Italy Rugby

Italy are the Six Nations' eternal underdogs, and how you feel about that says a lot about how you see the sport. For years the Azzurri were the punchline, the near-automatic loss that fuelled tiresome should-they-be-relegated debates. But the story has genuinely turned, with a young, ambitious side finally winning the games that used to slip away and playing an expansive style that embarrasses the idea they were only ever making up the numbers. Italian rugby lives in the shadow of Italian football, fighting for oxygen and talent, which makes every step forward hard-won. That underdog grit is the whole identity. Come argue whether Italy have truly closed the gap or just enjoyed a good cycle, what the game needs to grow south of the Alps, and why the relegation crowd was always missing the point. More via the Italian rugby federation.