SA Rugby magazine

South African rugby news, interviews, videos and more. Covering the Springboks, Bulls, Stormers, Sharks, Cheetahs and Lions, as well as schools and club rugby.

Primary Menu Search
  • Home
  • Match Centre
  • Vodacom URC
  • Videos
  • Cars
    • Cheap cars for sale
    • Used Cars For Sale
    • New Cars For Sale
    • Demo Cars For Sale
  • Deals
    • One Day Deals
    • Nationwide Deals
      • Deals in Cape Town
      • Deals in Johannesburg
      • Deals in Durban
      • Deals in Pretoria
      • Deals in Port Elizabeth
    • Accommodation Deals
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Food and Drink Deals
    • Experiences
    • Health and Wellness Deals
    • Beauty and Spa Deals
  • BLACKOUT RUGBY MANAGER
You are here: Home ∼ Smith wants Italy to develop new DNA

Smith wants Italy to develop new DNA

Franco Smith Italy coach Franco Smith
Published on June 4, 2020

Newly appointed national head coach Franco Smith says he wants to create a new DNA for Italian rugby.

Smith took over as Italy boss on an interim basis last November after Conor O’Shea’s departure, and was appointed permanently earlier this week, with his contract set to run beyond the next World Cup in France until 2024.

And with a six-strong team of coaching assistants, including fellow South Africans Marius Goosen and Quintin Kruger, the former Free State Cheetahs boss remains confident he can turn Italy into a competitive outfit.

Goosen will oversee defence with Giampiero De Carli in charge of forwards, Corrado Pilat as skills coach, Alessandro Troncon overseeing three-quarters and Kruger and Giovanni Sanguin as athletic trainers.

‘We’ll try to build a new DNA,’ Smith told a video-conference from his home in Bloemfontein.

‘Starting from three cornerstones – greater unpredictability, greater physicality and the ability to always give everything thanks to a high work ethic.

‘These are goals that must concern everyone from the under-eights right through to the national team. The Six Nations tournament that ended prematurely marked the beginning of a growth path which we will work on, together with the staff, franchises, the players.’

In Smith, the Italian rugby federation have chosen a coach who knows the country well, having won two titles as a player and two as a coach over a decade with club side Treviso.

Both Smith and Kruger, his assistant at the Free States Cheetahs who won the Currie Cup in 2016 and 2019, will arrive in Italy next week and face two weeks’ quarantine.

‘Being away and sitting on a chair frustrates me, because it takes time to make a boat change direction, as seen at the start of the tournament,’ said Smith.

‘But I am convinced that we have the means to do it. We will be competitive. I have known the reality of Italian rugby for 20 years, it is a source of great pride for me to face this challenge.’

Photo: Dan Mullan/Getty Images

Posted in News, Pro14, Six Nations, Test Rugby, Top headlines Tagged Franco Smith, Italy, Six Nations, Test Rugby

Post by SA Rugby magazine

SA Rugby magazine

Check out Blackout Rugby Manager HERE!

← Previous Next →

Sevens’ party falls flat

World Rugby shouldn’t have messed with a winning sevens formula, writes SIMON...

Draining format clogs Blitzboks’ blockage

A protracted schedule took the wind out of South Africa's sails at...

England cut Eddie, Razor to stop the bleeding

England have made the rash decision to part ways with coach Eddie...

Rassie ref hom in die rooi

Rassie Erasmus is hardly the embarrassment that some are making him out...

Cut and paste Kurt-Lee for Kolbe

Kurt-Lee Arendse ticks all the right boxes to replace the injured Cheslin...

Rassie auditions for England job

Rassie Erasmus has made the most calculated of public job applications to...

Boks need to make mentality adjustment

The Springboks need to lose their underdog mentality, writes SIMNIKIWE XABANISA in...

Kolbe’s worth every penny

Cheslin Kolbe’s big-money move to Toulon should be welcomed as a massive...

‘Bok gameplan, when executed correctly, is hard to match’

The opportunity to play against the All Blacks is a career highlight...

Five key areas the Boks need to dominate for first victory

SA Rugby magazine highlights five crucial areas the Boks will need to...

Top six: Best and worst foreign imports

SARugbymag.co.za identifies six of the best and worst foreign players to play...

Column: When context is needed

As highlighted by the Argentina controversy, ‘cancel culture’ needs a spoonful of...

Dark cloud hangs over WP Rugby

The problems at Western Province Rugby are layered, and everyone involved needs...

From the mag: Foreign Favourites

As Vodacom Super Rugby turned 25 this year, JON CARDINELLI picks an...

Bulls rookies to watch

After a massive exodus of players the Vodacom Bulls will be eager...

Analysis: The new suffocate-and-strangle game

For the Boks to emerge as World Cup winners, they need to...

VIEW MORE
  • Bonus-point Bulls douse Dragons
  • Munster maul luckless Lions
  • Stormers sign off 2022 in style
  • Sharks carve Bulls on New Year’s Eve

Jacques Burger’s Perfect XV

    BKT United Rugby Championship, Scotstoun, Glasgow, Scotland 8/1/2023 Glasgow Warriors vs DHL Stormers Stormers' Damian Willemse Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Craig Watson
  • Highlights: Heartbreak for Stormers in Glasgow thriller

###


COVID-19 Corona Virus
South African Resource Portal

African Insider
African Insider News

ABOUT

  • Contact us
  • Competitions
  • Videos
  • Player Features
  • Subscribe
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy Policy

TOURNAMENTS

    • Rugby Championship
    • Super Rugby
    • Currie Cup
    • Varsity Cup
    • Gold Cup
    • Schools
    • Six Nations
    • Champions Cup
    • World Cup
    • Challenge Cup

OPINION

  • Mallett on SuperSport
  • Cardinelli column
  • Lewis column
  • Xabanisa column
  • Borchardt column
  • Superbru

Primary Menu

  • Home
  • Match Centre
  • Vodacom URC
  • Videos
  • Cars
    • Cheap cars for sale
    • Used Cars For Sale
    • New Cars For Sale
    • Demo Cars For Sale
  • Deals
    • One Day Deals
    • Nationwide Deals
      • Deals in Cape Town
      • Deals in Johannesburg
      • Deals in Durban
      • Deals in Pretoria
      • Deals in Port Elizabeth
    • Accommodation Deals
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Food and Drink Deals
    • Experiences
    • Health and Wellness Deals
    • Beauty and Spa Deals
  • BLACKOUT RUGBY MANAGER