speaks

It’s like the Italy women’s national rugby team this year he is playing two Six Nations in one. The first ended on 2 April and saw the Azzurre play against two of the strongest teams in the world: France and, above all, England, a formation that is scary in terms of physical power and results, capable of winning the last 4 editions of the tournament without losing a single match and defeat in the final of the 2022 World Cup by New Zealand, which has achieved half a feat, despite the value of its squad. The second one will start on April 15th and will be against Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Two home games, the first and the last, against three teams well within Italy’s reachwhich are in fifth place in the ranking world championship and who have the skills and talent to be able to at least try to bring home all three matches.

Coach Nanni Raineri he is more cautious, faithful to the role he has held for only a few months: “Yes, it is as if they were two different tournaments – he says -, but we must not fall into the trap of believing that then we can play sufficiently, because we find three opponents who want to well and try to bring home important points. Ireland, for example, has grown a lot in recent years, we expect a physical and difficult challenge. I’m talking about them because they are our next opponents, but the same goes for Scotland and Wales”.

Italy played a good match against France, within the friendly walls of the Lanfranchi stadium in Parma and did what they could against England. Result: zero victories, some injuries (above all the more serious ones of Turani, Busato and Sgorbini), but also some good indications for Raineri.

“With France we had problems with the stale phases, but we managed to put ourselves in order already with England. One sees the result – explains the coach – and thinks that there is nothing good to save in a game over 68 -5, instead there were very positive things, starting with the attitude of the girls, who immediately adapted to the international context despite the fact that at the moment the Italian championship, in which almost all of them play, is not at the same level as the English one”.

There is actually a big difference between Italy and England, but the Italian rugby movement is growing a lot. In fifteen years the membership has increased, new teams have been born and the federation has considerably increased its commitment, from the creation of the under 20 selection, up to the contractualization of 25 players. An important choice, the latter, which seeks to help the athletes who live in an eternal limbo between work, study, private life and life on the field.

“Often – says Raineri – we don’t have all the players available during the pre-match week, because perhaps they have work shifts, or are preparing for an exam, or both. This is why their talent amazes me even more. Making a name above all, I am thinking of the captain, Elisa Giordano, who works (she is an occupational therapist, ed.) and then goes to train with the club or the national team. A behavior that must be an example, but that the Federation is trying to reward”.

The match against England highlighted an important gap between decidedly professional teams and those who are not. A momentarily unbridgeable gap: England unreachable by anyone, then France, to follow all the others, with Italy wanting third place in this ranking.

And if a doubt arises about the even physical risk of having selections of different levels play, Raineri doesn’t hide, on the contrary he brings out all his experience as a former Azzurro: “We all know it – he says with confidence and betraying his typically Roman accent -, rugby is a tough sport, at any level.Injuries happen and you can’t hide behind the alibi of the value of your opponents.Teams like England, Canada, the United States, New Zealand, France are very physical, it’s true, but Italy is in fifth place in the ranking because it’s worth a lot and because it can do well and grow in this sense too. Let’s start with Ireland, then we’ll prepare the one with Scotland, only then will we think of Wales to conclude. I’ve been here for a very short time and I still have to understand some things well, but I’m trying to bring my game ideas to a group that is very united and rowing in unison towards the goal”.

Raineri took charge of the women’s national team replacing Andrea Di Giandomenico, who is the coach who has the world record for staying with only one national team (13 years, from 2009 to 2022). Doing better than him, who led Italy to the quarter-finals of a World Cup for the first time in history (something that not even his male colleagues have ever done), is difficult, but trying doesn’t hurt.

But first it’s better to think about Ireland, then we’ll see.