Italy national rugby league team

The Italy national rugby league team represents Italy in rugby league football. With origins dating back to the 1950s and 1960s, the team has competed regularly in international competitions since 2008, when their current governing body, the Federazione Italiana Rugby League, was formed. They are currently ranked 13th in the IRL World Rankings.

Italia
Badge of Italia team
Team information
NicknameAzzurri
Governing bodyFederazione Italiana Rugby League
RegionEurope
Head coachLeo Epifania
CaptainNathan Brown
Most capsGioele Celerino (20)
Top try-scorerRichard Lepori (12)[a]
Top point-scorerJosh Mantellato (116)[a]
Home stadiumStadio Plebiscito
IRL ranking13th
Uniforms
First colours
Team results
First game
Wigan 49–28 Italy 
(Central Park, Wigan; 26 August 1950)
First international
 Italy 15–37 Australia 
(Stadio Euganeo, Padua; 23 January 1960)
Biggest win
 Italy 94–4 Spain 
(Campo Sportivo Manta, Saluzzo; 10 June 2017)
Biggest defeat
 Italy 0–104 Scotland 
(Stadio Plebiscito, Padua; 17 October 2009)
World Cup
Appearances3 (first time in 2013)
Best resultGroup stage (2013, 2017,2021)

History

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In 1950, a team from Turin toured the North of England. Italy later started a domestic competition. A year later the first official match of the Italy 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, the 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 Italy 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 predominantly players from Italy and one Italo-Australian player captained the team – Orazio D'Arrò in this tournament, Pezzano also coached the Italian team that participated in the first ever Super League World Nines tournament which was hosted by Fiji, that team was made up of Italian players, Italian Origin players and included 1st Graders such as Dean Schifilliti, Mark Corvo, Luke Davico and Italian dual international Orazio Arancio.

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 Azzurri were back playing internationals in Italy with a triangular tournament featuring Scotland and Russia. Italy lost to Tatarstan 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.

 
Former Italy logo

In 2006, Italy played three matches, two against South Africa and one against British Amateur Rugby League Association.[1]

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 15 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 6 October 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]

2013 World Cup qualifying

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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]

2013 World Cup

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19 October 2013 England XIII   14 – 15   Italy XIII AJ Bell Stadium, City of Salford
Tries:
Tomkins (2), Ablett
Goals:
Widdop
Report
Tries:
Laffranchi, Parata
Goals:
Mantellato (2), Nasso
Drop goals:
Mantellato

Attendance: 4,382
Referee: Richard Silverwood (England)

Italy defeated England 15–14 in an unranked pre-tournament match, which was described as a "humiliating" loss for England. The Italian team led 12–4 during the first half before England's Sam Tomkins scored two tries. Ray Nasso kicked a penalty goal in the 70th minute to level the scores, and Josh Mantellato kicked a drop goal in the 79th minute of the game to reclaim the lead for Italy.[7][8][9]

 
The Italian team playing in their second kit against Scotland in the 2013 World Cup

Italy were drawn in Pool C alongside Scotland, Tonga and they also played an inter-group match against co-hosts Wales. Their tournament began with an upset victory over the co-hosts at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. In their second match, the 'Azzuri' took on Scotland who were coming off an upset win of their own against Tonga. The match turned out to be a thriller and it was tight with a high scoring draw being the result. Italy then had to just win their last pool match against Tonga after Scotland won their match and finished their pool-stage campaign with the same points differential the Italians were currently on. Tonga had nothing but pride to play for after their hopes of qualification had vanished but they shocked Napolitano's men by keeping them scoreless and therefore eliminating Italy from having any chance to play in the 2013 World Cup knockout round.

2017 World Cup qualifying

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Italy participated in the qualification for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. The first stage of qualifying involved having to finish in the top 3 in their 2014–15 European Shield competition. Italy only managed to secure qualification for the 'final qualification tournament' after winning their second to last game against bottom placed Ukraine. Italy finished the Shield in third place with 3 wins and 3 defeats in six matches.

The final qualification tournament consisted of 6 teams - the top three teams from the European B tournament, the winners of the European C tournament and seeded nations Wales and Ireland. The tournament featured two groups of three teams playing in a single round-robin format. The winners of each group qualified for the World Cup, while the runners-up faced each other in a play-off match on 5 November 2016 to determine the final spot. A seeded draw took place to determine the groups on 5 November 2015. Italy are placed in Group A alongside European B tournament champions Serbia, and Wales.

2021 Rugby League World Cup

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Italy started off their World Cup campaign with a 28-4 victory over Scotland. This was followed by heavy defeats against Fiji and Australia which left Italy third in the group which meant their elimination from the tournament.[10][11]

Identity

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Italy's kit suppliers are FI-TA.

 
 
 
 
 
2013 World Cup Jersey
Home Kit
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2013 World Cup Jersey
Away Kit

Players

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Current squad

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Squad selected for 2021 Rugby League World Cup.

