'It would be great for the country, for the club, for Italian rugby,' claims history-chasing Crowley
Here comes a Guinness PRO14 weekend with an enchanting difference. Derby attention is usually solely focused on some big juicy encounter between rivals teams in either Ireland, Wales or Scotland. But not this Saturday.
Instead, rugby romantics will be keeping a sharp eye on events in Parma to see whether Benetton can defeat Italian rivals Zebre and secure an unprecedented PRO14 quarter-final spot, most likely a fixture away to Munster on May 4.
Having a franchise from Italy gain an edge on some Celtic cousins is something unheard of during their country’s nine-season affiliation with the league. Whipping boys, losers, easy-beats, nobodies… they’re just some of the negative descriptions they have endured over the years during their struggle for acceptance.
Now, though, this search for respect is on the verge of coming to successful fruition – provided neighbours Zebre don’t produce an ambush that allows fourth-place Edinburgh sneak into the qualifiers if they get a result versus Glasgow.
“It would be great for the country, great for the club, great for Italian rugby,” enthused Kieran Crowley to RugbyPass in the hope his Benetton squad won’t disastrously fall at the final hurdle in a rare season where they have won more games than lost. They have victories in 10 of 20 outings and drawn another two matches.
#ZEBvBEN ?vs? sabato 27 Aprile alle ore 18 ultimo turno @PRO14Official allo Stadio Lanfranchi di Parma.
Non perderti il terzo derby #GuinnessPRO14 ?? tra Zebre #Rugby e Benetton.
?? acquista il tuo biglietto ?? https://t.co/ulCsKDx5zE pic.twitter.com/akyYSRSB3K
— Zebre Parma ? (@ZebreParma) April 22, 2019
“Italian rugby hasn’t always had the best sort of press around the place with performances at club and international level. Whether it was Zebre or us, it doesn’t matter, but for a team from Italy to get through that play-off would be a massive achievement for the whole rugby community here.
“It would be just great for the whole process we’re going through, a lot of validation for what is happening,” he continued, adding that having a new name featuring in the play-offs would be a ringing endorsement for the PRO14’s competitiveness.
“Yeah, it definitely would. It’s the same as anything, if someone who is not expected to get there gets there, it’s good for the product. Hopefully, we can tick that off at the weekend.”
? | LAVORI IN CORSO
?? #ZEBvBEN pic.twitter.com/l8kkNgPdAT
— Benetton Rugby ? (@BenettonRugby) April 19, 2019
A member of the 1987 World Cup-winning New Zealand squad, Crowley took a leap into the unknown when agreeing in 2016 to take on his Italian job. He’d been part of John Mitchell’s All Blacks set-up and had coached Canada at successive World Cups, employment that came with a certain cache.
However, in stepping into the club scene he was very much putting his reputation on the line, taking charge of a team that managed just three wins in 22 matches and finished rock bottom in 2015/16.
“What got me to come here at the start was sporting director Antonio Pavanello said this is where he wants to go. He wasn’t expecting to win the competition but he wanted to see improvements in certain areas like work ethic, professionalism, all that sort of stuff. That was positive,” explained Crowley regarding why he felt compelled to embrace an onerous job there wasn’t a long queue for.
“It’s was a big challenge,” he added about his own adjustment from country to club scene. “It was completely different to Test rugby. It’s been a challenge around the whole continuation of it, but that is where the staff you have got doing their roles gives you confidence. I have learned things along the way and it has been a great experience.
“It can be a bit of a grind going week in, week out. You have got to keep things fresh and you have a larger group of players to manage because the physical impact is massive on them. Travel is also a big issue and the recovery from that. You have got to manage the players completely different to get the best out of them each week.
“When I first came here we certainly lacked a lot in areas because they were very forward-orientated and the skill level needed a bit of work. I have to take my hat off to the coaches, they worked really hard on skills and fitness levels.
? Buon inizio di settimana a tutti voi e grazie per il caloroso supporto che ci avete regalato durante questa stagione allo Stadio Monigo! ?? pic.twitter.com/89TpSqsaeK
— Benetton Rugby ? (@BenettonRugby) April 15, 2019
“It probably went a little bit too far one way the first year with skills and we probably lost a little around actually playing the game, but we have pulled that back now and are getting quite a good medium of playing the game, keeping with the traditions of the club and starting to play the way that suits our team.
“We used to have so many players injured when I first got here. You were thrashing players week in, week out and that had an effect in the last minutes of games. Now we can manage our players a lot better to give them the proper game time and once you have a couple of wins, your mindset changes and you get a lot more confident.”
Not everything is structurally where it needs to be yet. With no rugby played in Italy schools, the professional clubs remain entirely reliant on grassroots clubs to nurture tomorrow’s stars. Making strong connections is a slow process.
“There is still a lot of work to be done. The age-grade international teams are not too bad, the under-18s and under-20s are competitive in Six Nations, but there is a lot of work to be done in the relationships between the clubs and franchises.
“Just that balance of the players. If they’re not playing for a franchise where they can play, when they can play… you have got to deal with the clubs and it’s a challenge for the sporting directors to get those players through.
“We’re very lucky in Treviso that our sporting director is working on his relationships with the clubs in this area so we can access their players. But it’s an ongoing project, let’s say,” continued Crowley, who has one year left on his current deal.
“… can you name a trio that finishes more consistently from 40m.”@BenettonRugby's devastating back line have caught the attention of @thepaulwilliams on The ??&?? Column
Read it now on the #GuinnessPro14 website https://t.co/dGetkr5FwN pic.twitter.com/F9sjPM2nCw
— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) April 18, 2019
Perched in third spot in Conference B, one point ahead of Edinburgh, there is a genuine buzz for rugby in the Veneto region. The attendance of 5,000 at their recent home match versus Munster was testament to the fine work of Crowley and co in producing a style of play that’s easy on the eye.
“The group is a little bit more consistent now. There isn’t a great turnover so the players understand the way we coach and it’s just all starting to come together now.
“It has been a team effort but obviously the two wingers have been very instrumental. If you had to pick out a couple, people would talk about Monty Ioane and (Iliesa) Ratuva because they just created a bit, but the work has got to be done up front before they can do something.
“Treviso is a great place. Laid back, not too big. The food and wine is pretty good, too. That makes it positive and we have got a great group of coaches and staff that make it really enjoyable.
“That sell-out crowd was something they haven’t had that at Treviso for a very long time. There was some real excitement, so there is a lot more coverage in the press etc and that is great for the area.
“But Saturday will be different for us. You look at the positions in the league and people will all be expecting us to get over the line. But this is a local derby with all those sorts of things in it which you see in Ireland, Scotland or Wales.
“It’s the same in Italy. It doesn’t matter where the teams are on the ladder, local derbies are always real battles and really close. It’s also World Cup year and you have all those battles for positions. Hopefully on the day we can pull out a performance that will get us the result we want.”
WATCH: The RugbyPass documentary, This is Zebre, which gives a sharp insight into the Benetton v Zebre rivalry
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
80 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments