Italian Losing Streak continues

Italy have lost a ninth consecutive game, with Japan recording an historic 26-23 win over the Azzurri- the first win over the Italians in their history. Tries from winger Akihito Yamada and naturalised Kiwi centre Male Sa'u plus two conversion and four penalties from fullback Ayumu Goromaru were enough to hold off a late Italian fightback.

When you look at the Italy team, they were pretty close to full strength as well. Thats nine defeats on the trot and very concerning for them to lose to Fiji, Samoa and Japan on this tour as they slump down to 14th in the IRB World Rankings- below Japan, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and every other team in the Six Nations and Rugby Championship.

But what a massive boost to Japan ahead of next years World Cup- this being their last chance to play a Six Nations team before that tournament! They might have had a reputation as easy beats but their wins against Wales and Italy make Tokyo a slightly more interesting proposition for touring sides, which can only be good for the growth of test rugby.

As for Italy, they desperately need to improve before the autumn tests if they are not to face a full calendar year without a win. They face Samoa, Argentina and South Africa. The Springboks should batter them on recent form but if Italy can't muster up enough form to get at least one win against the now higher-ranked Samoa and Argentina on their home patch major alarm bells will be ringing ahead of next years World Cup.

Japan: 15 Ayumu Goromaru, 14 Akihito Yamada, 13 Male Sa'u, 12 Yu Tamura, 11 Kenki Fukuoka, 10 Harumichi Tatekawa, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Ryu Koliniasi Holani, 7 Michael Leitch, 6 Justin Ives, 5 Luke Thompson, 4 Shoji Ito, 3 Kensuke Hatakeyama, 2 Shota Horie, 1 Masataka Mikami.
Replacements: 16 Hisateru Hirashima, 17 Takeshi Kizu, 18 Hiroshi Yamashita, 19 Shinya Makabe, 20 Hitoshi Ono, 21 Hendrik Tui, 22 Atsushi Hiwasa, 23 Toshiaki Hirosi.

Italy: 15 Luke McLean, 14 Leonardo Sarto, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12 Andrea Masi, 11 Giovambattista Venditti, 10 Luciano Orquera, 9 Tito Tebaldi, 8 Robert Barbieri, 7 Mauro Bergamasco, 6 Joshua Furno, 5 Marco Bortolami, 4 Quintin Geldenhuys (c), 3 Lorenzo Cittadini, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Alberto De Marchi.
Replacements: tbc

Italys losing run

Italy 14-19 Argentina
Wales 23-15 Italy
France 30-10 Italy
Italy 20-21 Scotland
Ireland 46-7 Italy
Italy 11-52 England
Fiji 24-15 Italy
Samoa 15-0 Italy
Japan 26-23 Italy

In a years time they could easily be below Georgia in the rankings. Possibly Romania as well. It actually gets harder for them to lose points and harder for Georgia to gain them in their relative positions.

Given the detrimental impact of the Pro12 on the Italian side ( hey if you can claim the kudos when they do well you have to take the hit when they don't ) how long would this have to go one for before we merge the 6 Nations with the ENC?

I think Georgia might be a bit frustrated they are playing Ireland this autumn and not Italy- if they ship a heavy defeat in Dublin (not a certainty) it will be held up as evidence they are not ready but they would love a crack at this Italian side.

I think we need to see Italy going head to head not just with teams ranked ahead of them but with their peers in Romania and Georgia. We need to give them a chance against teams ranked 5th and 6th in the Six Nations in between tournaments to have a real gauge of where they are.

Georgia playing Ireland is great and inclusive but we'd learn more about European rugby if they were playing the teams at the other end of the 6N table. I'd love to see a formal agreement that the bottom side of the Six Nations should play the winners of the ENC every November window. Not as a playoff, but just as a test so after four or five years we could look and see exactly what the gulf is across a long period. We won't because the blazers are terrified of change, of course, but it would make a lot of sense.

I wouldn't go counting them out yet.  Every side has a generalised level average point - and every side often wanders either above that level or below it for periods.... just ask France!  Or just ask England, who until the last few years have been a long time beneath the standards they would set for themselves and standards they did set for themselves in the past.  Ask Ireland, who weren't that long ago ranked 9th after some very iffy years of wilderness quality rugby.

I wouldn't be in any way marking the demise of Italy yet.  Every team is plotting and planning where they might like to get to in the next year or two - and some of them look closer to being there than others.  The ones that don't look so close will be still using any game they get to work through their 'to work on' issues and might not be putting all fire and brimstone into these Summer games.

On the Georgia and Tier 2 thing - well I've said it before so I'll say it again - seems it's only Ireland and SA who are doing more than paying lip service to this IRB ideal of Tier 1 sides giving Tier 2 sides games. (Anyone who has an alternative truth can obviously correct me on that one)  Indeed, unless other Tier 1ers start shouldering real 'obligations', I think Ireland should make waves at IRB and say we've come to the end of our participation in this grand plan unless it's actually real and not a smoke screen for waffle at meetings.

Italy under Brunel is a strange animal. Made a few steps in the right direction in the first couple of games playing a somehow better rugby but overall went backwards in terms of results.

A couple of years ago they were playing good footy and almost beat Aussie and kept up with the ABs for the first half. What's happened? Has that style been dissected by opponents?

And is Parisse ok?

Parisse should be tying up his horse and going for a town marshall at this stage. His days of bounty hunting through 80 minutes are over. He's becoming like Chabal became in his later International period - a reputation looking for somewhere to lie down.

Italy just seem to be struggling to bring though quality young players to develop their international squad. Relying on too many players who have seen better days or need rest periods.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Italy just seem to be struggling to bring though quality young players to develop their international squad. Relying on too many players who have seen better days or need rest periods.

Exactly this, aside from the young centre they had the oldest squad on average in the last 6Nations and it got them nowhere.

Worse still there seems to be no cohesion between the process. Pasquali the young tight head at Tigers went from under 18s to under 20s starter in the 2013 six nations was then left out in the cold completely for the JWC and 2014 6N and JWC. He received a call up for the Emerging Italy squad (at still only 19) this summer but declined the spot.

Deemed good enough to have made his debut for Tigers (at an age younger than Cole made his debut) he should be an exciting talent given he looks and plays in a style similar to Castrogiovanni. His mismanagement and dissatisfaction at the setup is not a good indictment of the system in Italy.

Japan are clearly better than they were in the 90's. I don't think you can write too much into the Wales result as most of the players in the team were squad players at regional level at best, and even a Welsh premiership player was included. None of the players in that Wales team were first or even second choice.

Still from a Japan perspective it's a good thing leading into the world cup. Italy never tour very well so the result is no suprise. I think Japan are now almost level with the Islands teams and play similar too them now as well.

Italy are adapting to their new coach's game plan, which requires more back play rather than the 10 man rugby they usually play, so it's natural their results are poor right now, but I reckon they'll be OK by the time the RWC comes.

Italy are in an awful position they can play siege mentality rugby and slow the game down and keep it tight, but nearly always lose, except against Scotland. Or they can try and open it up and get credit but lose heavily anyway.