This particularly competitive 2024 edition of the Six Nations Tournament will have seen its share of twists and turns, at all levels of the rankings. Traveling on Saturday March 16 to the Principality Stadium in Cardiff (Wales) for the fifth and final day of competition, the Italian rugby selection wrote an unprecedented page in its oval history, although often wavering.
Fallers of Scotland (31-29) in Rome, a week earlier, the Azzurri signed a second victory in a row in the Tournament, taking over the XV du Poireau (24-22). With this capital success, the Transalpines not only left the Wooden Spoon – a virtual trophy awarded to the nation that finishes last – in Wales, but above all recorded their best record in the competition, which they joined in 2000.
With two victories acquired, in addition to a draw against the XV of France (13-13), coach Gonzalo Quesada took Italy to fifth place. But he also knew how to show the value of his squad, which is making major progress. While refuting having orchestrated a major change in method: “I didn’t transform anything, I supported work that had already started,” declared the native of Buenos Aires, after the success against the Scots. The Italian Federation is doing a good job, and it is on the right track. »
A talented generation
And the future seems promising for the Azzurri, who have recently seen the emergence of a talented generation. Ange Capuozzo, 24-year-old Toulouse fullback, and true spearhead of this transalpine revival, was unable to take part in his team's success on Saturday, unavailable due to a broken finger.
Which did not prevent his compatriot Paolo Garbisi, 23, from bringing the Squadra Azzurra to Welsh soil. The Toulon opener, agile on his feet, propelled the Italians in the first quarter of an hour, scoring two penalties (6th, 14th). Before offering Monty Ioane the first try of the match (20th), at the end of an Italian push.
If the former Montpellier player did not succeed in passing the ball between the poles at the time of the conversion, he then made up for it on the restart, by converting the Azzurri's second try, scored by Lorenzo Pani (46th). And the Welsh momentum at the end of the match was not enough to bring down the transalpine selection, which successively suffered a charge from Elliot Dee (63rd), then tries from Will Rowlands (79th) and Mason Grady (80th). , transformed by fly-half Sam Costelow.
For the Leek XV, this defeat echoes that suffered two years earlier, still at home, against Italy (21-22). Above all, it marks a slow descent along the mountain of European rugby. A summit that Italy seems to be climbing step by step.
