Beware of Greeks bearing Gifts

Always beware of Greeks bearing gifts.  After England’s humiliating group stage exit there have been a lot of siren voices in the media, usually with a southern hemisphere or Celtic accent, laying the blame on the clubs; too many foreigners they say, you need central contracts they reckon.

Cardiff Blues chairman Peter Thomas has called for regional rugby and Agustin Pichot insists central contracts are the answer.  Jeff Probyn called again for regions in this weekend’s The Rugby Paper.  All very certain it seems.

When Italy joined the Celtic League to form the Pro 12 we heard similar things.  Then FIR president Giancarlo Dondi said "I am sure that the Magners League will bring benefits to all Italian rugby and will have a positive impact on the competitiveness of our national team”, the late Stuart Gallacher said “the Italians will be a force to be reckoned with in our league and it will make the league much more competitive”.  Nick Mallet, a former favourite for the England role and then Italian coach said “The top ten in Italy is just not at the required level to produce players for international rugby” and the move “helps the Six Nations”.  The BBC went as far as to call it “the biggest boost for Italian rugby since the national team's entry into the Six Nations in 2000.”

So after all those great rugby minds declared that the move would be a huge success and that it would revolutionise Italian rugby has it work? Have results improved at either a club or national level?

6N record excluding 2000&2001

In a word no.  As this revolution was all down to improving the national side let’s look there first.  Italy’s record in the 6 Nations shows no discernible improvement.  They entered the tournament in 2000 and since then the average score in their games has been a 14-32 defeat, in the old era of the Super 10 the average score was 15-33 and in the new era of the Pro 12 it is 13-29.  In the first two years of the 6 Nations Italy’s attack was the best it has ever been and their defence the worst, remove those two years, see graphic right, and the average scores are practically identical.

At a club level the story is even worse.  Whilst the national team has improved, even if only slightly, the clubs have gotten worse.  Super 10 sides in the old Heineken Cup lost on average 16-39, since the move to the Pro 12 that has become 12-36.  As the graphic left shows when taken to 2 decimal places the difference is practically non-existent.

How can this be? Italy have taken all the prescribed remedies, they’ve got central contracts, they’ve condensed their league to 2 regional sides, killing off domestic rugby in the process and there are barely any foreigners left playing in Italy, only 13 this weekend.

The problem is that all these are fiddling around the side.  Italy have not improved their player pool.  Yes they have good young players, our own Riccardo Brugnara and Tiziano Pasquali among them, but Italy has always produced good players it needs to produce more really top end ones capable of dominating internationally.  Sacking foreigners and killing domestic rugby hasn’t helped that.  And it won’t help in England either.

We must resist these siren voices drawing us to the rocks.  Hansen, Thomas and Pichot do not really care about England and Jeff Probyn’s agenda of destroying independent clubs has been clear for some time.  England rugby will only improve as the player pool and, crucially, coaching of the senior side improves.

Flood to face Italians

Stuart Lancaster makes 5 changes to his England side for the challenge of Italy this Sunday, naming 7 Tigers in the 23.  Tigers' Toby Flood is restored to the line up after Owen Farrell failed to recover from a leg injury suffered in the France test match, while his clubmate Ben Youngs drops to the bench in favour of Stuart Lancaster's favourite Danny Care.  Given that Youngs and Flood are one of the most feared half back partnerships in world Rugby it seems bizarre to go with the Yorkshireman, especially given Youngs's outstanding form.

Manu Tuilagi earns his 20th cap at the age of only 21 in the midfield whilst Tigers also have 3 players named in the forward pack.  Tom Youngs is restored to the starting line up after being dropped for the France match, whilst I'm happy for the bulldozing Youngs I wonder what Lancaster expected from Hartley in his 50 minutes against the French.  Dan Cole and Geoff Parling continue their ever present 6 Nations in the front and second row respectively.

Returning to International Rugby after almost a year's absence with injury is flanker Tom Croft.  Croft was in world class form last weekend against Sale and his return to the fold is thoroughly deserved.


