Silvia Turani: 'Premiership Women's Rugby a big opportunity for Italy'
Italy prop Silvia Turani is looking forward to welcoming more of her international team-mates to the Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) next season.
Having spent last term in Devon with Exeter Chiefs, helping the club to a second successive league final, it was confirmed on 21 July that Turani will move to Harlequins Women ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.
News of the switch came on the eve of Italy’s WXV play-off victory against Spain at Stadio Walter Beltrametti last Saturday, a match in which she lined up alongside Beatrice Rigoni and Sara Tounesi, who will be team-mates at Sale Sharks this year.
That trio will be joined in the PWR by international prop Sara Seye, who has signed for Ealing Trailfinders Women ahead of their debut campaign.
“We are aware that playing abroad can be really challenging and a way to develop our rugby,” Turani said.
“Of course, you want people to stay in Italy as well because we have a league in Italy, and you want to have good Italian players in Italy. But I think right now, being abroad is just a big opportunity for us.
“It will be really interesting for me also playing against other Italians. It’s always nice for me when I face some other Italians and even more that some of them are props so it will be interesting in the scrum, seeing each other. And then also if you have a day off, you know that you can meet some other Italians.
“Of course, it’s always interesting when you try something new. I guess when you’re living a new experience you grow as a person, as a player. And that’s what I wish for everyone.”
Turani is ready for the opportunities that await at Harlequins and is excited by the prospect of living within a train ride of London, having spent a season near the south Devon coast.
“I always said, I want to live my life for one year near the sea, and I’ve done that in Exeter, and for one year at a place in a big city and I guess that London is a big city,” she said.
“I’ve met some of the girls [at Harlequins] and they’ve been incredibly welcoming and everything, so I’m sure it will be great there.”
Turani’s season as a Chief was disrupted by a broken hand sustained during the Azzurre’s first Women’s Six Nations match in March and ended in the disappointment of defeat in the showpiece match as Gloucester-Hartpury won the Premier 15s final at Kingsholm.
But having come so close to glory, the loose-head prop looks back on her time at Sandy Park with fondness.
“We had a wonderful season; we won many games. Of course, the end of the season was tough,” Turani said. “A final is a final, but we went there, we played our game and after the game we were aware that Gloucester played better than us. In sport it happens.”
That might be true, but Turani admits the experience has given her “more willingness” to play in another final, which should be music to the ears of her new team-mates and fans at Harlequins.
She certainly feels that she has become a better player during her time in England. “I’ve learned a lot,” Turani said. “The intensity, the physicality that you have to face every week is outstanding.
“And also, I think I’ve learnt how to manage nerves better because every game there is as organised and as planned as a Six Nations game. It’s a big thing every game with lots of crowd, thousands of people coming to every game of the season, which is really cool.
“Yeah, I would say that of course I have improved a lot and the coaches have been outstanding the whole season.
“I’ve been really lucky… when you play with outstanding and world-class players you learn every day. Also, in the little details, that can be in the gym or in the preparation or the way they analyse the game.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Why cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
31 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
31 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
31 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
31 Go to comments