RUGBY: MALLETT THRILLED BY SELL-OUT
RUGBY: MALLETT THRILLED BY SELL-OUT
(ANSA) - Milan, November 5 - Italy coach Nick Mallett said Thursday he was thrilled Italy's November 14 test match against New Zealand at San Siro is a sell-out.
''It's incredible,'' former South Africa coach Mallett told a press conference.
''I've never seen so many people at a test match, not even in South Africa''.
''The players are pumped up. We can play a great game and give a huge boost to the rugby movement in Italy''.
The iconic Milanese soccer stadium was chosen to accommodate the interest from northern Italy, where rugby's fan base comes from.
However, even optimists did not think the game would be a sell-out, despite the massive lure of the All Blacks, world rugby's biggest draw.
It is also proof of the sport's increasing appeal among Italians.
In 1988, 7,000 fans came to San Siro to see Italy-Romania.
The scene on November 14 will also be a contrast to recent soccer games where both AC Milan and Inter Milan have failed to sell all their tickets.
''We have set up an important event,'' said Italian Rugby Federation President Giancarlo Dondi.
''Our sport is getting more and more popular. Now we want to give our fans some satisfaction on the field''.
However, the San Siro or other big northern soccer grounds are not expected to replace Rome's Stadio Flaminio as Italy's home base.
Italy has fallen back in recent Six Nations competitions.
Mallett's place looked at risk after Italy racked up its worst points difference in its ten years in the Six Nations and again failed to win a match.
But it made a surprisingly strong showing against at admittedly under-strength New Zealand at Christchurch in June.
Its dogged 27-6 defeat came after a 76-14 crushing in the last World Cup. BERGAMASCO BACK.
Mallett has recalled Mauro Bergamasco after the Stade Francais flanker recovered from a foot problem.
It was a surprise return to the 30-man squad which Mallett will trim to 24 four days before the first of Italy's three November tests.
The others are against world champions South Africa on November 21 in Udine and against Samoa on November 28 at Ascoli Piceno.
''We have to play to win against the All Blacks and the Springboks, even though it will be almost impossible,'' Mallett said.
The Samoans, just above the Azzurri in the international rankings, are a more realistic proposition.
''We can beat them,'' said Mallett.
As well as Bergamasco, other returns included flyhalves Kristopher Burton and Simon Picone as well as hooker Fabio Ongaro and centre Gonzalo Canale.
Tommaso Benvenuti and Giovanbattista Venditti get their first call-ups.
Carlo Festuccia, Luciano Oquera, Lorenzo Cittadini, Paul Derbyshire, Fabio Semenzato and Francesco Minto did not make the cut after a 36-man training camp.
Here is the 30-man squad: Matias Aguero (Saracens), Tommaso Benvenuti (Benetton Treviso), Mauro and Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Francais), Kristopher Burton (Consiag I Cavalieri Prato), Gonzalo Canale (Clermont Auvergne), Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester Tigers), Carlo Antonio Del Fava (MPS Viadana), Simone Favaro (Rugby Parma), Gonzalo Garcia (Benetton), Quintin Geldenhuys (MPS Viadana), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Benetton), Craig Gower (Bayonne), Luke McLean (Benetton), Fabio Ongaro (Saracens), Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais), Antonio Pavanello (Benetton), Salvatore Perugini (Bayonne), Simon Picone (Benetton), Matteo Pratichetti (MPS Viadana), Tommaso Reato (Femi-CZ Rovigo), Kaine Robertson (MPS Viadana), Ignacio Rouyet (Benetton), Michele Sepe (MPS Viadana), Alberto Sgarbi (Benetton), Josh Sole (MPS Viadana), Tito Tebaldi (Pluvalore Gran Parma), Giovanbattista Venditti (Plusvalore Gran Parma), Manoa Vosawai (Rugby Parma), Alessandro Zanni (Benetton).
