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Facing Goliath - A documentary following Italy as they take on the mighty All Blacks

Facing Goliath is the monumental journey of the Italian rugby team as they prepare to take on New Zealand, one of the greatest rugby teams of all time.

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RugbyPass was granted exclusive access to follow the Azzurri as they embarked on a new season under the watchful eye of their new coach Kieran Crowley.

RugbyPass went behind the scenes with the Italian rugby team as they prepare for a clash with the All Blacks at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, the Azzurri have entered a new era in their history.

We look at the challenges facing this new, young side as they look for a fresh start under the former Kiwis selector.

Narrated by Jim Hamilton…

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Comments

1 Comment
s
steve 1263 days ago

Great insider's view. Crowley is a great coach. He was instrumental in building a competitive and credible Canadian team. We in Canada miss him and wish him and the Azzuri well

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Comments on RugbyPass

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IkeaBoy 6 minutes ago
Owen Farrell hints England career is far from over as he draws inspiration from rival

Never understood the issue with him, not least from England fans.


A proven test player who is well over 100 caps yet still only 33 years old and the second all time test points scorer with a career average of 11 PTS a match.


The series loss to AB last year was narrow and called out for a bit of game management. Farrell may well have been the difference had he been involved.

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NB 10 minutes ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

Packer was never going to uproot the cricket establishment, but look how many of the changes he introduced have taken root now. Higher wages scales paid for by private investors [PE now], day-night games, coloured uniforms etc… He prob paved the way for the IPL and 20-over game. Mustn’t underestimate the impact these fads can have!

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N
NB 18 minutes ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

Fair enough😁

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N
NB 19 minutes ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

His boxes are fine, but sometimes there is more to a 9’s kicking game than that - I think he could look at Maxime Lucu and learna few things from him.

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Cantab 21 minutes ago
Two All Blacks praised as 'potential superstars' in France whitewash

All is not roses in the garden just yet. The acid test will come against the formidable Boks and again on the Northern tour. Signs are promising but lets wait and see what happens then.

6 Go to comments
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CO 21 minutes ago
'Beautiful spot': All Blacks assistant with high praise for star back

Agreed and I'm an Auckland supporter. Caleb needs to work to earn the spot, it's not helping him getting selected when he clearly doesn't deserve it.


Rieko is considerably better and can cover midfield. Caleb and Reece are carried by Will Jordan and we need wingers that score tries. If you don't score tries then your not a winger.

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Poorfour 25 minutes ago
The damaging untruth that dogged the career of Huw Jones

After an awkward first couple of games where he wasn’t on the team’s wavelength, he was superb for Quins and made a big contribution to their Premiership title run. I wish we could have kept him as he really suits the Quins’ style of play - but I guess his versatility would have counted against him in terms of his Scotland ambitions.


Couldn’t be more pleased for him with the Lions this summer, though - he has very much earned the shirt and made good on his selection last Saturday.

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CO 27 minutes ago
'No regard for what anyone’s done in the past': Verdict on Pollock from inside Lions camp

Good on Owen, a brilliant player. Spectators can be horrible human beings.

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ch 31 minutes ago
Owen Farrell hints England career is far from over as he draws inspiration from rival

I hope he will stick with Atkinson at 12 with Dingwall or Northmoor or Ojomoh as back up. Lawrence and Beard for the 13 shirt. N and O could also be contenders for 13.

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Cantab 32 minutes ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

I would still rank the " weakened * French squad ahead of both Georgia & Italy who both capitulated to the Boks. The French gained some incentive by being written off and played above what was expected of them and provided a decent contest.

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Ed the Duck 37 minutes ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

I don’t think anyone on here (well maybe apart from one or two exceptions…) is naive enough to think welfare was the sole agenda at play with this but there’s not been enough recognition of the complexities of the picture and, more importantly, what it might take to change things for the betterment of all.

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Cantab 40 minutes ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

I would hope NZ win both tests against SA & lay that bogey to rest. We owe them after the traumas of recent years !!

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IkeaBoy 46 minutes ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

I don't really go for that. His box kicking is top level and he has the sense not to over use it.


He doesn't need it as an attack weapon as he is so good around the rucks with ball in hand. Unless they are under penalty advantage, he generally uses it as a good escape route when they are on the back foot.


I think he's motoring along nicely.

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K
Koro Teeps 46 minutes ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

Is Love the answer at 10? Neither BB or Dmac have the tactical kicking required. We get zero distance from exits inside our 22. Be better to box kick down the tram lines and chase like buggery.

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AW 51 minutes ago
Springboks' No.1 status in world rankings coming under increased threat

I’m no Mate to you! Watch what World Rugby is doing then you will see what real rugby research is, maybe you will realise the truth to development! EG Springboks used 100 players in their development!

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Over the sideline 54 minutes ago
Springboks' No.1 status in world rankings coming under increased threat

From what I can see he toured SA in 17. Played 1 test as a sub.

I do not believe he toured Aus in 21.

Sorry I don’t count 1 game a tour so cannot say he Toured. Just had a day there.

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S
SadersMan 55 minutes ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

Well, fake info rather than fake data, but a fake way of skillfully interpreting anything helpful in an 80 minute game, for me.


Pet peeve to be fair.

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Ed the Duck 55 minutes ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

Apples and oranges Nick, union owned and privately owned!

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Ed the Duck 56 minutes ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

As things stand, exactly as they do now. Pick who they decide to pick for their own reasons and ignore the flak. A calendar doesn’t fully resolve this in its own right, unless ofc it is so draconian that NH leagues move to 17 weeks like SR but there’s absolutely zero chance of that happening.


Look this comes down to finances and I haven’t seen anything from you to address this issue for the French owners. Until this happens, there’s is very little chance of universal consensus on either the calendar, or obeying the rules.

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Ed the Duck 1 hour ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

Do you really see rugby 365 as a genuine and viable threat to international rugby? For a start the costs involved to underwrite will be astronomical and the pay back long, slow and arduous. National allegiance is everything and without that, it’s a very long odds risk. Look at the world sevens, great product landing in the biggest population centres for one off festivals with all singing razzmatazz and it’s failing miserably on a financial level and always has. If that doesn’t concentrate minds then they deserve to lose all of their money!

180 Go to comments
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