Italy national rugby league team

Infobox rugby league nation
Name = Italy
Badge = Firl.jpg
Badge_size = 100px
Nickname = The Azzuri
Association = Federazione Italiana Rugby League
Region = Europe
Coach = flagicon|Italy Carlo Napolitano
Captain = flagicon|Italy Andrew Kaleopa
Most caps =
Top scorer =
Home Stadium = Stadio Plebiscito
RLIF Rank = 16th
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=|pattern_ra1=
leftarm1=0000CD|body1=0000CD|rightarm1=0000CD|shorts1=FFFFFF|socks1=0000CD
First game = flagicon|Australia Australia 37 - 15 Italy flagicon|Italy (Rome, Italy; 1960)
Largest win = flagicon|Canada Canada 6 - 66 Italy flagicon|Italy (Keighley, England; 15 November 2000)
Largest loss = flagicon|Australia Australia 67 - 22 Italy flagicon|Italy (Treviso, Italy; 1960)
World cup apps =
World cup first =
World cup best =

The Italy national rugby league team represent Italy in international rugby league tournaments. The team dates back from the 1950s after the formation of a domestic competition in the country, and in the 1960s they played Australia and France. In the 1970s however the game, and thus the team, disappeared. In the mid 1990s the team were revived and have been playing in international competitions since.

The team have never competed in a World Cup, although did attempt to in 2000. Though they did compete in the Emerging Nations Tournament in 2000 and have since then contested the Ionio Cup against Greece in 2003 and 2004. In 2008 they will play Germany and the Czech Republic in the European Shield.

Currently the team are ranked 16th in the world, behind Georgia but ahead of the Cook Islands. In Europe they are ranked 13th, behind Malta. Italian Carlo Napolitano coaches the team, and Andrew Kaleopa captains the side.

History

In 1950, an Italian team from Turin tours the North of England. Italy later runs a domestic competition.

In 1960, Italy played Australia in two international matches, but the game disappeared in the country over the course of the next decade.

The Italian team was revived in 1995, and the current team is made up of players from New South Wales, Australia with Italian backgrounds. Attempts are currently being made to re-establish the game on Italian soil, and an international competition, the Padova Cup, was staged in Italy in 2002.

Competitions

Italy has participated in:

*World Sevens (1995, 1997, plus the qualification tournament in 2003)
*Superleague World Nines (1996)
*Emerging Nations Tournament (2000)
*Ionio Cup between Greece and Italy (2003,2004)
*RLEF European Shield (2008)

Results

* Italy def. Czech Republic 38-18 (12 July 2008)
* Italy def. Germany 58-26 (13 June 2008)
* Italy def. Greece 58-14 (2 October 2004)
* Italy def. Greece 26-24 (27 September 2003)
* Scotland A def. Italy 30-10 (11 July 2003)
* Tartarstan def. Italy 16-12 (2002)
* BARLA def. Italy 20-14 (20 November2000
* Italy def. USA 40-16 (17 November 2000)
* Italy def. Canada 66-6 (15 November 2000)
* Lebanon def. Italy 36-16 (11 November 1999)
* Italy def. France 14-10 (1999)
* Italy def. Morocco 34-0 (1999)
* Australia def. Italy 67-22 (1960)
* Australia def. Italy 37-15 (1960)

ee also

* Rugby league in Italy
* Veneto 9s

External links

* [http://www.firl.it/ Official Website]