RWC tournaments
Nine(all)
Best result
Pool Stages
Captain
Luca Bigi
Coach
Kieran Crowley
Most tries
Marcello Cuttitta(5)
Most points
Diego Dominguez(98)
Having competed in every edition of Rugby World Cup, Italy will be keen to progress past the pool stage for the first time. They will be up against it, however, drawing against hosts France, New Zealand, and qualifiers Uruguay in Pool A. Italy will be without their stalwart and Italian rugby icon, Sergio Parisse who played 142 matches for Italy over nearly twenty years. It will leave a gap of experience in the Italian side that their younger forwards will look to fill. Former New Zealand player turned coach, Kieran Crowley took over coaching of Italy in 2021 and would be keen to make an immediate impact.
Key Player: Jake Polledri
He is one of the standout players in the Italian pack. Carries, tackles, and turnovers, the Italian loose forward will be vital to his team’s RWC 2023 campaign.
X-factor: Paolo Garbisi
Playing fly-half, Garbisi will want to inject the same exuberance he has shown playing for Benetton Rugby into the national side. Both in attack and from the tee, he will be keen to bring in some local knowledge, having been signed by Top14 side, Montpellier.
Why they can win
In 2016, Italy pulled off one of the great rugby union test victories when they defeated South Africa in Florence. They will use moments like that to instil belief but will have a massive fight on their hands in order to progress to the quarter-finals.
Italy's RWC 2023 Pool Matches
Italy's RWC 2023 Pool Matches
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