Italy reaction (head coach Crowley, captain Lamaro, Ruzza, Riccioni, Allan, Negri, Varney)

October 07, 2023
840
Ultimate Rugby

MIXED ZONE

On his emotions after the game:

"It’s always tough because as a group, as a young group, we want to play our best and in the last two games we didn’t show that and I’m a bit gutted about that.

"As a young group most of us have never played in a World Cup, there’s just six or seven of us who have already played a one or a couple of World Cups. It’s all about learning and getting better, that’s the only thing we can do.

"I’m a player who sees the positive things because with negative things you can’t go back in the past and do it again. Looking forward I can just look at the positive things - young group, we learned a lot from this World Cup and we’re ready to go again with a new coach, with a new energy coming in for the Six Nations."

On how he will move on from the loss:

"I told the boys I can’t actually think that that was us. It was just an odd day for us and a massive day for them. Hats off to them and we just need to leave those two games off our journey."

On head coach Kieran Crowley:

"Kieran is the one who brought me to the high level of rugby because the first time I played international level was with him in Treviso. It’s been a long journey.

"I’m a bit gutted that he’s gone because I think he would give us a lot more but I understand that in a political way it’s not something we can control. It’s fine, we take whatever the decision will be and we look forward and start to work with the new coach."

On whether he was disappointed with the Italian federation for allowing Crowley to leave:

"As a player you just have to deal with whatever you’ve got, whatever the federation will bring to you. As a human being for sure I’m gutted because we just started two years ago so maybe he could have brought us to another World Cup after four years in better shape.”

Tommaso Allan, fly-half

On his devastation at the past two weeks:

"I'm pretty broken honestly. Gutted, frustrated. All those adjectives you can come up with. It was a tough day today. Nothing went our way, we didn't play good rugby. The first 30 minutes pretty much summed up the game and after that it was too far to come back.

"We lacked a bit of detail today. We lacked the clean-outs. We didn't have the ball for the first 30 minutes. We didn't attack and that's what we are strong at."

On not being sure whether he would back New Zealand or France if given €20 to bet on one of them:

"I am not a betting man. I am not allowed to bet, I think. But listen, New Zealand have clicked. They struggled just before the World Cup and against France but they've found their way of playing again. They're a dangerous team ball in hand. But then France as well, they've got big boys and can be very direct.

"I'll keep the €20, make it €50."

On his 100 per cent kicking success through this tournament:

"I am definitely happy about that. It is something I've put a lot of work in to, so it's nice to see the fruition come to life. Hopefully I can keep it up in the Top 14 now.

"It's good but I'd give it up for a place in the quarters, obviously."

On looking forward to the rest of the World Cup as a fan:

"I've only got a week off. I am going back to Perpignan tomorrow and then I'll have a week off and then I'll be back training with the lads there. I'll definitely keep watching the World Cup. There will be some great matches coming up, it will be awesome to see."

Sebastian Negri, flanker

On what went wrong in another disappointing night for Italy:

"We struggled at the start. Our discipline was poor again and we let them in far too easily. Another difficult day for us. I am just gutted.

"We've got to get our basics right and discipline and breakdown again. Those are disappointing areas and they have been disappointing areas throughout the World Cup, if I am honest.

"We've got to anticipate the carriers a bit more, win that race and be a bit more, I don't want to say violent because that will probably get me in trouble, but we've got to get more physical. You've got to impose yourself and we let ourselves down in that area again.

"I am gutted and I am also gutted for Kieran (Crowley, head coach). We wanted to put in a really good performance he could be proud of and we didn't do that."

On not believing that New Zealand and France have scored so many points on them:

"I wouldn't expect that. That's what's disappointing. Listen, there is more attention on us because we've got that respect and credibility back, that's why teams play their best teams against us, front up against us because they know we are a banana skin and they can't slip up against us.

"But we've got to embrace that, that's the next challenge for this team. We've gained that respect and credibility back and now it's the next step. We've got to front up and embrace that or we are going to have long nights like this."

Stephen Varney, scrum-half

On the upsetting nature of their Rugby World Cup 2023 campaign:

"That's two weeks on the bounce now we haven't put a good performance in. We wanted to play well for Kieran. Just really disappointed with our performance.

"It's been the story of the last three weeks, even against Uruguay that first half, we struggled around the breakdown.

"We were having a beer with Kieran afterwards because it's his last game with us and it's quite upsetting to be honest.

"We were confident coming into this World Cup. Lot of anger there. It's over now."

On the impact head coach Kieran Crowley has had on Italian rugby during this two years:

"Before the two years Italy rugby was in a state really. He's a great man. He made the environment amazing for us, changed the way we played. It's obviously sad to see him go. Hopefully when the new head coach comes in now, hopefully he'll have the same influence Kieran has had."

