The jury is out but we will surely know more this afternoon when a fully booted and suited France, smarting from defeat at Twickenham, go looking for revenge at Stadio Olympico.
The class of 24-25 have back up and cover in most positions, big injuries don’t automatically torpedo their chances. That’s where they exceed all previous Italian sides and one of the reasons they have lost just one of their last five Six Nations games which is a record some would kill for.
But how do they stack up against the starting XV from 2013, the team that beat France and Ireland and went down 1811 to England at Twickenham?
This is the starting team that beat France 23-18 that year, Italy’s last win over Les Bleus: Masi; Venditti, Benvenuti, Sgarbi, McLean; Orquera, Botes; Lo Cicero, Ghiraldini, Castrogiovanni. Geldenhys, Minto, Zanni, Favaro, Parisse. Edoardo Gori came in at nine for the England and Ireland games. Who in the current starting line-up definitely gets in ahead of that vintage year?
In the front five only Federico Ruzza makes it for me ...
The class of 24-25 have back up and cover in most positions, big injuries don’t automatically torpedo their chances. That’s where they exceed all previous Italian sides and one of the reasons they have lost just one of their last five Six Nations games which is a record some would kill for.
But how do they stack up against the starting XV from 2013, the team that beat France and Ireland and went down 1811 to England at Twickenham?
This is the starting team that beat France 23-18 that year, Italy’s last win over Les Bleus: Masi; Venditti, Benvenuti, Sgarbi, McLean; Orquera, Botes; Lo Cicero, Ghiraldini, Castrogiovanni. Geldenhys, Minto, Zanni, Favaro, Parisse. Edoardo Gori came in at nine for the England and Ireland games. Who in the current starting line-up definitely gets in ahead of that vintage year?
In the front five only Federico Ruzza makes it for me ...
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The Rugby Paper (Digital) - 1 Issue, February 23, 2025