Italy Women

The Italy women’s rugby team, also known as Le Azzurre (the blues), is a leading international side. They have enjoyed moderate success on the world stage, from reaching the quarter-final at the 2021 Rugby World Cup to their second-place finish at the 2019 Six Nations Championship.

From the history of Le Azzurre to Italy’s current squad, this is the place to learn about one of Europe’s most talented teams. 

The Italy women’s rugby team has contested six Rugby World Cup tournaments. They made their debut at the inaugural RWC in 1991, did not participate in 1994, and made back-to-back appearances in 1998 and 2002. 

These first three tournaments were somewhat disappointing for Le Azzurre. The Italian team won just one match in 1991: their 18-0 victory over Sweden in the Plate quarter-finals. They improved over the course of their next two campaigns, sealing 12th place (out of 16) with two victories in 1998 and one in 2002. 

After not participating and failing to qualify for the next three tournaments, Italy re-emerged on the World Cup stage in 2017. However, much to their dismay, they lost all three of their pool-stage games and finished at the bottom of Pool B. Undeterred, they redeemed themselves in the ninth to twelfth play-offs, where they beat Japan 22-0 and Spain 20-15. As a result, Italy climbed up to ninth place.

Next, in 2021, Le Azzurre came out fighting. They achieved a Rugby World Cup first: they won two of their three pool-stage matches and sailed through to the quarter-finals. Here they were outplayed by a skillful French side and crashed out of the tournament 39-3. Sadly they could not repeat the trick at the 2025 tournament, where they were knocked out during the pool phase. 

The Italy women’s rugby team was founded in the 1980s. It was during this decade, in 1985, that Le Azzurre played their first international test. They debuted against France in a match that ended in a 0-0 draw. 

One year later, in 1986, the two teams met for a rematch. This time, France emerged on top with a convincing 12-0 win. They scored their first points against the French team in 1987, in a game that ended 16-4 to France.

Next, in 1988, Le Azzurre competed in the first ever Women’s European Championship. They became title holders on three occasions, winning the tournament in 2002, 2005 and 2006. 

It was during this period that the Italy women’s rugby team joined the Six Nations. They have contested every annual tournament since 2007, taking third in 2015 and finishing as the runners-up in 2019. 

In recent years, several Italian players have been recognised at the annual World Rugby Awards. Among them is Beatrice Rigoni, who featured in the 2021 Women’s 15s Dream Team of the Year. She was also named in the Six Nations Team of the Championship in 2022 and 2024. Other notable players include Sara Barattin and Sofia Stefan, who won the Try of the Year award in 2021 and 2023, respectively.

The current Italy women’s rugby squad include the formidable Gaia Maris, Michela Sillari and captain, Elisa Giordano.