Italy

Italy and Romania have announced their teams for their vital Pool D match in Exeter on Sunday. The game will serve as a straight knock-out of sorts as the winner automatically qualifies for the 2019 World Cup. Both sides will have to compete without their respective captains, with Sergio Parisse …

Ireland booked their place in the quarterfinals of Rugby World Cup 2015 with a narrow 16-9 victory over Italy at Olympic Park in London. In a match that would turn out to be an arm-wrestle from beginning to end, Italy’s hopes for a surprise victory took a blow after just …

Into the big weekend with some games doubling as extra knock-outs. Can Japan pick themselves up again after the tough match against Scotland? Does Samoa have another gear? Will England dig themselves out of the abyss with the Wallabies ready to trample on their dreams? Paul is our token ‘South American’ with …

Sergio Parisse is back to provide a huge boost for Italy as they face Ireland in their Pool D match at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday. If the Azzurri have any hopes of recreating their victory in 2013, the captain will have to be at his very best against a …

Two weeks in and the casualties are mounting in the World Cup. More than half of the teams (11 in total) have been forced to replace at least one player, three more if you count players who were originally named in the 31-man squad but were forced to withdraw before …

As a fan of the global game I take greater pleasure out of watching the pool phase of Rugby World Cups than many people certainly do but now this appears to have changed, and for the better. So good have the group matches been that we have been treated to more …

The Up and Under is a weekly feature on Americas Rugby News which reviews the best and worst from games involving the Americas teams over the previous week. UP Argentina Possibly the best half of rugby of any team in the tournament thus far was that produced in the second …

Canada suffered a heartbreaking 23-18 defeat at the hands of Italy at Elland Road on Saturday. The North Americans played the more expansive rugby, but ultimately it was the power of the pack – and some questionable officiating – that saved the game for the Azzurri. The Canucks got off …

Predictions take 2… b! The second part of this week’s predictions, this time covering the half-dozen games ahead on Saturday on Sunday. There are a couple doozies up ahead, so read below to hear from the pros! The midweek action went pretty much entirely as predicted, though once again Bryan’s dissension …

Whisper it softly, but Canada have an enormous opportunity on Saturday. Yes, against Italy – fully professional Six Nations participants, clear favorites by the bookies, haven’t lost to the Canucks since 2000. And yet, if there was ever a time for them to be beaten, it’s now. Much has been …