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'We are an ambitious team, we want to win something' - Keatley on Benetton's desire for silverware

(Photo by Getty Images)

Ian Keatley says that Benetton have designs on delivering silverware after a promising few seasons for the Italian side. Keatley joined the Italians last year following eight years with Munster, and says there is no shortage of ambition in a team that has made some major strides in recently.

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For so long the whipping boys of the Pro14 – in the 2016/17 season they lost 17 of their 22 games –  Benetton sat fifth in Conference B when the Pro14 season was suspended earlier this year.

A third place finish in their conference a year previously saw them travel to Thomond Park for the quarter-finals, where they were narrowly edged out 15-13 by Munster.

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John Dobson presser July 30

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John Dobson presser July 30

The Champions Cup has proven more difficult to break, with the Italians picking up just one win in a difficult Pool campaign this year after being pitted against Leinster, Northampton Saints and Lyon.

But Keatley says the squad are determined to keen building and improving.

“Benetton experienced a great season the year before I arrived, the guys made it to the quarter-finals of the Pro14,” he told the club’s website.

“We were in the Champions Cup last season, we were in a group with three top teams, Leinster, Northampton and Lyon. It was a very difficult group, but we want to try again to qualify for the quarter-finals (of the Pro14) and start from there.

“We are an ambitious team, we want to win something, so we will try again to enter the quarter-finals of the playoffs, then semi-final and final.

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“We hope to win something, but the first goal is to reach the quarter-finals.”

Benetton have met that ambition by contining to bolster their squad in a bid to fuse experience with youth.

“There have been some important purchases, such as Callum (Braley) who has a lot of experience with Gloucester or Joaquin Riera who was a permit player and is now always with us,” Keatley continued.

“Several guys who were part of the Italy Under-20 are also training with us. It seems to me that everyone is trying to raise the level, we must give them time to learn but we are trying to help them get to know the world of Benetton Rugby.

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“There is a good mix of young and experienced players.”

Keatley, who won the last of his seven caps for Ireland in 2017, added that he is loving life in Italy since making the move last year.

“I arrived in Treviso with my family last summer, it is going very well.

“For me it was a total change, leaving Ireland to live in Italy where the weather is very hot, it took a while to adapt to this.

“Now it is 30 degrees every morning, getting up at seven in the morning and dripping with sweat is a nice change, I am enjoying this new experience.”

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AM 42 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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