England Team to face Italy
15. Alex Goode (Saracens, 9 caps)
14. Chris Ashton (Saracens, 32 caps)
13. Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 19 caps)
12. Brad Barritt (Saracens, 14 caps)
11. Mike Brown (Harlequins, 14 caps)
10. Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers, 55 caps)
9. Danny Care (Harlequins, 39 caps)
1. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 7 caps)
2. Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 7 caps)
3. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 38 caps)
4. Joe Launchbury (London Wasps, 7 caps)
5. Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers, 15 caps)
6. James Haskell (London Wasps, 48 caps)
7. Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt, 15 caps)
8. Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 16 caps)
Replacements
16. Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints, 45 caps)
17. David Wilson (Bath Rugby, 24 caps) 
18. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 8 caps) 
19. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 18 caps)
20. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers, 36 caps) 
21. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 31 caps) 
22. Freddie Burns (Gloucester Rugby, 1 cap)
23. Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby, 2 caps)

2 Tigers for Le Petite Crunch

2 Tigers academy players have been named in England Under 20s side to take on their French equivalents at Worcester's Sixways this Saturday.  Henry Purdy retains his place on the wing from the close loss away to Ireland whilst Harry Wells moves into the starting lineup to replace Ross Moriarty; the Gloucester flanker was red carded in the last match for a tip tackle and banned for 7 weeks.  Wells's move mirrors the senior England teams decision to play Courtney Lawes at blindside as he has played most of his rugby at Tigers as a lock.


England:
15 Ben Howard (Worcester Warriors)  
14 Henry Purdy (Leicester Tigers)
13 Mark Jennings (Sale Sharks)
12 Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs)
11 Jack Arnott (Exeter Chiefs)
10 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
9 Alex Day (Northampton Saints)
1 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
2 Nathan Morris (London Wasps)
3 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)
4 Elliott Stooke (Gloucester Rugby)
5 Dom Barrow (Leeds Carnegie)
6 Harry Wells (Leicester Tigers)
7 Joel Conlon (Exeter Chiefs)
8 Jack Clifford (Harlequins) (c)
Replacements
16 Danny Herriott (Northampton Saints)
17 Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (Northampton Saints)
18 Scott Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
19 Tom Jubb (Saracens)
20 David Sisi (London Irish)
21 Callum Braley (Bristol Rugby)
22 Ollie Devoto (Bath Rugby)
23 Tom Stephenson (Northampton Saints)

Capitano Castro

Martin Castrogiovanni will celebrate his 94th test for Italy by captaining them against Wales in the Stadio Olmipico on Saturday.  Castro captains Italy for the third time overall, and for the first time in the Six Nations Championship.  Castro is undefeated in his previous two matches as captain after wins against Canada and the USA this Summer.  Italy haven't beaten Wales since 2007 so Good Luck Castro!

Italy: Andrea Masi; Giovanbattista Venditti, Tommaso Benvenuti, Gonzalo Canale, Luke McLean; Kristopher Burton, Edoardo Gori; Andrea Lo Cicero, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Martin Castrogiovanni (capt), Antonio Pavanello, Francesco Minto, Alessandro Zanni, Simone Favaro, Manoa Voaswai

Replacements: Davide Gizazzon, Alberto de Marchi, Lorenzo Cittadini, Quintin Geldenhuys, Paul Derbyshire, Tobias Botes, Luciano Orquera, Gonzalo Garcia.

Ben's 30th Already

Ben Youngs will win his 30th cap when he steps out on the Aviva Stadium turf this Sunday.  3 years after his debut away to Scotland the Tigers ace has already played in wins over Australia and New Zealand for England and beaten South Africa with Leicester.  Alongside him will be older brother Tom making his 6th consecutive start after his debut this Autumn.  The Tigers in the starting line up are rounded out by Dan Cole, winning his 37th cap, and Geoff Parling, winning his 14th.

Manu Tuilagi is named as a replacement for the first time in his 17 match test career, and only the 6th time in his senior career.  He is joined on the bench by Toby Flood, who in contrast will earn his 20th cap from the bench, and number 8 Thomas Waldrom. 