MEDIA CONFERENCE

Kieran Crowley, head coach

On power being an area where Italy have fallen short against first New Zealand and now France:

"Teams at the top of the international level play a power game. We are just lacking a bit of that. You've got to play to your strengths and we tried to play to our strengths but today we gave away too many (penalties), we gave away 17 penalties.

"The teams right at the top of the tree have a very power-based game. If you are going to be really successful you are going to have to have power."

On a lack of playing depth being a real concern for Italian rugby:

"You've got to have the depth too. A country like France, you've got the Top 14 so, you've just to (look at) hookers - yes, I know there's a couple of foreign hookers but every team will have at least three and at least two of those will be French. Therefore you've got 28 hookers running around the Top 14 and of those probably 16 or 15 of them are pretty bloody good.

"You know, we've got two franchises in Italy so you get two hookers, three, four (Italian) hookers. The depth is not there in that position as well.

"It's a challenge going forward for Italy to get players game-time... because there's only two franchises and they're trying to win.

"Some of these boys will probably go back to the URC [United Rugby Championship] and probably not get as much rugby as they need before they come into the Six Nations, which is going to be a massive concern, particularly in the tight five."

On having far more pride in this performance than the one versus New Zealand:

"Very disappointed, but we got a reaction. I think we were in the game but we started poorly. We gave away three penalties early. But we got a reaction, you saw how they fought towards the end.

"They stuck at it today. If we could have gone into half-time at 24-7, the game would have been a lot closer. Those are little things that make a massive difference.

"We are where everyone expected us to be, we finished third in the table. We could have played a different game and probably kept the score closer but that's not a game that would have given us an opportunity to win."

On being disappointed he is not getting to lead this team forward:

"I've said before I would like to take this team forward. I think the next World Cup is their cycle.

"What needs to happen, though, is these players need to start being treated with a bit of respect off the field.

"They need to get some of their stuff sorted. So, quite honestly I don't know whether I'd want to be involved unless they get it sorted. I'd love to take these boys forward but I will be eating some sushi and watching from afar."

On whether the fact everyone knew he was leaving affected this campaign:

"It didn't affect my performance, I don't think, although it made for an interesting dynamic. But New Zealand have been in the same boat, haven't they, and they're going to the quarter-finals. Ian Foster is in the same boat. The decision was made and you've got to roll with it."

Michele Lamaro, captain

On Italy's Rugby World Cup:

"We managed to put ourselves into the position we wanted to be in but unfortunately a word to describe it... I can't think of anything right now."

On the expectations for the Rugby World Cup and the team not living up to expectations:

"The reason is quite simple. In rugby when you're struggling to play your basic game that's what happens. I know that we would like to wave a magic wand but there is no such thing in this game.

"If we win the physical fight, we carry on playing. Otherwise we lose the game. Against the All Blacks the preparation was excellent but from the psychological point of view we were thinking about the result and not the performance and we lost the physical fight. Without the physical flight you will not reach your goals.

"France's forwards were very powerful. To stop their attacks we need an extra man or two. It's as simple as that. I don't know what you expect as an answer. You are drawn in by the opposing forwards and the wide spaces open up. We were ready but we lost the last two games unfortunately. It's hard to accept."

On there being too much expectation and pressure placed on Italy:

"Within the group we set our goals and concentrated on our performance. Everyone reads the articles but we leave that outside [the training camp] so I don't think the expectations had an influence on the group.

"All I know is that we need to work on the small details to be competitive because the difference with the Six Nations and these two World Cup games [against New Zealand and France] is that when the games start to be hard and the ones that count, this also affects our opponents psychologically.

"We won that respect and now we are faced with it, it's come back to bite us. We have made progress and that is why in several games we played well, because we had been underestimated.

"In one way, it's a reason to be proud but we know that we have to be more ready to play to the end. We need to evolve, to progress, to be more precise, more physical and be prepared psychologically. These are all factors that we need to work on and develop."

ON-FIELD REACTION

Kieran Crowley, head coach

On his thoughts on his final match with Italy:

"You just need to listen to the support they [France] have got. They were too good. We gave away a lot of penalties early on and then we just didn't get any momentum because our breakdown work wasn't good enough. The interpretation sometimes left a bit to be desired but that's the way it was.

"They were just too physical, too powerful for us."

On his experience with the Azzurri:

"These boys, they'd die for you. They've got a lot of pride. I just hope they start getting treated with a bit more respect after this. For the next World Cup cycle there will be a lot of players with 50 or 60 test matches by then so that will be good."

Federico Ruzza, vice-captain and lock

On what was missing from the performance against France:

"A lot of things. First of all discipline... a lot of things didn't work. At the beginning of the match we weren't physical enough and we conceded too many penalties so it was easy for them to get into our 22.

"They are very good with ball in hand, they have a lot quality. [Giving them] a lot of penalties inside our 22, it is hard to keep them from scoring."

On it not being a true reflection of Italy's ability:

"Some things didn't work. We have to ask ourselves many questions. We have to do better. It is difficult now. We have to learn to be better."