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'Munster made a lot of noise': Benetton brush off fuss over Rainbow Cup final

By PA
(Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Benetton head coach Kieran Crowley hopes his team can give rugby fans in Italy something to celebrate in the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup final on Saturday. While the majority of the country focus on the football team at the European Championship, the Treviso-based outfit are looking to cap their fairytale story with the perfect ending.

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After failing to pick up a single victory in the 16-game regular season, Benetton have turned it around to triumph in all four of the Rainbow Cup fixtures they have played and secure a place in the north versus south final against South African side the Bulls.

“Life is life but you have to have some focus. You have family and you need something outside of that,” said Crowley. “If your sporting team or the sport you are interested in is going well, it gives you something to look forward to and hold on to.

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“Hopefully we have done that from a rugby side of things and we can continue it this week. It will be a massive challenge, but hopefully the people who have supported us through the down times get something to smile about.”

There will also be fans back inside Stadio di Monigo, Benetton’s home, with 1,250 supporters able to watch the end-of-season cup competition final. After no wins during the PRO14 campaign, Crowley’s side kicked off this tournament with a 46-19 success over Glasgow before back-to-back derby victories over Zebre raised the unlikely prospect of them reaching the Rainbow Cup final.

When Connacht were seen off, the dream was almost a reality and while the postponement of their scheduled clash with the Ospreys (due to an outbreak of Covid-19 cases at the Welsh region) confirmed Benetton would top the northern section, the former All Black rejected any grumbles from second-placed Munster.

Crowley, who will take over as Italy head coach after this fixture, said: “We were disappointed that Ospreys game didn’t go ahead but that was the way it is. Munster made a lot of noise about it but in the end, they lost to Connacht. We beat Connacht and beat (third-placed) Glasgow, so that goes your next couple of teams down.

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“It is not ideal because we haven’t played everyone, but these were the rules and the circumstances. We thoroughly think we deserve to be there. Well, we know we deserve to be there because we have played some pretty good rugby.

“Are we the most consistent side in the northern hemisphere and PRO14? No, we’re not, but we have got into this position for this specific competition and we’re really proud of it, so we will go out there and give everything we’ve got.”

BENETTON: 15. Jayden Hayward; 14. Edoardo Padovani, 13. Ignacio Brex, 12. Marco Zanon, 11. Monty Ioane; 10. Paolo Garbisi, 9. Dewaldt Duvenage (capt); 1. Thomas Gallo, 2. Corniel Els, 3. Marco Riccioni, 4. Niccolo Cannone, 5. Federico Ruzza, 6. Sebastian Negri, 7. Michele Lamaro, 8. Toa Halafihi. Reps: 16. Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17. Ivan Nemer, 18. Filippo Alongi, 19. Irne Herbst, 20. Manuel Zuliani, 21. Marco Barbini, 22. Callum Braley, 23. Ratuva Tavuyara.

BULLS: 15. David Kriel; 14. Madosh Tambwe, 13. Marco van Vuren, 12. Cornal Henricks, 11. Stravino Jacobs; 10. Chris Smit, 9. Ivan van Zyl; 1. Gerhard Steenkamp, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 3. Mornay Smith, 4. Walt Steenkamp, 5. Jan Uys, 6. Nizaam Carr, 7. Ruan Nortje, 8. Marcell Coetzee. Reps: 16. Schalk Erasmus, 17. Jacques van Rooyen, 18. Lizo Gqoboka, 19. Janco Swanepoel, 20. Muller Uys, 21. Zack Burger, 22. Clinton Swart, 23. Gio Aplon.

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j
john 54 minutes ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

15 Go to comments
A
Adrian 2 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

15 Go to comments
T
Trevor 5 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
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