Team guide - Italy

Last updated at 15:50 30 January 2007


The gap between the Azzurri and the world エリート is の近くにing by the year and this may be the Six Nations when they finally make their big 打開.

Results have been 改善するing 刻々と for Pierre Berbizier's 味方する.

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? England

? フラン

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? むちの跡s

Last season, they went 負かす／撃墜する by just 10 points to Ireland at Lansdowne Road on the 開始 day, drew with むちの跡s in Cardiff and gave フラン an almighty 脅す in their other away game. Scotland then snatched a three-point 勝利，勝つ in Rome.

In November, Australia escaped with a 25-18 victory in Rome to 持続する the pattern of 増加するing Italian competitiveness. Now, with so many of their 最高の，を越す players 代表するing 主要な French and English clubs in the Heineken Cup, things can only get better.

Their pack is big and 積極的な - Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan alway s calls them the 'most physical' team in the 選手権.

ツバメ Castrogiovanni, now with Leicester, has 現れるd as one of the world's finest 支え（る）s and forms part of a 強健な 前線 列／漕ぐ／騒動 which gives Italy a dependable 創立／基礎 in the scrum.

They also have three 最高の，を越す drawer locks to call upon and dynamos such as Mauro Bergamasco and Sergio Parisse in the 支援する 列／漕ぐ／騒動.

But 得点する／非難する／２０ing tries will again be the problem, 特に with livewire wing Ludovic Nitoglia 負傷させるd. Much will depend on Mirco Bergamasco to open defences up.

If Berbizier can galvanise his 支援するs, Italy have it in them to 待ち伏せ／迎撃する フラン in Rome. They could also 脅す the Scots at Murrayfield and, perhaps, むちの跡s at home. The 木造の spoon may change 手渡すs this year...

MAIN MAN - MARCO BORTOLAMI (lock, 26)

The ぱらぱら雨ing of Italian 旗s in Gloucester's fabled Shed at Kingsholm show just how much of an impression their 輸入する is having. He brings a physical presence to his game, along with a modern-day mobility, lineout prowess and remarkable 成熟 as a young leader.

RISING STAR - CARLOS NIETO (支え（る）, 30)

Another new recuit at Gloucester, and yet another 優れた Italian 前線-列／漕ぐ／騒動 今後 who 供給するs solidity at the scrum. After a debut in 2002, it is only in the last year that Nieto has really come to prominence and he was 指名するd in the RBS Six Nations 2006 dream team.

FORM GUIDE FROM 2006 - 6th

Most 減少（する） goals - 3

Most 取り組むs - 496

行方不明になるd most 取り組むs - 61

Kicked to touch most - 74

Won most scrums - 49

共同の 最高の，を越す try-scorer - Mirco Bergamasco, 3

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