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'Tired' Minozzi the headline omission in Italy's 32-man Six Nations squad
Matteo Minozzi is the headline omission from the Italy squad named for the opening rounds of the 2021 Six Nations. Head coach Franco Smith has named a 32-man selection ahead of the Azzurri’s opening round fixture against France on February 6.
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Smith has named a squad largely similar to the group selected for the autumn international window, with the addition of six uncapped players (four called up and two invited to train). The squad are due to gather in Rome on Thursday.
However Smith will have to plan without Wasps’ Matteo Minozzi, who has ruled himself out of the tournament because he feels “physically and mentally tired.”
Earlier on Monday Wasps boss Lee Blackett backed the player’s decision to rule himself out.
“It’s been a tough period for Matteo and I am sure it won’t be the last time we see him in an Italy shirt. I spoke to him in detail about this eight weeks ago and we felt he needed a mid-season break.
“If Matteo wants to play international rugby we are fully behind and if he doesn’t we are also fully behind him. It is something he thought long and hard about after being out for a year with a bad injury then goes to a new country and it’s been a tough period. We will manage him through this period. A lot of people may have worried about losing their place in the future but Italy are very understanding.
“He has said enough is enough for the time being.”
Minozzi announced his decision to sit out the tournament on social media.
“After the Autumn Nations Cup, I’ve been thinking for a long time about my performance and how much Italian colleagues, coaches and fans expect from me,” he said.
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“The last year has changed many things, changing the country and a few months after having to experience the UK lockdown away from everyone has been a great and difficult challenge.
“Meanwhile, I’ve worked like never before in my life to find my place in a super competitive reality like the Premiership and to find myself ready for Italy last fall. I wanted to be honest with Franco (Smith, Italy head coach) and I want to be honest with all the Italian enthusiasts who believe in me and love me: I’m physically and mentally tired, a bit too much to live another two months in a bubble.
I 3⃣2⃣ Atleti convocati per il primo raduno in preparazione all'esordio nel @SixNationsRugby 2021, a 📍Roma dal 28 gennaio ➡ https://t.co/VwlSScdynk#insieme #rugbypassioneitaliana pic.twitter.com/LaWrJpNFUB
— Italrugby (@Federugby) January 25, 2021
“I hope even if you can’t support it, you’ll understand my choice. I will cheer for my teammates like I always did for the national team and wish my teammates and all the staff the best of luck. I can’t decide if and when I return, but I hope I’ll be given the opportunity. Come on Italy.”
Italy squad
Forwards
Pietro Ceccarelli (Brive, 14 caps)
Danilo Fischetti (Zebre Rugby Club, 8 caps)
Marco Riccioni (Benetton Rugby, 7 caps)
Daniele Rimpelli (Zebre Rugby Club, uncapped)
Cherif Traore (Benetton Rugby, 10 caps)
Giosuè Zilocchi (Zebre Rugby Club, 10 caps)
Luca Bigi (Zebre Rugby Club, 32 caps) – CAPTAIN
Gianmarco Lucchesi (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)
Marco Manfredi (Zebre Rugby Club, uncapped)
Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)
Riccardo Favretto (Mogliano Rugby 1969, uncapped)
Marco Lazzaroni (Benetton Rugby, 11 caps)
David Sisi (Zebre Rugby Club, 11 caps)
Cristian Stoian (Fiamme Oro Rugby, 2 caps)
Michele Lamaro (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)
Maxime Mbanda (Zebre Rugby Club, 25 caps)
Johan Meyer (Zebre Rugby Club, 9 caps)
Sebastian Negri (Benetton Rugby, 28 caps)
Federico Ruzza (Benetton Rugby, 19 caps)
Backs
Callum Braley (Benetton Rugby, 9 caps)
Guglielmo Palazzani (Zebre Rugby Club, 41 caps)
Stephen Varney (Gloucester Rugby, 3 caps)
Tommaso Allan (Benetton Rugby, 60 caps)
Carlo Canna (Zebre Rugby Club, 47 caps)
Paolo Garbisi (Benetton Rugby, 5 caps)
Mattia Bellini (Zebre Rugby Club, 28 caps)
Juan Ignacio Brex (Benetton Rugby, uncapped)
Monty Ioane (Benetton Rugby, 1 cap)
Federico Mori (Kawasaki Robot Calvisano, 5 caps)
Luca Sperandio (Benetton Rugby, 6 caps)
Jacopo Trulla (Kawasaki Robot Calvisano, 3 caps)
Marco Zanon (Benetton Rugby, 4 caps)
Additional invited players
Michelangelo Biondelli (Zebre Rugby Club, uncapped); Tommaso Boni (Zebre Rugby Club, 11 caps); Renato Giammarioli (Zebre Rugby Club, 4 caps); Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton Rugby, uncapped); Marcello Violi (Zebre Rugby Club, 19 caps)
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Comments on RugbyPass
It’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
2 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
24 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
1 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
1 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
2 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
3 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
24 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
3 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
24 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can still get in to the Play Off’s. The imminent return of outstanding captain Scott Barrett and his All Black team mate Codie Taylor will be a big boost.There are others like Tamaiti Williams too. Two home games coming up. Fellow Crusader fans get there and support these guys. I will be.
1 Go to commentsCant get more Wellington than Proctor.
2 Go to commentsWhy not let the media decide. Like how they choose the head coach. Like most of us we entrust the rugby system to choose. A rugby team includes the coaches. It's collective.
14 Go to commentsHi NIck, I have been very impressed with him and he seems a smart player who can see opportunities which Bobby V _(who must be an international 6_) doesn’t see or have the speed to take advantage of. If he continues to improve and puts on 5kgs then he could be a great 8. He is a bit taller than Keiran Reid at 1.93m and 111 kgs, so his skill set fits his body size and who knows where it will lead. I hope the spate of Achilles tendon issues have been dealt with by the S&C people. It’s been a very long time since Mark Loane and Kefu stood out at 8. The question is will we be able to hold onto him, if he does make it he will be pretty hot property. I disagree with the idea of letting them go to the Northern Hemisphere and then bring them back.
24 Go to commentsBilly Fulton 🤣🤣🤣🤣 garrrmon not even close
14 Go to commentsDoes the AI take into account refs? hahaha Seriously why not have two on field refs to avoid bias?
24 Go to comments