All new Italian Rugby League Championship for 2010

to start off a new era for the FIRL!

By Joel Morgan (Assistant in Web, Media & Promotions) and Matteo Visona (Media & Promotions in Italy) for the Federazione Italiana Rugby League (FIRL) 9/6/2010

It is not really how we hoped (even among those who give themselves a lot to do) and instead may go through a thousand difficulties and disappointments with new sporting ventures, it seems that the first real Italian Championship of Rugby League kicks off (last few years were a shorter Cup version) - as embryonic of course - it will see the light soon ... and then begins the re-emergence of the: ITALIAN LEAGUE!!!

The 2010 tournament will involve six teams and will take place over two rounds in the North of Italy between Piacenza, Padova and Monselice (PD) and the other in Southern Italy that will see for the first time this strange land code gain a "scartamento ridotto" [In Italian refers to a narrow gauge rail ways or particular kind used in the past that have a shorter distance between the two iron rails compared with the modern version, meaning a Rugby with 2 less players], teams in contention: Rome, Florence and Catania.

The teams will meet in a series of matches divided by one-way round (bye) for the two Conferences, after which the top team's (from the North & South) will than clash in the Italian League Grand Final (with a large rivalry between the two finalists), with also their second and third ranking teams squaring off in ', in a larger-finals to be held in Rome, July 18, 2010 at fields of Capitolina Rugby Union (thanks a lot to Mr. Giorgio Vaccaro !!!).

Just on Roman camps are preparing to begin the second day of the GLADIATORS ROMA, a group headed by Pierluigi Gentile who is a Roman player of larger experience & already capped Italian Rugby XIII team player (he has played on various Rugby fields of Italians in - Catania, Padova, L'Aquila, Rome - and international - Scotland and Australia ) fresh from promotion in the Serie A1 and now final access to the Super 10 with the San Gregorio Catania (now in the top tier of Italian Rugby for 2011 - for those who don't know Rugby Union is winter & Rugby League will be Summer - for a friendly cross-code relationship). The game will also see the play from a "pure" Rugby League player in Shane Pavan, who is raised among the lower ranks of the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Sydney Roosters's and committed capped Italian Rugby XIII player.

The first to take the field are players that will be from the XIII DEL DUCATO PIACENZA (Ducato meaning Duchy), a formation that includes among its ranks two faces already familiar to XIII (through the National team); Fabio Berzieri Hogan (very experienced Rugby Hooker or League Prop) who was under this year in the Super 10 GRAN PARMA club, also considered to be a 'Cult Hero' with Italian Rugby League and Giovanni Franchi and returning from loving his season in Milan for the Serie A1 and Kelly Rolleston New Zealand ex-Petrarca (IRugby) player who says, "I Have Always been a big fan of Rugby League, When I lived in New Zealand." The Piacentini are training from May 21 on the fields of Gossolengo.

Their first opponents will be the GRIFFONS PADOVA, the team that won the championship last year, formerly known as Nafit Padova XIII added the image and the nickname of Griffin (Griffon). They include some players who have been in the national team over the past two years: Matthew Sands (Italian blood & bred), a Second-rower and Lock (number 12 and 13), returning from the French league where he played for Lyon XIII in the Elite 2, Paul Stanica and Ludovico Torreggiani from the Rangers Vicenza who are newly promoted to Serie B. The team is taking advantage of the support of Luca Zampieroni and facilities made available from the Rugby Piazzola Rugby Pitch on the Carturo fields.

Also another two regular Italians Rugby XIII national team players from Australia and England respectively being involved with Northern teams, are Daniel Wilson (plays in the South Australian Rugby League for the Tigers RL club & former Adelaide Rams U17 representative) and Angelo Ricci from the Queensbury club in Bradford (former Bradford Academy player), both showing their commitment to Italian Rugby League.

The second match of day / round one willsee the encounter of the team I MAGNIFICI FIRENZE (The Magnificent FLORENCE) a new formation for Italian League (even if a team was about to be born in Florence a few years ago) but already have highly respected staff, the team Florentina that was in fact held to baptism and a nice selection of players beginning from a hooker and captain of the new Rugby Aironi (Italian franchise in the Celtic Magners League) Gigi Ferraro and counts among its ranks for players that orbit the Tuscan region from various series to partake in the Rugby League training camps in Padovani of Firenze.

Their opponents is the SPES SPARTANS CATANIA, another new team to watch, were in fact the first to already begin training in the field of Cus Catania quand'ancora even when a season of union was not completed and count players from the San Gregorio Catania, Amatori Catania and Cus Catania. Driving their team is team manager Marco Suaria and Massimo Nicotra, as their director (general manager) and Johnny Grasso an Italian - Australian League player in Australia playing in the halves, and now with an asset for Amatori Catania (serie A 2) and has three caps for his country in Rugby League.

The second day will take the field the second formation from Veneto (and province of Padova) is the LEONI VENETI (Venetian Lion) led by Filippo Veronese, national experience, he founded the team, basing in Monselice (PD - Padova). He has been grouping several players who had played the final last year (of the Italian Cup) between the ranks of the la Rocca and gave life to this new formation for the 2010 Italian League.

The program thus sees a half of the season divided into two conferences (Northern & Southern Italy) in order to establish a ranking for the plot summary of the Grand final & ranking finals planned in Rome for 18 July 2010.

Italian League for 2010:

June 19, 2010

June 26, 2010

July 4, 2010

July 18- Grand Final in Rome - with 2 ranking finals.

Before closing this article these are our duties of thanks:

- The Union Rugby Capitolina for allowing the use of its playing field and clubhouse for the end of July and for all training session for the Gladiators Roma

- Mr. Cesare of Gossolengo Rugby for helping players to Piacenza

- The Piazzola Rugby for structural support to the Griffons Padova

- In Cus Catania and Orazio Arancio for the willingness to Spartans Catania Rugby XIII

- Gigi Ferraro and clubs in Florence for their help

In any order we thank the Rugby Union clubs from which many of the players come from: Piazzola and The Monsters, Rangers Vicenza, Gossolengo Rugby, Lyons Piacenza, Piacenza Rugby, Gran Parma, Amatori Milano, Modena Rugby, Colorno, Monselice Rugby, Misterbianco Rugby, Librino Rugby, the Fiorentino club, and with a request to apologize for those who may not be mentioned.

The Federazione Italiana Rugby League remind everyone that Rugby League will aim to "Unisce" (Join and Unite) those who are new to Rugby League but also Union fans, but you already feel at least a bit, 'oval' before recognising the attraction of Rugby XIII!. We look forward to the games and Rome for the final. Obviously, the combination of Rugby League, Drinks, Food and Friendliness will be sacredly respected for all involved. Future plans will aim to increase the professionalism of the competition to provide an attractive summer competition bonus for new players to continue or switching to play Rugby League Let the "Italian League Championship 2010" - il Campionato Italiano di Rugby a XIII" begin!