The grandstand was packed, mostly with children and teenagers, at the ‘Fattori’ stadium in L’Aquila on the occasion of the open-door training session of coach Gonzalo Quesada’s national rugby team, a few days before leaving for the ‘Summer tour’ in the Pacific. Giovambattista Venditti – former Italian player and now team manager of Italrugby originally from Avezzano – is enthusiastic about returning in front of an audience he knows well.
“L’Aquila – he said on the sidelines of the session – has always been at the center of rugby which counts for the history here which defines it as one of the cradles of this sport, so we from the national teams are always happy to come here They always welcome us well and this morning’s enthusiasm is fundamental to push the boys towards a difficult tour, so the minimum is to truly pay homage to this land of rugby.”
“It will be a good challenge for us – he adds – we are a young group who have now enjoyed high level rugby for some time and who however have never done a summer tour in which we come to terms with different cultures, different foods and we will have to be flexible. This is how we grow.”
The Azzurri are returning from one of the best Six Nations ever. “The Six Nations saw us very well – adds Venditti – and we consider it a completion of last season’s journey. We are working with an already consolidated group within which the selectors have included young people who are hungry to play”. After training, the players stayed for photos with supporters and fans.
The national team will move to Auckland, New Zealand, which will be the Azzurri’s base for the first part of the Summer Tour.
After the first two test matches scheduled against Samoa in Apia and against Tonga in Nuku’Alofa, on 5 and 12 July respectively, the Azzurri will fly from Auckland to Tokyo in view of the third and final match in Sapporo, on Sunday 21 July, against hosts Japan.
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