Italy rugby coach bids to create new-look team

ROME (AFP) –

Italy coach Jacques Brunel, seen here in 2010, is bidding to create a new-look Italian rugby side as he awards seven new caps for a summer tour that comprises Test matches against Argentina, Canada and the United States.

Italy coach Jacques Brunel is bidding to create a new-look Italian rugby side as he awards seven new caps for a summer tour that comprises Test matches against Argentina, Canada and the United States.

Brunel, who took over from South African Nick Mallett in May 2011, said he had a “mixed overview” of his first Six Nations campaign, where Italy avoided the wooden spoon by beating Scotland 13-6 in Rome in their final game.

“In spirit we were good, we were quite regular regarding our ambitions in the game and we achieved some great things in nearly every match, but we weren’t consistent throughout a match,” he told AFP.

“We have to have the ambition to impose our game and not just defend. We didn’t achieve the expected results, even though we played a great match against Scotland and should have beaten England (19-15 defeat).

“We did some great things at times against France (30-12 loss), we challenged Ireland but took our foot off the pedal in the last five minutes (42-10 defeat), and finally we resisted Wales but weakened in the final 10 minutes (24-3 defeat).”

Brunel said the aim was now to bring freshness to the team while building on the experience already there.

“We’re expanding the group,” he explained. “Italy have a narrow base, we have to find other talent. It’s true that (winger) Giovanbattista Venditti distinguished himself, but I often use the word ‘balance’.

“I don’t want to just rely on young players but also experienced ones like (Sergio) Parisse (captain), (Martin) Castrogiovanni, (Marco) Bortolami … an entire generation of players who still have the ambition to go further.

“And among the young there is also (scrum-half Edoardo) Gori. These youngsters showed quality, now they have to build on that. That’s what the top level is.

“You don’t get much time together in the national team. We haven’t seen each other in two months, there are seven newcomers who have never played at this level, and 11 who haven’t played with me.

“They will have to discover our style of play, so we’re going to above all build on what has already been acquired so that the newcomers can acquire that, more than looking for something new.”

Italy’s first match is their hardest of the tour, against Argentina in San Juan on June 9, before they tackle Canada in Toronto on June 15, and the United States in Houston on June 23.