Aironi team announcement

Posted on Mar 9, 2012 in Aironi, Aironi, RaboDirect Pro12

Sunday at Stadio Zaffanella in Viadana sees Aironi play their third home game in a row hosting Munster in the RaboDirect PRO12 round 14. The match was called off one month ago due to heavy snowfall in Italy. Kick-off scheduled is at 3 pm (2 pm GMT).

Coach Rowland Phillips faces several injuries (Williams, Trevisan, Buso, Denti, Robertson and Viljoen), suspensions (Mauro Bergamasco and Gilberto Pavan) and players away on international duty (ten players are with Italy). There are five changes in the starting line-up. The most important news is Tito Tebaldi starting at fullback, while Matteo Pratichetti is back into action at outside centre alongside Gabriel Pizarro. Riccardo Pavan and Sinoti Sinoti retain their place on the wings.

There’s a new pair of half-backs, where Italian international fly-half Luciano Orquera starts for the first time in a couple of months after returning from injury last week in the game against Leinster. Tyson Keats will play at scrum-half.

The only new face in the pack is Filippo Ferrarini replacing Simone Favaro at flanker in a back row line completed by no.8 Josh Sole and openside flanker Nicola Cattina. Carlo Del Fava is able to play after being hurt against Leinster and plays in the second row with George Biagi. In the front row Matias Aguero and Lorenzo Romano are the props, with hooker Roberto Santamaria skippering the team for the tenth time.

Two permit players from the Italian championship are amongst the replacements: Filippo Cazzola (lock from I Cavalieri Prato, one cap with Aironi) and Emiliano Caffini (back rower from Crociati, who could make his debut in the competition).

AIRONI: 15 Tito Tebaldi; 14 Riccardo Pavan, 13 Matteo Pratichetti, 12 Gabriel Pizarro, 11 Sinoti Sinoti; 10 Luciano Orquera, 9 Tyson Keats; 8 Josh Sole, 7 Nicola Cattina, 6 Filippo Ferrarini; 5 Carlo Del Fava, 4 George Biagi; 3 Lorenzo Romano, 2 Roberto Santamaria, 1 Matias Aguero.

Replacements: 16 Fabio Ongaro, 17 Alberto De Marchi, 18 Salvatore Perugini, 19 Filippo Cazzola, 20 Emiliano Caffini, 21 Giorgio Bronzini, 22 Naas Olivier, 23 Alberto Benettin.

Coach: Rowland Phillips.

Leinster team to face Aironi

Posted on Mar 2, 2012 in Aironi, Irish Rugby, Leinster

The Leinster team to face Aironi in Friday night’s RaboDirect PRO12 clash in the Stadio Luigi Zaffanella (KO: 6pm Irish time, 7pm local) has been named.

Luke Fitzgerald has recovered from injury and will make his first appearance for the province for the first time in a little over two months. The Ireland international starts at full-back in a back three which also includes Fionn Carr and Andrew Conway, with the Blackrock College winger set for his fifth appearance of the season.

Eoin O’Malley and Brendan Macken form the centre partnership after finishing the 10-10 draw in Glasgow last weekend, with Ireland scrum-half Isaac Boss again pairing up with Ian Madigan at half back.

Heinke van der Merwe, who scored his second try in Leinster colours on his 51st appearance in Firhill, continues in the front row alongside Richardt Strauss and Nathan White.

Shane Jennings, meanwhile, leads the team and is named in an all-Ireland back-row alongside Kevin McLaughlin and Rhys Ruddock, with Damian Browne partnering Moynalvey’s Devin Toner at second row, with the Meath man set to make his 89th provincial appearance.

*The game will be televised live on RAI Sport and there will be live updates of Friday’s game via the Leinster Twitter account @leinsterrugby

LEINSTER:

15: Luke Fitzgerald

14: Andrew Conway

13: Eoin O’Malley

12: Brendan Macken

11: Fionn Carr

10: Ian Madigan

9: Isaac Boss

1: Heinke van der Merwe

2: Richardt Strauss

3: Nathan White

4: Damian Browne

5: Devin Toner

6: Kevin McLaughlin

7: Shane Jennings CAPTAIN

8: Rhys Ruddock

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Aaron Dundon

17: Jack McGrath

18: Jamie Hagan

19: Leo Auva’a

20: Dominic Ryan

21: John Cooney

22: Noel Reid

23: Isa Nacewa

REFEREE: Andrew Macpherson (SRU), ASSISTANT REFEREES: Stefano Penne, Filippo Bertelli (both FIR), TMO: Alan Falzone (FIR)

Nick Williams ready for Aironi’s starting line-up

Posted on Feb 24, 2012 in Aironi, Aironi, RaboDirect Pro12

More than three months after injuring a shoulder, Nick Williams is ready to come back in the starting line-up named by Aironi to face Newport-Gwent Dragons on Sunday afternoon in Viadana (kick-off at 4,30 in Italy, 3,30 GMT) in round 16 of the RaboDirect PRO12.

