The Italian coach: “We made different formation choices based on the opponent. Players like Madia and Granzotto will be fundamental in the recovery”
Italy, Raineri: “We want to increase the pace in the second half, but with 21 handling errors we can’t win” ph. S. Pessina
The Italy women’s coach, Nanni Raineri, has changed a few cards on the table in view of the last match of the women’s Six Nations against Wales. Capomaggi inside from the start, with Ostuni Minuzzi moved to the wing, while Stevanin will wear the number 10 shirt in place of Madia: “The changes are all technical choices, we think that this is the best way to face Wales” explained Raineri in Press conference.
Read also: Women’s Six Nations 2024: Italy’s XV for the match against Wales
“Capomaggi has different characteristics than Ostuni Minuzzi, who will have to do a different job as a winger, but he is the best choice for the type of match we will face. Likewise, Francesca Granzotto and Veronica Madia will be able to raise the pace in the second half” continued the coach.
On the choice of Stevanin from the start: “Emma missed the match against Scotland due to physical problems, but up to that point it had gone very well. We think that for this match her characteristics, her physicality and her management of the game could be suitable.”
Read here: Women’s Six Nations 2024: where and when you can watch Wales-Italy on TV and streaming
On Wales: “Physicality is a predominant characteristic of Wales, we know they will come to challenge us in this aspect and the girls are well prepared. We expect very hard collisions and a big battle at the meeting point. Everything will come from physicality.”
The defeat against Scotland also resulted from a very high number of handling errors, 21. Too many, according to Raineri, to be able to prevail in a Six Nations match: “Before looking for magic it is essential to reduce the number of errors. Thinking of winning an international match with all these handling errors is very hard. It will be a very tight match and we will have to take advantage of the few opportunities there will be to score. We will also be playing Millennium with coverage. We know that there will therefore be a lot of humidity and we should take this into account when we play the ball.”
The presence of Capomaggi also raises a question about the possible placer, a topic on which Raineri did not release his reservation: “We will take all the time to think about it and then we will decide who will place between Capomaggi and Rigoni”. As regards the front line, Raineri confirmed Sara Seye and Lucia Gai on the right, but also responded to a question about Alessia Pilani, another player on the launch pad who physically could have guaranteed greater weight in the scrum: “Despite being in the group recently, Alessia has been making great improvements. Also in this case the choice was made based on the opponent, even if Seye and Gai are lighter they have more experience, and against a team like Wales it is a fundamental factor.”
Wales-Italy will also be the match of Lucia Gai’s 100th appearance: “A beautiful achievement. We are talking about a girl who covers a very physical and demanding role, so having reached 100 caps has even greater importance. An exemplary athlete, especially in the world of women’s rugby where professionalism is still a long way off: she works in her company and has always managed to reconcile all this with rugby, an example for everyone.”
Francesco Palma
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