'Gun’ footballing brothers in Italian side

Press, 10 June 1980, Page 40

'Gun’ footballing brothers in Italian side

By

JOHN BROOKS

Two volatile footballing brothers who love scoring tries — especially against the AH Blacks — will be leading figures in the Italian rugby team which will begin its five-match New Zealand tour in Nelson on June 21.

Luigi “Nello” Francescato has the proud record of scoring a try in each of two appearances againts Graham Mourie’s men, and he and a younger brother, Rino, have both been chosen as centres in the touring party. The 28-year-old Luigi’s try against the All Blacks in Rovigo last year, after nine other players had handled the ball, was haded aS one of the best

against New Zealand in recent years. Francescato also splintered the All Blacks’ defence to score a try in Padua in 1977. His brother, Rino, aged 22,' was a member of the World international XV which played matches in South Africa last year under the captaincy of Frank Oliver. There are four other rugby-playing Francescato brothers in the Treviso area of northern Italy; their mother must have weaned the family on linament.

The Italians are probably the least known of any rugby team of international status touring New Zealand, but they are one of the emerging rugby forces in Europe, and have a good playing record in the Continental competition. It is doubtful whether they are quite up to the standard of the Rumanians, who were here in 1975, but their tour should not prove too taxing before they have their “test” against the New Zealand Juniors at Eden Park on July 5. The team will be led by Ambrogio “Amby” Bona, a 2 8-y e a r-old technician with the Michelin Tyre Company in Clermont-Fer-rand, in central France. A 100 kg prop, Bona has appeared for Italy 45 times since 1972 and now plays his club football for one of the top French clubs, Montferrand. ’ He has twice toured South Africa, in 1973 and again last year with the world team, and these visits were like homecomings to him, for his family lived there when

he was between the ages of five and 20. He learned to play rugby in the Transvaal.

Another top player in the party is Elio de Anna, a 30-year-old doctor who started the move which led to “Nello” Francescato’s try against the All Blacks last year. A former international three-quarter, de Anna was changed into a flanker by the renowned Welsh coach, Carwyn James, during his two years with the Rovigo club. The team of 26 includes all but one of the men who played for Italy against the All Blacks in Rovigo. And the coach will need no introduction

to New Zealand football followers. He is Pierre Villepreux, the great French full-back of the 19605, who toured this country with the Tricolours in 1968 and has made other visits on his own.

The team will play the improving Nelson-Bays side at Trafalgar Park on June 21, and other games will be against Wairarapa Bush (June 25), Taranaki (June 28), Horowhenua (July 2 and New Zealand Juniors (July 5). It is to be hoped that some of the touring players are versatile. The side has only one hooker, one P.y-half and two flankers, but boasts four back row forwards. The members of the party are:— Forwards. — Ambrogio Bona (captain), Fulvio Di Carlo, Giancarlo Cucchiella, Giancarlo Pivetta (props), Claudio Robazza (hooker), Jean-Louis Basei, Guiseppe Artuso, Stefano Annibal (locks), Elio de Anna, Franco Bargelli (flankers), Claudio Tinari, Fabrizio Sintich, Paolo Mariani, Andrea Angrisani (Nos 8). Backs. — Concetto Angelozzi, Fulvio Lorigiola (scrum halves), Stefano Bettarello (fly half), Luigi and Rino Francescato, Bruno Franceschi, Gianluca Limone (centres), Massimo Mascioietti, Manrico Marchetto, Serafino Ghizzbni (wings), Fabrizio Gaetaniello, Claudio Tor resan (full-backs). Officials. — Manager, Maurizio Mondelli; assistant manager, Santi Granata; coach, Pierre Viilepreux; assistant coach, Franco Ascantini.