Some guy who played League
Guess what – Craig Gower’s back in town to play against the Wallabies! And oh yeah – there are some other Italian blokes with him as well…
While that’s been Aussie media spin on the Italian selection (how are we going to get bums on seats when there aren’t any ex-mungos in the oppo?) it definitely doesn’t do the Azzuri justice. While it sounds like Craig’s been doing a more than a solid job for French club Bayonne over the last couple of seasons (albeit at 12, not 10) there are much better union players in that team.
And you need go no further than Sergio Parisse, the number 8 and captain, in that respect. He regularly makes the Six Nations team of the season, despite playing with the perennial wooden spooners. A straight out quality athlete.
Not far behind, in my opinion, is one of the best open-sides in Europe, and one of the worst scrum-halves; Mauro Bergamasco. The fact that he’s listed as a Flanker/Centre/Wing gives you an idea of the guys skill-set and pace. (This also makes me wonder how we should list George Smith….)
However, look down the rest of the side and you’ll see big gaps in the experience column. The bench is amazing; no one outside of Bortolami has caps that get into the double figures. The problem for Italy is that these new guys aren’t slotting into a performing team either. This year they got spanked by everyone except Wales in Rome.
The Wallabies have talked up the big ambush that the Italy forward pack could spring. Hopefully it will supply a sterner test than last week; we’ve known the Aussie backline has talent, it’s how the XV performs under pressure that we’re looking for.
Even if this were to be applied from Italy’s depleted pack and non-existent bench, I could only see this slowing down the Wallabies in the first half. The second half could, and should, be a blood bath of points.
Gagger Says: Wallabies by 30
| Player | Caps | Club | |
| 15 | Luke McLean | 8 | Calvisano |
| 14 | Kaine Robertson | 37 | Wing |
| 13 | Mirco Bergamasco | 61 | Stade Francais |
| 12 | Matteo Pratichetti | 19 | Calvisano |
| 11 | Alberto Sgarbi | 2 | Treviso |
| 10 | Craig Gower | 0 | Bayonne |
| 9 | Pablo Canavosio | 25 | Viadana |
| 8 | Sergio Parisse (capt) | 62 | Stade Francais |
| 7 | Mauro Bergamasco | 74 | Stade Francais |
| 6 | Alessandro Zanni | 31 | Calvisano |
| 5 | Carlo Antonio Del Fava | 36 | Ulster |
| 4 | Quintin Geldenhuys | 0 | Viadana |
| 3 | Fabio Staibano | 6 | Castres Olympique |
| 2 | Leonardo Ghiraldini | 19 | Calvisano |
| 1 | Salvatore Perugini | 60 | Stade Toulousain |
| Reserves | |||
| Franco Sbaraglini | 2 | Treviso | |
| Ignacio Rouyet | 2 | Viadana | |
| Paul Derbyshire | 0 | Padova | |
| Tito Tebaldi | 0 | Gran Parma |
|
| Kristopher Burton* | 2 | Orleans | |
| Gonzalo Garcia | 8 | Calvisano | |
| Marco Bortolami | 74 | Gloucester |
Italy Test Results 2008-09
Nov 8: Lost to Australia, Padova 20-30
Nov 15: Lost to Argentina, Torino 14-22
Nov 22: Lost to Pacific Islanders, Reggio Emilia 17-25
Feb 7: Lost to England, London 11-36
Feb 15: Lost to Ireland, Rome 9-38
Feb 28: Lost to Scotland, Edinburgh 6-26
Mar 14: Lost to Wales, Rome 15-20
Mar 21 Lost to France, Rome 8-50
Wallaby Team
| 15. James O’Connor | (Western Force) |
| 14. Lachie Turner | (NSW Waratahs) |
| 13. Stirling Mortlock | (Brumbies, captain) |
| 12. Berrick Barnes | (Queensland Reds) |
| 11. Drew Mitchell | (Western Force) |
| 10. Matt Giteau | (Brumbies) |
| 9. Luke Burgess | (NSW Waratahs) |
| 8. Richard Brown | (Western Force) |
| 7. George Smith | (Brumbies) |
| 6. Dean Mumm | (NSW Waratahs) |
| 5. Nathan Sharpe | (Western Force) |
| 4. James Horwill | (Queensland Reds) |
| 3. Al Baxter | (NSW Waratahs) |
| 2. Stephen Moore | (Brumbies) |
| 1. Benn Robinson | (NSW Waratahs) |
| Run on reserves: | |
| 16. Tatafu Polota-Nau | (NSW Waratahs) |
| 17. Ben Alexander | (Brumbies) |
| 18. Peter Kimlin |
(Brumbies) |
| 19. David Pocock | (Western Force) |
| 20. Josh Valentine | (Western Force) |
| 21. Quade Cooper | (Queensland Reds) |
| 22. Adam Ashley-Cooper | (Brumbies) |
Tags: adam ashley-cooper, al baxter, ben alexander, benn robinson, berrick barnes, craig gower, david pocock, dean mumm, drew mitchell, george smith, james horwill, luke burgess, matt giteau, mungos, nathan sharpe, peter kimlin, quade cooper, richard brown, six nations, stephen moore, stirling mortlock
Matt a.k.a Gagger or GAGR (short for GreenAndGoldRugby, not a fetish)
Matt started G&GR just before the 2007 Rugby World Cup and has been enslaved ever since. You can follow him on Twitter here http://www.twitter.com/Matt_Gagger 
I’ll up the bidding to a half-ton, margin.
I’m safe doing that because I don’t personally know any ritals that like rugby
I think we have finally developed into real flat-track bullies…I mean that in a good way, we always used to play to about the opposition’s level, which was good against NZ, less so against Italy.
I reckon we’ll come unstuck with the cold weather. Wallaby teams have traditionally not done well when we don’t have ideal conditions.
I suspect it will be freezing in Canberra (Juan?) so forsee a 30 point to teen win.
just read an article, they trained at 2′ today and the game is scedualed for sub zero.
Maybe bring out the pitch warmers they use in the EPL…
No wonder Italy was pissin’ and whining about their schedule. They could do with a game or two that they have a hope in hell of winning.
Which idiot at the IRB thought that sending Italy to NZ for TWO tests was going to be fun?
The ABs may as well send out the Maoris. And we may as well send out Dundas 2nd Grade. Seriously though. The US isn’t going to beat England/Argentina etc in the Churchill… They should bring on the I-Ties so they don’t end up last in their own comp.
I don’t think the cold weather will stop a wallaby avalanch of points. At least by forty!
I saw some clips of Gower on the rugby club playing 10, he’s quite good.
Has a great long passing game.
I hope he does poorly, but who knows.
Now now Bobas, .. Why so harsh?
Craig Gower apologised after an incident in which he exposed himself in a bar in front of an Irish woman tourist. He was dumped from last Friday’s Anzac Test against New Zealand.
Thats from 1999
do you wanna know the rest of his timeline?
Violence against Gower, Bobas says Yes.
I think the Eyties will last until mid way through the 2nd half, and then fold once their forwards start to tire. I think the fact that its right at the end of their season will be an issue.
That’s as long as the Wallabies haven’t been reading the Cote’s player ratings from last week….then we will be in trouble!
Remember last test against italy when they kept calling our winger lacky turner…
I think thats why deans named him on the wing again…
No, I don’t remember that one – I thought it was Hugh Bladen and co who started that….maybe that’s where they picked it up from?