Mallett will give everybody a chance
Italian coach Nick Mallett has promised his players they will all get a chance to impress him before the 2011 Rugby World Cup begins in New Zealand next month.
Italy play two warm-up matches; starting with Saturday’s in Cesena against Japan, before heading to Edinburgh next weekend to face Scotland.
He has a 30-man squad for the World Cup and he says they will all be getting a chance to play before the team leaves for New Zealand.
He already sprung a surprise by picking a very youthful-looking backline for the Japan Test with two players yet to make their first starts as well as a halfback pairing with an average age of 22.
“I’ve told all the players they will have the possibility to play in one or two games before we go,” said Mallett.
“It’s important to see the players under pressure to see if they have the ability to react and play well against a team like Japan, who I believe are stronger than [World Cup opponents] the USA and also Russia.
“This is a team with many young players but also a pack with a lot of experience and against Scotland it will also be a mixed team.
“Players like [backs] Andrea Masi and Gonzalo Canale and those with more experience will have their chance to play.
“We want to give everyone a chance to play. I can’t say they will play against Australia or Russia [in Italy’s first two World Cup games]. We’ll see after the friendlies which players are in the best shape.
“Everyone has a chance, they can play themselves into the team for the Australia Test.
“If you’re part of the 30 players who go to the World Cup it’s important to feel a part of the group and to do so you must play.”
Mallett’s halfback pairing is still a risk though, as scrumhalf Edoardo Gori has only three caps to his name, in one of which he lasted less than 10 minutes before going off with a dislocated shoulder.
That was against Ireland in the Six Nations in February and he hasn’t played for his country since.
Outside him and wearing the No.10 shirt will be Riccardo Bocchino, who has never started a match for Italy in his six caps.
“Gori and Ricky are two young players. Gori started in a very difficult first game against Australia [in November] and he also had a great game against Fiji in the next game,” said Mallett.
“He was injured against Ireland but he’s back now. He’s in competition with Fabio Semenzato and I’m very happy for Italy because we’ve found two very good young players.
“Bocchino I think is a player who should have belief in the technical staff, he’s done a lot of work with [assistant coaches] Omar [Mouneimne[ and [Alessandro] Troncon.
“That’s very important for someone like Bocchino. He’s never had four or five games in a row. But with the work he’s done with Omar and Troncky, he’s psychologically ready.
“He likes the responsibility, he’s very brave, he’s a good player.”
Mallett also insists he won’t be underestimating Japan, who at 13 are just one place below Italy in the IRB world rankings.
“We’ve got a lot of respect for Japan, we’ve seen them grow over the last four years, particularly in the Pacific Cup which they won,” he said.
“Their performance in the Pacific Cup was fantastic, and to have beaten Fiji for the first time. They beat Fiji, Samoa and Tonga and they’re the three teams closest to us in the rankings, with Japan one place back.
“It’s a good challenge for our players,” added the former Springboks boss.
AFP
