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Italy hand Franco Smith top job, for now

By Online Editors

21 Nov 2019

Franco Smith wants Sergio Parisse to have at least one more match with Italy (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Italy have announced former South Africa international Franco Smith as interim head coach for the 2020 Guinness Six Nations.

Smith replaces former Harlequins head coach Conor O’Shea who resigned last week after three years in the role.

Former fly-half or centre Smith, who made nine appearances for the Springboks between 1996 and 1999, has previous experience in Italy, having played at Treviso for three years before taking over as head coach at the club for a further six years.

The 47-year-old will be supported by forwards coach Giampiero De Carli, defence coach Marius Goosen and fitness coaches Pete Atkinson and Giovanni Sanguin for the Six Nations campaign which begins at the Principality Stadium against Wales on February 1.

The Italy Rugby Federation will continue their search for a permanent successor and hope to have them in place by July 1, 2020 for the tour of the Americas until the end of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

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Comments on RugbyPass

RedWarrior 5 minutes ago

Everyone is saying the same thing after agonising England loss

The first half penalties against NZ were for speculative tackling because England were attacking so flat. If NZ didn't do this then it may have been tries and not penalties conceded earlier. I believe Felix Jones is still helping with the transition online. It was quite clear he wasn't helping in person with Earls in particular shooting up and leaving huge holes. NZ had a few that nearly stuck but the two tries by Telea were defensive errors. Furbank biting on Sititi leaving Genge to mark. Genge wont show Telea the outside again. Poor tacking on Telea for the second. That said he is a hard man to grab hold of.

Isolating Genge was clever for Jordans try. NZ spotted he defended wide too often and they could leave a gap with that switch play. 6 day turnaround for Ireland now.

I imagine NZ will be better, but they will need to be a lot better.

4 Go to comments

SadersMan 5 minutes ago

'Furious': X erupts as England fans drown out haka with controversial rugby anthem

Wrong.

49 Go to comments

Rob 6 minutes ago

Late blitz sees All Blacks XV secure testy win over Munster

Been a long time since they’ve lost to them, between Munster and Leinster in the last 8 or so years there’s been the Māoris, SA A, Uruguay and Chile that I remember off the top of my head.

They had a good game and nearly came back but lost to a few late scores, yeah that’s pretty heartbreaking for a team that lost to Zebre a few months ago that they nearly bounced back here.

3 Go to comments

Pabst 6 minutes ago

'Furious': X erupts as England fans drown out haka with controversial rugby anthem

There’s always an option about the Haka. Let people disrespect it and do what they want. I would love to see a Campese episode where players completely disregard it without having femi-Nazi giving moral values…

49 Go to comments

Jen 8 minutes ago

'Furious': X erupts as England fans drown out haka with controversial rugby anthem

We're well aware that the Irish are all good with dishing it out themselves but a bit flimsy when it comes to being on the karmic receiving end.

49 Go to comments

Jen 13 minutes ago

'Furious': X erupts as England fans drown out haka with controversial rugby anthem

That was a bit weird eh. However, I still vote for the instrumental over the San Diego chick.

49 Go to comments

BE 15 minutes ago

The Steve Borthwick reaction to a cruel England defeat

Just a few thoughts. England stopped playing with 20 minutes on the clock, holding only an 8-point advantage. Ford kept telling everyone to calm down and just kicked all the possession away. Why didn’t Slade take the final kick, being left-footed? England went back to their usual style: a lot of box kicks and very little in attack. New Zealand deserved to win.

2 Go to comments

SadersMan 15 minutes ago

'Furious': X erupts as England fans drown out haka with controversial rugby anthem

Again you show your ignorance.

The first NZ rugby team to tour overseas was the NZ Native team in 1888-89. They toured Australia, Britain, & Ireland, & played 107 matches. A few were "white Europeans". The team played in all black & performed the haka. And were inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2008. So the haka has been a part of NZ Rugby culture across three centuries.

And the haka is not an "indigenous (sic) war song". Do some proper research if you really want to know about it. But I suspect your only interest is in trying to score meaningless zingers to help yourself feel better.

I notice your posts mostly don't reflect a rugby lover but rather you just stir up nonsense. How about talking some rugby instead of constantly unleashing your insecurities on this forum?

49 Go to comments

Jen 16 minutes ago

'Furious': X erupts as England fans drown out haka with controversial rugby anthem

Nah, you couldn't. Maori are indigenous to NZ, te reo Maori is an official language and elements of the culture are woven throughout the day-to-day for lots of people here - Maori or not.

49 Go to comments

RedWarrior 17 minutes ago

'Furious': X erupts as England fans drown out haka with controversial rugby anthem

An opinion is supposed to be based on a fact. If your opinion involves calling an entire supporter group 'morons' you might be asked for the basis or facts that support that opinion. (Deal with it)

49 Go to comments

MakeOllieMathisAnAB 26 minutes ago

Late blitz sees All Blacks XV secure testy win over Munster

The Irish commentator makes Grant Nisbett sound like the narrator from Princess Di’s funeral.

3 Go to comments

SC 28 minutes ago

All Blacks player ratings vs England | Autumn Nations Series

Both 14 Tele’a and 15 Jordan played great today.

Why make a change just to squeeze in DMac? He is best as a bench player.

24 Go to comments

Flankly 29 minutes ago

The Steve Borthwick reaction to a cruel England defeat

That’s the reality, this is the width of a post, the result goes one way or the other ...

Played 3, lost 3 against NZ in 2024. Borthwick win ratio of 55%, vs 73% for his predecessor.

The discussion should be about how to build a winning record, not about the excuses for losing.

BTW - the kick that hit the upright missed the centre line of the posts by over 2.8m.

2 Go to comments

SC 30 minutes ago

All Blacks player ratings vs England | Autumn Nations Series

I hope that for Ireland, Razor starts 12 Jordie, 13 Proctor, and 23 Ioane with ALB sitting in the stands beside Havili.

By the way, 12 Quinn Tupaea and 13 AJ Lam both played outstanding on both sides of the ball vs Munster today. I really hope both Tupaea and Lam replace ALB and Havili next season.

24 Go to comments

HS 34 minutes ago

All Blacks player ratings vs England | Autumn Nations Series

Dmac saved the game for the ABs and BB made so many mistakes but the people who have been calling for Dmac's scalp won't say it. He is definitely the one to take this team forward. I hope he starts getting some respect for the magic he creates.

24 Go to comments

d 37 minutes ago

Late blitz sees All Blacks XV secure testy win over Munster

"Heartbreak for Munster" after a 14 point loss? Do provincial Irish sides expect to beat shadow international sides every time now?

3 Go to comments

d 41 minutes ago

'Furious': X erupts as England fans drown out haka with controversial rugby anthem

that's a pretty poor attempt at gamesmanship. As for the colonial slave song , well words fail.