Trending on RugbyPass
- 1 Rugby in wartorn Ukraine
- 2 Thousands pay respects to 'great' Phil Bennett
- 3 NZ advertising campaign set to mock Irish rugby team
- 4 The Lions player Warren Gatland blames for Boks series loss
- 5 'I used to hate my height... now I embrace it. I had no choice'
New Zealander Kieran Crowley will succeed Franco Smith as Italy head coach this summer. The 59-year-old has been appointed on a three-year contract from July 1 that will incorporate the 2023 World Cup in France.
The Italian Rugby Federation also announced that Smith will move into a new role as head of high performance. Crowley, who was a member of New Zealand’s 1987 World Cup-winning squad, coached Canada for eight years before taking charge at Guinness PRO14 club Benetton.
He will be assisted in his coaching team by Andrea Moretti, Marius Goosen, Corrado Pilat and Giovanni Sanguin. Crowley said: “I am honoured that the FIR (Italian federation) has given me the opportunity to lead Italy to the next World Cup.
“In the five years with Benetton Rugby, I have been able to get to know and understand the country and its rugby culture, a knowledge that I can’t wait to deepen in this role.”
'That has been the worst performance of this campaign, even in the last few years. It has lacked everything.'https://t.co/zEt0KoUO1p
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 14, 2021
Comments
Join free and tell us what you really think!
Join FreeRecommended
- The 'lovely moment' that stood out for Mark McCall when Saracens learned Billy Vunipola hadn't made the Lions
- The Lions and Springboks media wind up and why the Aussies went 0-5 in Super Rugby Trans Tasman
- 'We don't want be a feeding ground for other clubs': Irish out to ensure history doesn't repeat itself with latest crop of rising academy stars