The New Zealander number 8 played his last match on November 5th when Glasgow won in Viadana. Despite this long period on the side line, the five tries scored by Williams in the seven matches played still make him the leading try scorer of the Italian side. His return gives Aironi more offensive options and also the opportunity to stabilize the pack.

There are two changes in the backs after last weeks match in Swansea. Matteo Pratichetti will play on the wing, replacing Giulio Toniolatti who is called by the Azzurri for the RBS Six Nations match in Dublin. At the same time, Roberto Quartaroli returns from the national team to play outside centre alongside Gabriel Pizarro. Alberto Benettin is confirmed at fullback as Sinoti Sinoti (who scored his fourth try of the season against the Ospreys) is on the wing.

No changes to either of the halves, where Naas Olivier retains his place at fly-half and scrum-half Tito Tebaldi becomes the first player to reach 40 caps with Aironi.

It’s not only Nick Williams who returns to boost the pack. Josh Sole is also back at blindside flanker, with Nicola Cattina completing the back row. Joshua Furno and Carlo Del Fava are confirmed in the second row and there are no changes in the front row, with Matias Aguero and Lorenzo Romano props and captain Roberto Santamaria hooking.

Aironi: 15 Alberto Benettin; 14 Matteo Pratichetti, 13 Roberto Quartaroli, 12 Gabriel Pizarro, 11 Sinoti Sinoti; 10 Naas Olivier, 9 Tito Tebaldi; 8 Nick Williams, 7 Nicola Cattina, 6 Josh Sole; 5 Carlo Del Fava, 4 Joshua Furno; 3 Lorenzo Romano, 2 Roberto Santamaria (cap), 1 Matias Aguero.

Replacements: 16 Fabio Ongaro, 17 Alberto De Marchi, 18 Salvatore Perugini, 19 George Biagi, 20 Filippo Ferrarini, 21 Tyson Keats, 22 Emiliano Caffini, 23 Riccardo Pavan.

Coach: Rowland Phillips.

Aironi team to face the Ospreys

Posted on Feb 16, 2012 in Aironi, Ospreys, Welsh Rugby

Aironi return to play their first official match one month after ending their European Cup campaign in Leicester, after having their clash against Munster called off last week due to adverse weather conditions in Viadana.

Friday evening (kick-off at 7:30) at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea, the Italian side face the Ospreys in RaboDirect PRO12 round 15 looking to collect their first away points in this season.

The Welsh side is second in the table at the moment and will see the debut of Steve Tandy as Head Coach.

On the Aironi side, Rowland Phillips is forced to choose a brand new team because of injuries (Trevisan, Williams, Buso, Ongaro, Orquera, Sole and Robertson are out) and because of Italy’s request to rest the Internationals. Only Giulio Toniolatti, Simone Favaro and Mauro Bergamasco amongst the ten Aironi players called by Italy are cleared to play Friday.

Alberto Benettin will play at fullback, with Giulio Toniolatti and Sinoti Sinoti on the wings to complete the back three. Gilberto Pavan and Gabriel Pizarro form the couple in the centres. In the halves Rowland Phillips chooses Naas Olivier at fly-half and Tito Tebaldi at scrum half.

One of the most interesting bits of team news is that Simone Favaro plays at number 8, with the back row completed by Mauro Bergamasco and Nicola Cattina. Joshua Furno returns from injury and retakes his place in the locks alongside Carlo Del Fava. Hooker Roberto Santamaria will skipper the team, while Lorenzo Romano and Matias Aguero are the props.

In the replacements, there is a first call for Antonio Denti, a 21-year-old hooker born and raised in Viadana. Props Alberto De Marchi and Salvatore Perugini, lock George Biagi, back rower Filippo Ferrarini and backs Tyson Keats, Riccardo Pavan and Matteo Pratichetti complete the bench.

AIRONI

15 Alberto Benettin; 14 Giulio Toniolatti, 13 Gilberto Pavan, 12 Gabriel Pizarro, 11 Sinoti Sinoti; 10 Naas Olivier, 9 Tito Tebaldi; 8 Simone Favaro, 7 Mauro Bergamasco, 6 Nicola Cattina; 5 Carlo Del Fava, 4 Joshua Furno; 3 Lorenzo Romano, 2 Roberto Santamaria (cap), 1 Matias Aguero.

16 Antonio Denti, 17 Alberto De Marchi, 18 Salvatore Perugini, 19 George Biagi, 20 Filippo Ferrarini, 21 Tyson Keats, 22 Riccardo Pavan, 23 Matteo Pratichetti.

Coach: Rowland Phillips.