Azzurri appoint new forwards coach

Former Italy prop Giampiero De Carli will take up the position as Azzurri forwards coach next season.

The Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) announced on Monday that De Carli will relinquish his current position as French club Perpignan’s forwards coach and join the Italy management team on July 1.    

"The FIR has reached agreement with Giampiero De Carli, who will join us for the 2014-2015 season," the FIR said in a statement.

"We will try to ask Perpignan to release him at the end of the 2013-2014 Top 14 season, in time to join us for the tour of the South Pacific."

Former Italy A forwards coach De Carli, capped 32 times for Italy, said: "I'm very happy to be starting this new challenge with the Italian national team alongside Jacques Brunel."