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'That's rubbish' - Conor O'Shea braced for the 'usual tripe' about Georgia entering the Six Nations

By Chris Jones
Conor O'Shea is tired of clichés used to describe Italian Rugby (Getty Images)

Conor O’Shea is braced for the “usual tripe” in the build-up to Italy’s clash with Georgia in Florence next month which is certain to revive the debate over introducing relegation in the Six Nations championship.

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Georgia have replaced Romania as the obvious contenders to push for a place in the Six Nations and Italy’s right to be part of Europe’s elite has been undermined by 13 Wooden Spoons for finishing last since joining the tournament in 2000.

O’Shea saw his men battle back to square the test series 1-1 in Japan in June and with Benetton and Zebre making more of an impact in the Pro14 this season along with Italy’s age group teams impressing, there is much-needed confidence heading into the Autumn tests against Ireland in Chicago (Nov 3), Georgia (Nov 10), Australia in Padua (Nov 17) and New Zealand in Rome (Nov 24).

While O’Shea’s focus is on the opening international with Ireland, he acknowledges the clash with Georgia is going to trigger more debate and he said: “I know that the usual tripe will be trotted out, but Italy has earned every single right to be part of the Six Nations.

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“We know people will be expressing opinions and that is an easy stick to beat us with and always will be. We are not going to change that except through our performances. Japan is a tough place to go and win and we did that in the second test in June and no one is going to mention that a week after our victory Japan beat Georgia 28-0.

“There are lazy people who say we are a set piece orientated side and that we can last 60 minutes blah, blah blah. That’s rubbish. I am really positive because we have some seriously good players and are a team that can score tries. We have game breakers and will play an ambitious style of rugby thanks to improved fitness.

Japan and Italy at Oita Bank Dome in Japan. (Getty Images)
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“Everyone on the outside knows the answers because they don’t have any accountability. If we weren’t making changes and not seeing young players coming through then it would be hard to stay positive but we are making progress. Of course it’s not easy and it never was going to be a case of waving a magic wand. Last year Italy U17s beat France, the U18s defeated England and the U20s to go into the top eight.

“Those players are winning matches and coming into a system they believe is changing. At international level there is no doubt we are becoming more competitive and we have to make the big moments count in matches and get the wins. We lost the first test in Japan in June and did brilliantly to win the second and other than against Ireland, we were competitive in last season’s Six Nations.”

Japan and Italy at Oita Bank Dome in Japan (Getty Images)

With veteran captain Sergio Parisse, who has won 134 caps, having undergone surgery in the summer to ensure he can still be a force in what will be his final 12 months as a player, focus is turning to players such as Gloucester flanker Jake Polledri who could fill the looming void. O’Shea believes 35-year-old Parisse will continue to be a key player through to the 2019 World Cup in Japan and added: “As this team grows together the age profile shows this is just the start of a cycle rather than the end of the era involving senior players like Sergio.

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“This will be a group that sticks together for a long time and will become a very good side which is all we wanted to achieve. Jake Polledri was someone I watched while he was at Hartpury College and it was a case of could he transfer that unique ability to higher levels and he has. He was brought thoroughly slowly and did so well in the second test in Japan.

“There is no doubt that what has been put in place is making a difference not only with Zebre and Benetton, but just look at the results from our U20’s. We would never say we are World beaters but we are putting together a functional and competitive system. Look, we are nowhere near where we could be but we have made significant changes and now real quality players are coming through and that is a massive credit to the coaching teams at the two Pro 14 clubs. The style of rugby and excitement being generated means I am pretty comfortable about where we are going.”

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Jon 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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