Italy national rugby league team

Italia
Nickname	The Azzuri
Governing body	Federazione Italiana Rugby League - FIRL
Region	Europe
Head coach	Carlo Napolitano
Captain	Anthony Minichiello
Most caps	Adam Capovilla
Home stadium	Stadio Plebiscito
RLIF ranking	18th
	Colours
	Colours
First international
	France 29–17 Italy ; (Cahors, France; 1951)
Biggest win
	Italy 92–6 Russia ; (Stadio Plebiscito, Padova; 15 October 2011)
Biggest defeat
	Scotland 104–0 Italy ; (Stadio Plebiscito, Padova; 17 October 2009)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

The Italy national rugby league team represents Italy in international rugby league football. The team dates back from the 1950s after the formation of a domestic competition in the country, and in the 1960s they played Australia, France and a number of English teams.

The game disappeared in Italy in the 1970s and no international matches were played. The team was revived in the mid-90s and Italy began competing in various international tournaments. The team qualified for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, their first time to the tournament.

Currently the team are ranked 18th in the world, behind Japan but ahead of Germany. In Europe they are ranked 13th, behind Malta. English - Italian Carlo Napolitano coaches the team, and Marco Ferrazzano as captain of the side.

[edit] History

In 1950, a team from Turin tours the North of England. Italy later runs a domestic competition. A year later the first official match of the Italian national team took place in Cahors, France. Italy lost 29-17 although the Azzurri ended the first half leading 10-7.

Sixteen official matches were played against English teams in the season 1952-53, as well as a triangular tournament between Italy, France and England.

In 1958, in Treviso under the Italian Federation of Amateur Rugby 13 (FIAR 13) was formed and was recognised by the Rugby Football League. With this recognition and funding from England, the sport of rugby league became popular in Italy. In their first year, the FIAR had 24 clubs and 620 players.

In 1960, Italy played Australia in two international matches held in Italy, the results were 37-15 and 67-22 losses. In the late 1960s, threats made by the rugby union governing body Italian Rugby Federation to ban players who played rugby league from their sport had the effect of killing off the sport in Italy by the 1970s. As a consequence the Italian national team ceased to exist.

In the mid 1990s the team were revived by two Italian-Australians, Domenic Pezzano and John Benigni, known as 'The Italian Rugby League A XIII' (IRL A XIII) was formed in 1993. Pezzano coached Italy in the Coca Cola Rugby League World Sevens in Australia with the team being predominately players from Italy and one Italo-Australian player captained the team - Orazio D'arro in this tournament. The IRL recorded a win against Morocco and loses against South Africa.

After that event, the Italia Rugby League began competing in various international tournaments, such as the Super League rugby league nines tournament in Fiji, World Sevens, St.Marys Sevens, Wollogong Sevens and the Mediterranean Cup in 1999. They attempted to qualify for the 2000 Rugby League World Cup and ended up in the Rugby League Emerging Nations Tournament in which they were runners-up to British Amateur Rugby League Association.

In 2002, the Azzuri were back playing internationals in Italy with a triangular tournament featuring Scotland and Russia. Italy lost to Tartarstan of Russia but tied their second game with Scotland 16 all. In 2003 Italy played Scotland again and contested the Ionio Cup against Greece, which they won.

In 2006, Italy played three matches, two against South Africa and one against British Amateur Rugby League Association.^[1] In 2006 the Federazione of Italia Rugby League (FIRL) were founded.

The Federazione of Italia Rugby League was officially moved to the "official observer" status by the Rugby League European Federation from an unranked position on the 15th April, 2008.^[2]

Italy won the RLEF European Shield in 2008 and 2009, and as such were drafted into the 2009 European Cup following Russia's withdrawal from the tournament. During this tournament, Italy were handed their record defeat by Scotland, but they did manage to record one victory, over Serbia at The Old Parish in Maesteg, Wales.^[3]^[4]

In Autumn 2010 Italy embarked on a short tour of Wales, culminating in a match in Wrexham on October 6th in which they faced Wales for the first time in a full Rugby League international. The Italian side obtained a remarkable 13-6 victory, the first against a national team of the British Isles. ^[5]

[edit] 2013 World Cup Qualifying

In 2011, Italy contested the qualifying tournament for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, competing against Russia, Serbia and Lebanon. Coached by Carlo Napolitano and captained by Anthony Minichiello, Italy's draw with Lebanon was enough for them to gain the 14th and final place in the 2013 World Cup.^[6]