Player Caps Points Club
Daniel Atkinson 3 0   Sunshine Coast Falcons
Nathan Brown 6 0   Parramatta Eels
Joey Tramontana 10 16   Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles
Ryan King 5 4   Whitehaven
Jake Maizen 3 16   Sunshine Coast Falcons
Luca Moretti 3 0   Parramatta Eels
Luke Polselli 3 4   Sunshine Coast Falcons
Jack Campagnolo 6 28   South Sydney Rabbitohs
Alec Susino 5 0   Penrith Panthers
Luke Hodge 3 0   Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles
Kyle Pickering 1 0   Cronulla Sharks
Jack Colovatti 3 0   Parramatta Eels
Ethan Natoli 7 0   Newtown Jets
Rinaldo Palumbo 5 4   London Broncos
Nicholas Tilburg 0 0   Wentworthville Magpies
Gieole Celerino 20 38   Saint-Gaudens Bears
Simone Boscolo 10 20   RC Salon XIII
Giordano Arena 0 0   Catania Bulls
Ippolito Occhialini 0 0   Lignano Sharks
Alex Rojatto 0 0   Lignano Sharks
Dean Parata 10 4   London Broncos
Brendan Santi 15 16   Keighley Cougars
Anton Iaria 7 4   Barrow Raiders
Richard Lepori 13 48   Swinton Lions

Notable representatives

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The following is a list of Italian representative players who have played 50 more or matches in a professional rugby league competition i.e. the National Rugby League and/or the Super League:

Competitive record

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All-time record

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Italy's competitive record as of 07 October 2023[12]

Against Played Won Drawn Lost Win % For Aga Diff
  Australia 3 0 0 3 0% 43 170 –127
  BARLA 1 0 0 1 0% 18 20 –2
  Canada 1 1 0 0 100% 66 6 +60
  Czech Republic 2 2 0 0 100% 76 26 +50
  England 1 1 0 0 100% 15 14 +1
  Fiji 2 0 0 2 0% 14 98 –84
  France 1 1 0 0 100% 14 10 +4
  Germany 4 4 0 0 100% 238 96 +142
  Greece 3 2 0 1 66.67% 98 72 +26
  Ireland 3 0 0 3 0% 42 121 –79
  Lebanon 8 1 1 6 12.5% 99 229 –130
  Malta 4 2 1 1 50% 82 44 +38
  Morocco 2 1 0 1 50% 44 32 +12
  Niue 1 1 0 0 100% 36 32 +4
  Philippines 1 1 0 0 100% 46 16 +30
  Russia 6 4 0 2 66.67% 252 100 +152
  Scotland 3 1 1 1 33.33% 58 138 –80
  Serbia 8 4 0 4 50% 230 196 +34
  Spain 2 2 0 0 100% 128 8 +100
  South Africa 3 1 0 2 33.33% 44 144 –100
  Tonga 1 0 0 1 0% 0 16 –16
  Ukraine 2 2 0 0 100% 94 24 +70
  United States 3 3 0 0 100% 120 22 +98
  Wales 3 2 0 1 66.67% 59 42 +17
Total 68 36 3 29 52.94% 1950 1701 +249

Competitions

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The Italian team has competed in the following matches and tournaments since the reintroduction of rugby league to the country in the 1990s:

Since 2008, Italy has competed in the following Test match tournaments:

IRL Rankings

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Official rankings as of 30 June 2024
Rank Change Team Pts %
1     Australia 100
2     New Zealand 82
3     England 80
4     Samoa 67
5     Tonga 49
6   1   Fiji 49
7   1   Papua New Guinea 47
8     France 28
9     Lebanon 22
10     Cook Islands 20
11     Serbia 19
12     Netherlands 17
13     Italy 15
14   1   Greece 15
15   1   Malta 14
16     Ireland 14
17     Wales 13
18     Jamaica 10
19     Scotland 9
20     Ukraine 7
21     Czech Republic 7
22     Germany 6
23   3   Chile 6
24     Poland 6
25   3   Norway 6
26   1   Kenya 5
27   4   Philippines 5
28   3   South Africa 4
29     Nigeria 4
30     Ghana 4
31   2   United States 4
32   4   Montenegro 4
33   2   Brazil 3
34   2   Turkey 3
35   7   North Macedonia 3
36   2   Bulgaria 3
37   2   Cameroon 2
38   1   Spain 2
39   1   Japan 1
40   1   Albania 1
41   5   Canada 1
42   2   Colombia 1
43   2   El Salvador 1
44   1   Morocco 1
45     Russia 0
46   2   Sweden 0
47   2   Bosnia and Herzegovina 0
48   2   Hungary 0
49   3   Argentina 0
50     Hong Kong 0
51   3   Solomon Islands 0
52   5   Niue 0
53   1   Latvia 0
54   1   Denmark 0
55   6   Belgium 0
56   1   Estonia 0
57   6   Vanuatu 0
Complete rankings at INTRL.SPORT

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b Correct as of 22 November 2017. See List of Italy national rugby league team players for more details.

References

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  1. ^ Italia Rugby League History
  2. ^ "RLEF – Italy Profile". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2009.
  3. ^ "European Cup Relegation Match Report – Italy – Serbia". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2009.
  4. ^ Italy V Serbia Match Details
  5. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 October 2010. Retrieved 3 October 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ skysports.com (29 October 2011). "Italy clinch World Cup place". Sky Sports. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  7. ^ "Rugby League World Cup: England stunned by Italy". BBC. 19 October 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  8. ^ Hadfield, Dave (20 October 2013). "England 14 Italy 15 match report: England in turmoil after humiliating pre-World Cup loss". Independent. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  9. ^ "England 14-15 Italy | Rugby League World Cup warm-up match report". TheGuardian.com. 19 October 2013.
  10. ^ "Relive Scotland's World Cup loss to Italy". BBC Sport. 15 October 2022.
  11. ^ "Rugby League World Cup: Australia 66-6 Italy - Kangaroos cruise to quarter-finals". BBC Sport.
  12. ^ "Head to Head". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
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