The Rabbo Preview 2013/2014 - Italian Teams

Treviso:

Last Season: 7th Place

Transfers in 2013/14 (12 in total): Mat Berquist, Matteo Ferro, Jean Francois Montauriol, Joe Van Niekerk, Marco Barbini, Edoardo Padovani, Tommaso Boni, Ornel Gega, Mantvydas Tveraga, Filippo Giusti, Denis Majstorovic, Andrea Lovotti

Transfers out 2013/14 (5 out in total): Tommaso Iannone, Giulio Toniolatti, Tommaso Benvenuti, Kris Burton, Jacobus Roux

Players likely to feature less due to International commitments: Barbieri (Italy Blindside Flanker), Zanni (Italy Openside Flanker), Ghiraldini (Italy Hooker), Sgarbi (Italy Centre) Gori (Italy Scrum Half), di Bernardo (Italy Fly Half), Mclean (Italy Full Back)

Probable Starting Lineup(during international windows & rest periods):
1.  Rizzo / de Marchi  2. Sbaraglini  3. Cittadini   4. Pavanello   5. Bernabo   6. Budd  
7. Favaro    8.  Vosawai  9. Botes  10. Berquist   11.  Loamanu  12. La Grange  13.  Pratichetti  14. Nitoglia   15.  Williams

Comments:  Everytime I see them play I can’t help but be impressed how Franco has them playing.  Seriously no messing around in the front 8 with some descent skills on show behind.  Plenty of strength in depth in the forwards and probably had one of the players of the season in their pack last year in Barbieri.   Franco looks to have offloaded some of the deadwood as well with the exception of Benvenuti who was poached by Perpignan.  Has brought in a lot of Italian based players in the off season and it is rumoured Treviso are still in the market for a big signing.  Even without this though and looking at the entire squad they are looking very healthy.  Finishing well last season and looking to improve again this season will be a motivator.  Tough pool in the HC will also likely cause a early elimination which will see Treviso put all their efforts into the Rabbo.    

Prediction: 5th – Looking at this prediction most people will call me crazy.  The facts however remain this team is seriously on the move.  Everything about them is classy and even the away form has become very solid.  They won’t have enough in the locker to really charge for a top 4 spot as some of the other teams starting 15’s are just better.  However, this without question will be the hardest team in terms of motivation any team encounters this coming season home or away.
 
Zebre:

Last Season: 12th Place

Transfers in 2013/14 (8 in total): Dario Christolini, Brendon Leonard, Tommaso Iannone, Guilio Toniolatti, Dion Berryman, George Biagi, Guglielmo Palazzani, Samuela Vunisa

Transfers out 2013/14 (10 out in total): Tito Tebaldi, Sinoti Sinoti, Daniel Halangahu, Alberto Chiesa, Luca Martinelli, Josh Sole, Nicola Belardo, Samuele Pace, Flavio Tripodi, Alberto Benettin

Players likely to feature less due to International commitments: Venditti (Italy Wing) Orquera (Italy Fly Half) Bortolami (Italy Lock), Geldenhuys (Italy Lock)

Probable Starting Lineup(during international windows & rest periods):
1.  Aguero   2. Giazzon  3. Redolfini  4. Cazzola   5. Biagi   6. Cristiano 7. Bergamasco    8.  Caffini 9. Leonard  10. Iannone   11.  Pratichetti  12. Quartaroli  13.  Gacria  14. Toniolatti   15.  Buso

Comments:  A tough campaign for this Italian team with a lot of turmoil regarding the old Aironi/Zebre tag around it.  It no doubt affected the growth of the team during the transition last season and they lost a lot of quality as well.  Looking at the likely starting line up its easy to see why they have struggled.  Leonard will no doubt give the team some direction but sadly the real issue remains the quality of the forwards available.  They also have no real creativity behind.  Caffini looks promising and they do have some talent youngsters coming through but I don’t think this will impact their season.

Prediction: 12th – Can’t see any major changes from last season.   Last place again, and of all my predictions so far, probably the easiest to make.

Joe Van Niekerk is a great signing for Treviso, even if he is 33 now. I agree with Treviso possibly finishing higher than this season as well, possibly 5th or 6th.

mushroom, more good work - chapeau, sir. I think you have copied down Treviso's placing last season fro Zebre

I hadn't realised Benevenuti had been poached by Perpignan. Very good player indeed that lad. They'll miss the tactical control that Burton gave them as well.

Fingers crossed Edinburgh can finish above both these sides this time around.

Teviso still give me nightmares after the final game of the regular season last year. I think they can't be far off pushing for play off spots, and maybe the Lions effect (which makes France likely to win the 6Ns) could play in their favour for the Rabo.

Zebre are a weird one, theoretically they should be far better than they are, but I can't see them ever getting off the bottom of the table yet.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:mushroom, more good work - chapeau, sir.  I think you have copied down Treviso's placing last season fro Zebre

Thanks - change made  

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Teviso still give me nightmares after the final game of the regular season last year.  I think they can't be far off pushing for play off spots, and maybe the Lions effect (which makes France likely to win the 6Ns) could play in their favour for the Rabo.

Zebre are a weird one, theoretically they should be far better than they are, but I can't see them ever getting off the bottom of the table yet.

Good point there. The lions effect will do doubt effect the British & Irish sides. I would imagine they will be rested for 12 weeks so that could see a fair amount of players not available the opening 4/5 games.

Anyone got any updates on Italian transfers? It was tough finding news on this due to the language barrier.