Rugby Union - Six Nations Championship - Wales v Italy - Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, Britain - March 16, 2024 Italy players celebrate after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
(Reuters) - Italy came into their 25th Six Nations on the back of a disastrous World Cup and with a new head coach who had little time to prepare, but ended up with their best ever tournament and a feeling that there is even better to come.
Finishing the competition with a three-game unbeaten run, recording two wins and a draw, gathering 11 points, being ranked number eight in the world are all statistics which point to an inspired tournament by Italy.
This was not an Italy who were content to win once against a team on an off-day, be satisfied with a plucky performance or just happy to avoid yet another wooden spoon. Instead, they collected points in four out of five games.
Gonzalo Quesada replaced Kieran Crowley as coach after the World Cup and the Argentine took over a side which had impressed and entertained on occasion but found results hard to come by. Quesada changed that in a very short space of time.
"He was very intelligent in understanding that there were already things we were doing well and to understand that he didn't have much time," fly-half Paolo Garbisi told Reuters.
"We got together for the first time two weeks before the start of the Six Nations, which for a new coach is very little time. What we had to do in two weeks normally you would have six weeks."
Italy began with their most competitive performance yet against England but, after leading 17-8, suffered a 27-24 defeat, with Monty Ioane scoring a late try to secure a bonus point.
Next came Ireland, Grand Slam holders and number two in the world. There was a feeling that Italy went into that game never really believing they could compete and it showed in the 36-0 result but Italy's tournament was about to take off.
Italy have never won a Six Nations game in France but they came agonisingly close. They could and should have come away with an historic result but had to settle for a 13-13 draw, with Garbisi's rushed late penalty hitting the post.
They backed up that performance with two deserved wins over Scotland and Wales where, unlike the Italy of old, they played for the full 80 minutes, never running out of steam and not allowing poor discipline to undo their good work.
Against Scotland, Italy survived a late onslaught to win 31-29 and in Cardiff the 24-21 scoreline in no way reflected the dominance of the Italians, who held Wales scoreless until the 64th minute.
Italy still possess the attacking ambition shown under Crowley but Quesada's side are more controlled in defence and more patient going forward.
"The thing that has allowed us to win at this level is to find a bit of alternation in our game," Garbisi said.
"We always had this mindset of always attacking with the ball but before we did it too much, we put ourselves under pressure and we often lost energy, whereas now we use the kicking game to save energy and put pressure on the opponents.
"I think this was the most important thing that Quesada introduced."
Italy have a young squad but many have solid experience behind them. Michele Lamaro is 25 but has been captain since 2021 and was one of the most impressive tacklers in this tournament, leading by example.
They had possibly the tournament's best centre pairing in Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello, and Quesada brought in players such as Ross Vintcent and Louis Lynagh who immediately impressed.
Italy now have strength in depth and along with their usual passion they possess the patience and discipline needed to turn decent displays into actual results.
The Italians cried with raw emotion after the win over Scotland but after the Wales victory they looked like a team almost getting used to the taste of success. Now that they have whetted their appetites, Italy will be a threat for any team.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; editing by Clare Fallon)
