Italian Rugby Clubs to Join Magners League 2010
Celtic Nations Welcome the Fledgling Rugby Nation in Top Competition
Oct 7, 2009
Since professionalism dawned in 1996, rugby union has pursued an aggressive expansionist policy, as well as developing a variety of rich and popular league and cup competitions. The Italian national side was admitted to the Five Nations in 2000 and the clubs sides have been participating in the European Heineken Cup and Challenge Shield for many years.
Azzurri Fail to Make Progress in Six Nations
It is their failure to provide a significant challenge in these competitions that has prompted a deal to bring them into the league for Celtic nations. The Magners League will provide a stepping stone in quality for the Italian sides. Currently they go from a very weak Italian league straight to the toughest club challenge in the northern hemisphere.
Magners League Commits to Italy
The Italians will enter two new franchises, based in Viadana and Rome, with the best players divided between the two. How this will impact on the current Italian Super-10 will be a major question. The decision takes on the aura of desperate gamble by the Italian rugby union authorities, driven on by deteriorating results in the Six Nations.
The two new Magners League teams were announced on 18 July 2009 as Aironi, based in Viadana, and Praetorians Roma, from the capital. The current team in Viadana is the most successful Italian side in European competitions, having reached the final of the European Shield in 2004, going down to Montpelier.
Will Wales, Scotland and Ireland Benefit?
It remains to be seen if this will benefit the other teams who will have to endure extra travelling costs and lower crowds as a result. The Magners League has established itself after enduring some rocky times, but there is definitely an element of risk involved. The Magners League has talked of entry still being dependent on certain criteria being fulfilled, which may turn out to be a clause designed to allow them to pull out if their nerve fails.
Rugby Union History in Italy
Italy has been playing rugby union since 1928 although the sport has never challenged the status of association football. The problem faced by any fledgling nation has been the close shopped nature of what was the pinnacle of rugby football union in the north, the Five Nations.
Prior to professionalism this lack of progress was of no concern to the rugby union authorities more concerned with the values of amateurism then expansion. Professionalism in 1996 brought different challenges and pressures including commercial ones. This resulted in the Italians being invited to the top table, despite their infrastructure still being weak.
Italian Rugby Union Looks to the Future
The fundamental measure of growth and progress for any rugby union playing nation is the World Cup. The Italians have been competing since 1987 but have never got past the first round. The annual barometer of progress is the Six Nations, where the Italians have not been anymore successful. After nine years of involvement, it is clear that Italian rugby has been going backwards.
The Italians are still seen as powerful, tough but limited opponents. Clearly they have needed a more developed sporting environment to produce better players for European club and international rugby. This may be their last chance to seriously achieve that but at a risk for both healthy finances and the existing domestic competition. The Magners League has made a seemingly altruistic decision which creates risk for themselves. Neither party can afford to fail.
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