'You need to get me': Tizzano's bold phone call from Turkey that landed a Super Rugby deal
Carlo Tizzano was “born and bred in Perth.” With scaffolding around the venue at the then-called nib Stadium, Tizzano used to watch the Force play as a youngster and dreamt of one day following in the footsteps of his rugby heroes.
Tizzano climbed through the rugby ranks out west and was later picked as the sole member from his home state in an Australian Schoolboys team in 2017. That squad included the likes of Angus Bell, Ben Donaldson, Jordan Petaia, Noah Lolesio and Harry Wilson.
The young flanker continued to chip away and realised one dream of pulling on the Force’s jersey. But this wasn’t at Super Rugby level, it was in a title-winning National Rugby Championship side in 2019.
Tizzano’s journey to play for the Western Force in Super Rugby, much like the team’s return to the competition itself, is unique. It took some time and there were speedbumps and mountains to climb along the way.
But Tizzano knows how much rugby means to people out west.
This is a rugby story like no other.
Tizzano, now 24, got a start in Super Rugby with the Waratahs. The flanker took the almost five-hour flight east in a move to Sydney and may have ruffled some feathers by saying he wanted to take Michael Hooper’s No. 7 jersey.
But when Hooper took a sabbatical in 2021, Tizzano was thrust into the starting side and didn’t look out of place. Sporting a buzz cut, the backrower led Super Rugby for tackles made with 136 after just seven matches – including 27 against boyhood club the Force.
It was an opportunity that Tizzano had taken with both hands, but returning home with the Western Force was always the goal. Eventually, it would happen, just not right away.
While negotiating with the New South Wales side, Tizzano wanted to return home to Perth “but it didn’t work out.” The hard-hitting defender stayed in Sydney for another year before heading to England after signing with Championship side Ealing.
“There weren’t many contracts available in Australia and the Tahs didn’t want to keep me on,” Tizzano told RugbyPass in February.
“It was getting to the point where I wanted to play consistent footy and Ealing were supposed to be promoted to the Premiership.
“At the end of the day the footy wasn’t great but I was supposed to be in the Premiership, I wasn’t… but I made the most of that experience.
“Just to be able to travel and play a different style of footy. It made me appreciate the game more. You appreciate Super Rugby in Australia when you’re playing in zero degrees on some cabbage mud patch.
“You really, really appreciate what you had previously.”
As Tizzano explained, it “was a process” to eventually secure a deal with the Force. During his time at Ealing, the Western Australian got in touch with coach Simon Cron.
Tizzano had never met Cron before but he had “nothing to lose” when asking the popular coach to catch up over a coffee during the Christmas period back in Perth.
“I was loving living in England and travelling and actually having a bit of fun because I’d been so serious since I was 17,” Tizzano explained. “But I was like, ‘No, I want to be playing Super Rugby. I want to be playing for the Western Force.’
“I’d obviously heard stories about Cronno so I thought I’d shoot my shot and I messaged him saying, ‘Hey mate, I’m in Perth, you keen to catch up?’ He replied, we caught up on the 2nd of Jan in 2023 and we had a really good yarn just picking each other’s brains.
Carlo Tizzano stepping up to the plate for this week’s Altrad All About 🏉
The self-proclaimed Swifty, is undoubtedly one of the most hardest working players on the squad 💪#altrad #altradallabout pic.twitter.com/gvyCMxCoZl
— Western Force (@westernforce) March 27, 2024
“I asked him, ‘So when am I coming home?’ He was just saying, ‘We’ll have to see what happens. It’ll be for 2024.’
“I called Cronno during their bye week in 2023, I was actually in Turkey, and I said, ‘Mate, you need to get me here. Get me here now.’ He goes, ‘Yep no dramas, you’ll have a contract tomorrow.’
“I woke up (with the) contract there. I told Ealing I wanted to leave. I got the contract on Thursday, flew on the Friday and first day on the Monday.”
Tizzano’s unwavering persistence and passion for the Force had paid off. Years after watching the team play as a young fan, the flanker was now in line to contribute during a Super Rugby campaign.
Some great plays by the Force last night 👊🏉@FortescueNews #MomentsthatMatter pic.twitter.com/qgQ58TwYkK
— Western Force (@westernforce) March 24, 2024
But this wild story got that much more incredible for Tizanno after an unfortunate injury to starting openside Ollie Callan. After only just arriving in Perth, coach Cron asked Tizzano to play.
After years of manifesting and “talking to my ancestors,” Tizzano started in the No. 7 jersey against the Reds, Crusaders, Fijian Drua, Brumbies, Rebels and Chiefs that season.
“Ollie was having a good year but then he got injured. That first week I got back I just did a couple of rehab runs because I’d just come off ankle surgery, like I’d done two weeks of rehab running (and was) completely underdone.
“Then Ollie hurt his neck his first week there, so the next week Cronno goes to me, ‘You ready?’ I’m like, ‘Born ready mate.’
“Then played 80 minutes for the last six games and my body was ruined but it was the most fun I’ve had in terms of… so cool to be back representing the jersey. I was manifesting this moment for me to come back here to play Super Rugby when I was younger.
“Then when the Force came back into Super Rugby, just manifesting it every single night. It kept me up a few times that’s for sure.
“Talking to my ancestors for a bit trying to figure out how to get home,” he quipped. “But eventually did it and it’s been awesome. I absolutely love playing here and love representing the jersey and the state. It means a lot to me.”
Tizzano has continued to shine bright with the Western Force during the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season so far.
The flanker has started every match to date and was especially impressive during a try-scoring 80-minute performance in the shock win over the Queensland Reds at Perth’s HBF Park on Saturday.
Comments on RugbyPass
Fiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy 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 …
33 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!😭😭😭 !!!
33 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
33 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 comments