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'We are an ambitious team, we want to win something' - Keatley on Benetton's desire for silverware

By Ciarán Kennedy
(Photo by Getty Images)

Ian Keatley says that Benetton have designs on delivering silverware after a promising few seasons for the Italian side. Keatley joined the Italians last year following eight years with Munster, and says there is no shortage of ambition in a team that has made some major strides in recently.

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For so long the whipping boys of the Pro14 – in the 2016/17 season they lost 17 of their 22 games –  Benetton sat fifth in Conference B when the Pro14 season was suspended earlier this year.

A third place finish in their conference a year previously saw them travel to Thomond Park for the quarter-finals, where they were narrowly edged out 15-13 by Munster.

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John Dobson presser July 30

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John Dobson presser July 30

The Champions Cup has proven more difficult to break, with the Italians picking up just one win in a difficult Pool campaign this year after being pitted against Leinster, Northampton Saints and Lyon.

But Keatley says the squad are determined to keen building and improving.

“Benetton experienced a great season the year before I arrived, the guys made it to the quarter-finals of the Pro14,” he told the club’s website.

“We were in the Champions Cup last season, we were in a group with three top teams, Leinster, Northampton and Lyon. It was a very difficult group, but we want to try again to qualify for the quarter-finals (of the Pro14) and start from there.

“We are an ambitious team, we want to win something, so we will try again to enter the quarter-finals of the playoffs, then semi-final and final.

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“We hope to win something, but the first goal is to reach the quarter-finals.”

Benetton have met that ambition by contining to bolster their squad in a bid to fuse experience with youth.

“There have been some important purchases, such as Callum (Braley) who has a lot of experience with Gloucester or Joaquin Riera who was a permit player and is now always with us,” Keatley continued.

“Several guys who were part of the Italy Under-20 are also training with us. It seems to me that everyone is trying to raise the level, we must give them time to learn but we are trying to help them get to know the world of Benetton Rugby.

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“There is a good mix of young and experienced players.”

Keatley, who won the last of his seven caps for Ireland in 2017, added that he is loving life in Italy since making the move last year.

“I arrived in Treviso with my family last summer, it is going very well.

“For me it was a total change, leaving Ireland to live in Italy where the weather is very hot, it took a while to adapt to this.

“Now it is 30 degrees every morning, getting up at seven in the morning and dripping with sweat is a nice change, I am enjoying this new experience.”

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Adrian 1 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

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Trevor 4 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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Bull Shark 8 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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