Italy centurion Michela Sillari: 'I don’t take my selection for for granted'

Michela Sillari may now be one of four Italy players to reach a century of caps, but despite being part of the Azzurre since 2012, the centre has no plans to slow down.

The 33-year hit triple figures when she wore her familiar 13 shirt in Italy’s final WXV Global Series match against USA Eagles in Nashville and offers a quick “let’s see” when asked if she will be back in blue come the Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

Sillari’s modesty doesn’t stem from thoughts of international retirement, rather her belief that she still has plenty to lean combined with the continual need to prove herself to those responsible for her selection.

“I still don’t take my selection for the team or the squad for granted,” Sillari told RugbyPass. “I will always try to improve. It is something I have tried to do, all these years, to work on all aspects of my performance.

“I’ve learned a lot, but the most important lesson is probably not to let defeats affect you too much, and not to forget all about the work you put in to get there. You need to not be distracted but to keep on going to reach your objective.”

Form and fitness permitting, an Italy squad without the Parma native would be a strange sight such is her importance to the squad.

Sillari made her debut as a substitute against England in 2012, and she considers their quarter-final finish at Rugby World Cup 2021 [hosted in 2022] and second-place finish in the 2018 Women’s Six Nations as her international highlights.

Since her debut, Sillari has weighed in with 342 points, four of which came as she marked her century with converted tries from Francesca Sgorbini and Beatrice Rigoni, though Italy were unable to mark the occasion with a win, as the Eagles triumphed 54-24.

She found out on the Wednesday before that she would be reaching the milestone, alongside new Gloucester Hartpury hooker Vittoria Vecchini who made her 50th appearance. There were low-key celebrations afterwards, but there was no way the Azzurre squad were going to let the announcement pass by quietly when the news came.

“It was hugely emotional, especially when they played the video with other players who I started out playing with at the start of my career and who I haven’t heard from or seen for a while,” Sillari said.

“It was lovely hearing their messages. Two days from the test, sitting at the table and watching the video with my teammates was hugely emotional. Hearing from my parents and my sister, added to the emotion.”

Sillari, who spent a season in England and helped Aylesford Bulls win the 2017 Women’s Premiership, lined up alongside Sara Mannini in the centres in Nashville.

Mannini is now following Sillari’s path by joining Harlequins in the JAECOO Premiership Women’s Rugby, having been able to watch and learn from her up close.

“Michela is a great player and person,” Mannini told RugbyPass. “She comes over as quiet, but she always does a huge amount of work for the team and always has the right word at the right time.

“It isn’t difficult to say how great she is in this sport as she has always shown this on the pitch. For me, she is will always be a great role model.”

Italy began their WXV Global Series campaign in strong form, with a 55-21 win at home to Japan. A week later though, South Africa arrived and showed their triumph at Women’s Rugby World Cup was no one-off by leaving with a 41-29 victory.

Part two of the tournament came with tests against USA in Dallas and Nashville, with the home side triumphant on both occasions.

The tour was the first since head coach Plinio Sciamanna was given the job permanently, and it also marked a first tour for newly appointed captain Vittoria Ostuni Minnuzi.

Sciamanna included seven uncapped players in his squad, a reflection that the likes of Sillari and the other experienced players won’t be around for ever.

“Vittoria has grown into the role because she isn’t used to having to talk and she has done that from the first match,” Sillari said. “The last two matches were tough, but she led the way well.

“Plinio and the staff haven’t tried to start again. They have tried to build on what we did before, and it had a slightly transitional feel to it.”

For now, Italy’s players will return to their clubs, which in Sillari’s case is Italian champions Valsugana Padova.

Italy will be back in action in early April when their Women’s Six Nations campaign begins against France at home where Sillari’s experience will be important against a team that have had their own troubles this autumn.

“We have learned lots of lessons and I hope we are able to show that we can put them in place in the Six Nations,” Sillari said.

“We are a team that is in a phase of bringing in new players and asking them to take over from experienced players. It allowed the staff to see the girls close up and how they can build their experience.”