Suvarna Garge (Editor)

Italian Rugby Federation

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Sport
  
Rugby union

WR affiliation
  
1987

President
  
Alfredo Gavazzi

Founded
  
1928

Rugby Europe affiliation
  
1934

Men's coach
  
Conor O'Shea

Italian Rugby Federation

The Italian Rugby Federation (Italian: Federazione Italiana Rugby) or FIR is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in Italy. The FIR has one seat on the 28-member World Rugby Council, the governing body of World Rugby. (All other members of the Six Nations have two seats on the Council.)

Contents

There are two fully professional Italian clubs that play in the Pro12, in the European Rugby Champions Cup and in the European Rugby Challenge Cup—Benetton Rugby Treviso and Zebre. There are ten semi-professional Italian clubs that play in the National Championship of Excellence, four of which qualify to play in the European Rugby Challenge Cup Qualifying Competition to qualify to the European Rugby Challenge Cup.

History

On 25 July 1911 a Propaganda Committee was formed to promote the sport of rugby union in Italy. In 1928 this body became the Federazione Italiana Rugby (FIR). In 1934 the FIR were founder members of the Fédération Internationale de Rugby Amateur, now known as Rugby Europe.

The FIR joined the International Rugby Football Board, later known as the International Rugby Board and now as World Rugby, in 1987 when they took part in the inaugural World Cup. The Italy national rugby union team have played in the Six Nations Championship since 2000.

Italy bid to host the 2015 Rugby World Cup came close to winning but lost to England by just three votes.

Leadership

  • Alfredo Gavazzi (2012–present) - founder of Rugby Calvisano
  • Giancarlo Dondi (1996-2012) - Gained Italy's entry into the Six Nations Championship in 2000
  • Maurizio Mondelli (1984-1996)

    • National teams

    The FIR is responsible for fielding several national teams:

  • Italy national rugby union team - plays in the Six Nations and in the Rugby World Cup
  • Emerging Italy - plays in the World Rugby Nations Cup or in the World Rugby Tbilisi Cup
  • Italy national rugby sevens team - plays in the Sevens Grand Prix Series and in the Rugby World Cup Sevens
  • Italy national under-20 rugby union team - plays in the Junior World Championship or in the World Rugby Under 20 Trophy and in the Six Nations Under 20s
  • Italy national women's rugby union team - plays in the Women's Six Nations and in the Women's Rugby World Cup
  • Italy women's national rugby union team (sevens)- plays in the Women's Sevens World Cup

    • References

    Italian Rugby Federation Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA