JOHN O'SULIVANtalks to the former Springbok player who knows he needs to impose a reasonably regimented game plan on his Italy team
NICK MALLETT shakes his head and smiles in summarising what it is like to coach Italy, pointing out that while there are handicaps in terms of depth of talent and well-documented issues in trying to expose Italian players to high-level league rugby on a consistent basis, he is probably the only coach in the Six Nations whose position is not defined by results alone.
The Azzurri have played 50 matches over 10 seasons, winning six and drawing one, and on Saturday week their 11th campaign opens against the reigning Grand Slam champions, Ireland, at Croke Park. The former Springbok coach, in the course of an articulate and engaging interview, exudes a pragmatism borne from specific experiences in Italy.
He knows progression comes in small increments and that will be gleaned from performance levels. Italy need to be competitive first and foremost. He knows the challenge that awaits at Croke Park.
“Ireland has had a fantastic 2009, unbeaten throughout the year. I think the coach Declan (Kidney) winning the coach of the year, beating South Africa, drawing with Australia and winning the Grand Slam: it was just fantastic.
“So it’s a tough start for us but if we had to play against France, Wales or England, they are all tough starts. They (Ireland) will be trying to repeat their successes of last year and we hopefully are going to be better than we were in the last Six Nations. But it’s all a question of whether we can take little steps forward all the time.”
The easy cliché would be to recall Italy’s last visit to Dublin when they stymied Ireland’s brio and ambition to an extent that the home side were fortunate to escape with a 16-11 victory. Mallett refuses to draw a corollary between then and next week.
“Yeah but I think it was a very different Irish side then and probably not as happy as the one now, not as organised and well structured. And this Irish side is very well organised, they understand exactly where their strengths are.
“They are pragmatic, have a very good pack of forwards and world-class backs. So they can play any game. You could see the try they scored against Australia in the last minute proved that they can strike at any point against the best teams in the world.
“Like I said very, very pragmatic with a good kicking game, great defence and they make very few mistakes. It won’t be quite as fast and loose as the game was two years ago. Looking at Ireland now they can take it through plenty of phases; they’re very disciplined. It’s very tough (for us). That quality is why they’ve got two teams in the quarter-final of the European Cup.”
The Italian coach knows he needs to impose a reasonably regimented game plan on his team, one that will pander to their strengths rather than trying to accomplish something of which his charges are not capable. He agreed: “You need to have the materials to disrupt somebody. We have our strengths in Italy. I think our front five are very good in set-pieces, particularly in the scrums, so that’s an area that we’re quite proud of.
“And then we try to improve our defence all the time because it’s no good competing for 20 minutes and then conceding a stupid try off your own mistakes. So I think you can disrupt a team if you’ve got the weapons to do so but I would say one area of the game we will try to do be competitive is in the scrum and the lineouts. I think a lot of teams now respect Italy’s forwards and they’ll know they will have to perform in the front five. Then if there is going to be a difference it is going to be in the quality of the loose forwards and the back-line play because they’ve got really good strike runners and outstanding back line players.”
He won’t have long to wait to road test his theories.