England (v Ireland, Sunday 3pm, Aviva Stadium, Dublin)
15 Alex Goode (Saracens, 7 caps)
14 Chris Ashton (Saracens, 30 caps)
13 Brad Barritt (Saracens, 12 caps)
12 Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester, 1 cap)
11 Mike Brown (Harlequins, 12 caps)
10 Owen Farrell (Saracens, 13 caps)
9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 29 caps)
1 Joe Marler (Harlequins, 6 caps)
2 Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 5 caps)
3 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 36 caps)
4 Joe Launchbury (London Wasps, 5 caps)
5 Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers, 13 caps)
6 James Haskell (London Wasps, 46 caps)
7 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, 13 caps) (c)
8 Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 14 caps)
Replacements
16 Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints, 43 caps)
17 David Wilson (Bath, 23 caps)
18 Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 5 caps)
19 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 16 caps)
20 Thomas Waldrom (Leicester Tigers, 4 caps)
21 Danny Care (Harlequins, 38 caps)
22 Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers, 54 caps)
23 Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 17 caps)

2 Tigers in U-20s for Irish test

5 days after making his first team debut against Llanelli Scarlets lock Harry Wells is set to make his bow for England at Under 20 level away to Ireland.  Released from England duty last week to cover for Saxons trio Graham Kitchener, Ed Slater and Louis Deacon Wells come straight on to the bench.  Into the team is winger Henry Purdy who has made a big impact since his summer move from Wasps, scoring 6 tries in 4 A league games as well as 1 try in 3 U-18 League games.  He replaces the injured Anthony Watson from London Irish, allegedly a summer transfer target for Tigers, as Ben Howard switches to Full Back from wing.

England Under 20s
15 Ben Howard (Worcester Warriors)
14 Jack Arnott (Exeter Chiefs)
13 Mark Jennings (Sale Sharks)
12 Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs)
11 Henry Purdy (Leicester Tigers)
10 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
9 Alex Day (Northampton Saints)
1 Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (Northampton Saints)
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
3 Scott Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
4 Elliott Stooke (Gloucester Rugby)
5 Dom Barrow (Leeds Carnegie)
6 Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby)
7 Joel Conlon (Exeter Chiefs)
8 Jack Clifford (C) (Harlequins)
Replacements
16 Max Crumpton (Saracens)
17 Nathan Morris (London Wasps)
18 Danny Herriott (Northampton Saints)
19 Tom Jubb (Saracens)
20 Harry Wells (Leicester Tigers)
21 Nathan Fowles (Sale Sharks)
22 Will Hooley (Northampton Saints)
23 Tom Collins (Northampton Saints)

Six Nations Round Up: Castro inspires Italy to win Garibaldi Trophy

Martin Castrogiovanni's 12th test match try in 92 games was the winning score as Italy overcame France in Rome's Stadio Olmpico.  The Crumbie Terrace favourite played the first hour in the historic 23-18 win, only Italy's 2nd over France in the Six Nations.

Geoff Parling scored one of England's 4 tries in their win over Scotland at Twickenham, set up by a searing break by clubmate Ben Youngs.  Moments earlier England had had a try ruled out for foul play Tom Youngs, apparently for a dangerous clear out of the ruck but no conclusive footage has become available as yet.  Dan Cole anchored a dominant scrum whilst Toby Flood replaced former Tiger Billy Twelvetrees with 10 minutes of the match remaining.  

On Friday night up in Newcastle 5 Tigers were part of the England Saxons side that were beaten 13-9 by Scotland 'A'.  George Ford slotted England's three penalties with Jordan Crane leading the side from number 8 and Graham Kitchener played the whole game at lock.  Ed Slater and Kieran Brookes were late replacements but couldn't find a score as the Saxons battered the Scots line in the closing stages.  Former Tigers Grieg Tonks and Tom Ryder were both in the Scotland 'A' side.

Also on Friday night young Academy prop Tiziano Pasquali started for Italy Under 20s as they took on France Under 20s at home.  Pasquali played for the first hour of the match that the Italians lost 6-13.