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InternationalItaly

19-year-old Welshman to make his first Italy start this weekend... against Wales

By PA
(Photo by Giampiero Sposito/Getty Images)

Wales-born Stephen Varney will make a first Test start for Italy in Saturday’s Autumn Nations Cup clash against the country of his birth. The Gloucester scrum-half was brought up in Pembrokeshire, but he qualifies for Italy through family connections on his mother’s side.

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Varney, 19, made appearances off the bench in Italy’s Nations Cup games against Scotland and France last month. But the Scarlets academy product, whose father Adrian played as a flanker for Neath and Aberavon, will now line up from the start against Wales in Llanelli when both countries conclude their autumn fixtures.

Varney said: “We found out yesterday at the start of training and after training, I rang them to tell them and they are super proud. They were very emotional. They’re very proud parents and my grandparents are also very proud. It will be emotional for them. All my family in Italy are also very proud, they’re posting a lot of stuff.”

Video Spacer

Dylan Hartley and Jamie Roberts talk Autumn Nations Cup and what could make rugby a better spectacle

Video Spacer

Dylan Hartley and Jamie Roberts talk Autumn Nations Cup and what could make rugby a better spectacle

The teenager admitted there is likely to be a certain emotional conflict when he hears the Welsh national anthem but no qualms about giving his all for Italy. “There probably will be but I think that’s natural,” he said. “But I made the decision myself and I have no regrets. It will be emotional but at the end of the day I chose to play for Italy so that’s where my loyalties lie now.”

Elsewhere, Italy head coach Franco Smith has handed a Test debut to wing Monty Ioane, the nephew of former Wallabies winger Digby Ioane, while Jacopo Trulla moves to full-back in a Nations Cup finale where Wales and Italy are playing for fifth place.

“We want to end the tournament in the best possible way,” Smith told the Italian Rugby Federation’s website. “We have a new opportunity to be able to take the field and try to show our worth. Wales are an experienced team and need no introduction, and the focus must be on our performance.”

ITALY (vs Wales, Saturday)
15 Jacopo TRULLA (Calvisano, 2 caps)
14 Luca SPERANDIO (Benetton, 7 caps)
13 Marco ZANON (Benetton, 3 caps)
12 Carlo CANNA (Zebre, 46 caps)
11 Montanna IOANE (Benetton, uncapped)
10 Paolo GARBISI (Benetton, 4 caps)
9 Stephen VARNEY (Gloucester, 2 caps)
8 Braam STEYN (Benetton, 43 caps)
7 Johan MEYER (Zebre, 8 caps)
6 Maxime MBANDA (Zebre, 24 caps)
5 Niccolò CANNONE (Benetton, 7 caps)
4 Marco LAZZARONI (Benetton, 10 caps)
3 Giosuè ZILOCCHI (Zebre, 9 caps)
2 Luca BIGI (Zebre, 31 caps) – captain
1 Danilo FISCHETTI (Zebre, 7 caps)

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Replacements
16 Leonardo GHIRALDINI (unattached, 106 caps)
17 Simone FERRARI (Benetton, 33 caps)
18 Pietro CECCARELLI (Brive, 13 caps)
19 Cristian STOIAN (Fiamme Oro Rugby, 1 cap)
20 Michele LAMARO (Benetton, 1 cap)
21 Guglielmo PALAZZANI (Zebre, 40 caps)
22 Tommaso ALLAN (Benetton, 59 caps)
23 Federico MORI (Calvisano, 4 caps)

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Ardy 5 hours ago
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The VAR was established based on a false premise that the decisions would be correct. All that has happened is another referee with their own biases comes to a different opinion. We need to accept that the referee with assistants are the final arbiters of the game and only use a video review in the case of tries. Installing this level of review shows up the complexity and difficulty of getting decisions accurate at all times. It is a waste of time and money in a game with more stoppages than most, it is very frustrating to those watching the game and that is what it was supposed to fix.

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JD Kiwi 6 hours ago
Why England should take Joe Marler’s advice and build for the future in the front row

Hi Nick, maybe the RFU coaches think that Asher Opoku-Fordjour isn't bulky enough for tighthead? I remember as a Sale fan thinking how small he looked coming on against Quins, expecting him to get mullered, only to be amazed at how well he held his own.

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Tom 9 hours ago
A 2025 overseas British & Irish Lions XV

My first thought was “damn that's a good Lions backrow, Lawes, Willis, Simmonds” my second thought was “why the fk aren't any of these guys playing for England?!”

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Bull Shark 10 hours ago
A 2025 overseas British & Irish Lions XV

Ah. Hogg. The poster boy of the Lions. Who is he related to at RP?

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Tom 11 hours ago
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He doesn't have the instincts for it having played so much 15s, hence the best 15s player on the planet can't make the starting 7. He's capable of game breaking moments off the bench but his instinct is to play flat and put the other players on crash balls. He's still trying to play 7s like a 15s number 9. Can't actually believe Great Britain aka The Lions couldn't even qualify, what a joke. I wanted to see Adam Radwan play! :(

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RW 12 hours ago
There's only one answer to the Springboks' fly-half conundrum

Improve the the chat, block Turlough

35 Go to comments
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DP 12 hours ago
Melvyn Jaminet handed huge suspension and fine by France

Now lets see what happens to the two French “alleged” rapists in Argentina…

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Rob 13 hours ago
Melvyn Jaminet handed huge suspension and fine by France

Good

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Bull Shark 14 hours ago
There's only one answer to the Springboks' fly-half conundrum

It’s all going to come down to kicking form. I suspect if Libbok shines up on his kicking in training he’d start with DW at 15 and SFM covering 23. Getting yanked if it’s a tight game. But it won’t be long until SFM is the incumbent 10.

