Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Munster are off to a new venue in Italy for some PRO14 action next February

Munster are off to a new away destination next February (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Zebre are bringing PRO14 action to Milan after deciding to host their February 21 fixture with Munster as part of of a three-day rugby festival. 

ADVERTISEMENT

The soccer-mad northern Italian city was already set for a double dose of Six Nations action that weekend, with Italy’s under-20s taking on Scotland on the Saturday and their women’s team doing likewise on the Sunday. 

But the weekend will now kick-off on the Friday at the 5,000-seat Giovanni Mari Stadium in Legnano with Johann van Graan’s Munster taking on Michael Bradley’s Zebre.

It’s new territory for the PRO14, visiting a city that hosted an All Blacks versus Italy Test match in November 2009 at the San Siro. 

Zebre CEO Andrea Dalledonne said: “Playing a game in the context of Milan is for the Zebre Rugby Club and Italian rugby an important test.

(Continue reading below…)

Video Spacer

“Despite the many difficulties of organising a match in a stadium away from Parma, it allows us to approach the most important Italian city and to show that rugby can return to being a sport that deserves the audience and attention that had in the past and that must return to have. 

“I would like to thank the municipality of Legnano, the Parabiago Rugby and Rugbymeet for accepting this challenge. We know that we will be followed with great attention by the organising committee of the tournament and other important Italian and European cities.”

ADVERTISEMENT

WATCH: RugbyPass goes behind the scenes at Zebre in the build-up to a pre-season match with local rivals Benetton

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

M
MA 3 hours ago
How the four-team format will help the Wallabies defeat the Lions

In regards to Mack Hansen, Tuipoloto and others who talent wasnt 'seen'..

If we look at acting, soccer and cricket as examples, Hugh Jackman, the Heminsworths in acting; Keith Urban in Nashville, Mike Hussey and various cricketers who played in UK and made the Australian team; and many soccer players playing overseas.


My opinion is that perhaps the ' 'potential' or latent talent is there, but it's just below the surface.


ANd that decision, as made by Tane Edmed, Noah, Will Skelton to go overseas is the catalyst to activate the latent and bring it to the surface.


Based on my personal experience of leaving Oz and spending 14 months o/s, I was fully away from home and all usual support systems and past memories that reminded me of the past.


Ooverseas, they weren't there. I had t o survive, I could invent myself as who I wanted, and there was no one to blame but me.


It bought me alive, focused my efforts towards what I wanted and people largely accepted me for who I was and how I turned up.


So my suggestion is to make overseas scholarships for younger players and older too so they can benefit from the value offered by overseas coaching acumen, established systems, higher intensity competition which like the pressure that turns coal into diamonds, can produce more Skeltons, Arnold's, Kellaways and the like.


After the Lion's tour say, create 20 x $10,000 scholarships for players to travel and play overseas.


Set up a HECS style arrangement if necessary to recycle these funds ongoingly.


Ooverseas travel, like parenthood or difficult life situations brings out people's physical and emotional strengths in my own experiences, let's use it in rugby.

68 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Watch: Crusades young halfback speeds to rapid Bronco time Crusades young halfback speeds to rapid Bronco time
Search