[edit] Competitions

Italy or Italy A has participated in:

World Sevens (1995, 1997, plus the qualification tournament in 2003)
Superleague World Nines (1996)
Emerging Nations Tournament (2000) - Runners-Up
Ionio Cup (2003 and 2004) - Winners
St.Mary's World Sevens - Australia
Wollongong Sevens - Australia
Columbus Cup between USA Tomahawks and Italy (2006)- Champions
RLEF European Shield (2008 and 2009) - Champions
Aus-Med Shield (2009) - Runners-Up
Rugby League European Cup (2009)
2013 Rugby League World Cup Qualifiers

[edit] Results

Year	Date	Result	Venue	City	Crowd	Competition
2011	15 October	Italy def. Russia 92-6	Stadio Communale del Plebiscito	Padova	2,100	2013 Rugby League World Cup Qualification Tournament
2010	6 October	Italy def. Wales 13-6	Racecourse Ground	Wrexham	2,971	Rugby League International
2010	25 September	Italy def. Lebanon 24-16	Stadio Plebiscito	Padova	???	Rugby League International
2010	22 September	Lebanon def. Italy 16-8	Campo Rugby Monselice	Monselice	???	Rugby League International
2009	8 November	Italy def. Serbia 42-14	The Old Parish	Maesteg, Wales	around 2000	Rugby League European Cup
2009	24 October	Lebanon def. Italy 86-0	International Olympic Stadium	Tripoli	500	Rugby League European Cup
2009	17 October	Scotland def. Italy 104-0	Stadio Plebiscito	Padova	2,139	Rugby League European Cup
2009	17 October	Greece A def. Italy A 34-10	Marconi Stadium	Sydney	around 2500	Aus-Med Shield Final
2009	10 October	Italy A def. Malta A 34-10	Marconi Stadium	Sydney	around 2500	Aus-Med Shield
2009	18 July	Italy def. Germany 42-30	Stadio Plebiscito	Padova		European Shield
2009	11 July	Italy def. Czech Republic 38-8	Stadio Plebiscito	Padova		European Shield
2009	6 June	Morocco def. Italy 32-10
2008	12 July	Italy def. Czech Republic 38-18	Stadio Plebiscito	Padova		European Shield
2008	13 June	Italy def. Germany 58-26	Stadio Plebiscito	Padova		European Shield
2008	12 June	BARLA def. Italy 64-0	Stadio Plebiscito	Padova		Simone Franchini Nines
2006	13 June	South Africa def. Italy 60-20		Monselice		Simone Franchini Nines
2006	12 June	South Africa def. Italy 76-6		Monselice		Simone Franchini Nines
2006	9 June	BARLA "B" def. Italy 38-18		Monselice		Simone Franchini Nines
2006	4 February	Italy A def. USA 38-6	Marconi Stadium	Sydney	2,000	Columbus Cup
2004	2 October	Italy def. Greece 58-14	Marconi Stadium	Sydney		Ionio Cup
2003	2 October	Italy def. Greece 26-24	Kogarah Jubilee Oval	Sydney	around 3000	Ionio Cup
2003	11 July	Scotland A def. Italy 30-10
2002		Tartarstan/Russia def. Italy 16-12
2000	20 November	BARLA def. Italy 64-0	Dewsbury	Dewsbury		2000 Rugby League Emerging Nations Final
2000	17 November	Italy def. USA 40-16	The Shay	Halifax, West Yorkshire		2000 Rugby League Emerging Nations Tournament
2000	15 November	Italy def. Canada 66-6	Cougar Park	Keighley	???	2000 Rugby League Emerging Nations Tournament
1999	17 November	Italy def. France 14-10
1999	14 November	Italy def. Morocco 34-0
1999	11 November	Lebanon def. Italy 36-16
1960	24 January	Australia def. Italy 67-22	Stadio Tenni	Terviso	3,105
1960	23 January	Australia def. Italy 37-15	Stadio Euganeo	Padua	3,500
1951	15 April	France Amateurs def. Italy 29-17		Cahors

[edit] Overall Record

The overall record for the Italian Rugby League, including all national team, competitions, international friendlies, tours and Italy A matches (all affiliated matches).