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DG 16 hours ago
Why England should take Joe Marler’s advice and build for the future in the front row

I’m surprised that Craig Wright isn’t getting a mention. His performances, throughout the World Champs were consistently great and his stats must be up there. He very active in the open and appeared to do a great job in the scrum, but I’m no expert!

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RugbyAnalysis 16 hours ago
Why England should take Joe Marler’s advice and build for the future in the front row

Thanks Nella, a very interesting approach to the problems of front rows and the scrum in particular. I work as a data analyst for a club that is strongly based on a vertical style of play, and I have rediscovered the technical vitality of front row play and the radical importance of set pieces. The game is populated by hundreds of details that we do not perceive and that make the potential difference between winning and losing. In Argentina we call 'Mañas' these differential capacities that inhabit this type of player (´Tricks´ in English...?).

14 Go to comments
T
Turlough 16 hours ago
There's only one answer to the Springboks' fly-half conundrum

I think SAs problem is one of arrogance. Their boasting and goading before the Irish series was a perfect example of it. Ebens blood covered face is a good reminder of where lack of humility gets you. Hopefully they can proceed with more honour and less arrogance from now on. Pollard kicked 100% versus Ireland and still lost. Change it now.

35 Go to comments
M
MO 16 hours ago
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SA deserved the win, ABs were error prone and I believe a little complacent. I am assuming a Fiji vs France final, unless the Boks can destoy Dupont’s dream again.

23 Go to comments
W
WR 16 hours ago
There's only one answer to the Springboks' fly-half conundrum

Tough one but I disagree. Putting Libbok in most matches will cost us. Especially against better teams. He just doesn't have what it takes. Aside from his kicking woes, he is a very good player. Pollard are the best option for tough games, but SFM is the best choice for me. He can do what both other players can do. He can play more positions than them. He is the best SA have now and will be for a very long time to come. We have an absolute super star like Kolbe, KLA and Moody in SFM. Time to get him in that 10 jersey and let him show case his absolute class. To let him grow and learn all he can from Tony Brown as we won't have TB for always. Most likely only until 2027. NZ will want him back. Time to cash in and go for broke. ML as an impact player might be a better option unless it's against a top 5 team, then best to have HP on the bench in case. That's not experience that can be chucked away. That would be stupid. We have WLR and DW at 15, HP and SFM at flyhalf. If anything, why not see how ML performs as a a scrum half? I know it's not his usual position, but he can be converted. You can't exchange what (in my personal opinion) is one of the best centre pairings currently in the world for ML or HP. That would be a disaster. No, we need HP at least on the bench playing top 5 in the WR.

35 Go to comments
W
WR 17 hours ago
South Africa stun New Zealand as men’s Olympic sevens semi-finals set

Well, on X they claim they beat SA by 2-1 and won the series against SA. Nevermind that it's 2 different competitions with completely different players, and a completely different country. AGAIN, they think that talking about it and claiming it, that they are the winners. That they DESERVE IT. Yet, as per usual, they CHOKED AGAIN in the quarterfinals. The Boks had 2 good games. That's it. The French is a different story altogether. They know how to reach a final. 2 games to go for either Gold or Bronze. Good news that, but coming in 4th don't get medals, so the Boks have to get in the final to be assured of a medal. It won't be easy. Only teams that CAN play is still in the competition, not teams that thinks talking themselves into a medal will get them a medal. Fiji is now the favorites would be my guess, but anyone can take it from here. Good luck Boks!! As usual you have my full support💯

23 Go to comments
M
Mzilikazi 17 hours ago
James Horwill: ''You can't tell me the code’s in trouble when you see every ticket's sold.'

Thanks , Brett. It will be a very powerful Lions team, but the WB’s will be stronger too, would be my feeling. I don’t see it being all one way traffic.

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StephenE 17 hours ago
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Not sure what the logic is… Rugby Sevens is a different discipline to 15 man Rugby so can’t be compared or used as a decider. Series was a draw, unfortunately no deciding match. South Africa are WC Champions and No. 1 in the world rankings, surely that is proof enough that there is no doubt who the better team is.

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Bull Shark 17 hours ago
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I see shifting from 7s to 15s as a pretty logical and good developmental step for good rugby players. But going 15s to 7s makes little sense for most. Which is why I agree AdP is a freak. Which is why France will win the gold and smash everyone as the rightful no.1 favourites!

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Bull Shark 17 hours ago
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Let the disparagement and abuse BEGIN! Pity Ireland can’t lose without (some fools) feeling sorry for themselves. Attitude determines your altitude.

41 Go to comments
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WR 17 hours ago
South Africa stun New Zealand as men’s Olympic sevens semi-finals set

My comment disappeared

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