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The Italy women's national rugby union team are the national women's rugby union team that represents Italy at international level. It has been administered by the Italian Rugby Federation since 1991; previously, since its inception in 1985 up to 1991, it was administered by UISP – Unione Italiana Sport Popolari (Italian Union for People's Sports), an association which promotes amateur sports at every level of the society. The team competes in the Rugby World Cup, the Rugby Europe Women's Championship and the Women's Six Nations Championship.
| Nickname | Le Azzurre (The Blues) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Union | Federazione Italiana Rugby | ||
| Head coach | Giovanni Raineri | ||
| Captain | Elisa Giordano | ||
| Most caps | Sara Barattin (111) | ||
| Top scorer | Veronica Schiavon (383) | ||
| Top try scorer | Manuela Furlan (20) | ||
| |||
| World Rugby ranking | |||
| Current | 8 (as of 28 October 2024) | ||
| Highest | 6 (2024) | ||
| Lowest | 9 (2024) | ||
| First international | |||
 Italy 0–0 France  (Riccione, Italy; 22 June 1985) | |||
| Biggest win | |||
 Germany 0–52 Italy (Hamburg, Germany; 7 April 2005) | |||
| Biggest defeat | |||
Italy 0–74 England  (Parma, Italy; 3 April 2022) | |||
| World Cup | |||
| Appearances | 4 (First in 1991) | ||
| Best result | 9th 2017 | ||
| Rank | Change* | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | England | 97.56 |
| 2 | |  Canada | 89.31 |
| 3 | |  New Zealand | 88.64 |
| 4 | | France | 85.11 |
| 5 | |  Australia | 78.10 |
| 6 | |  Ireland | 78.03 |
| 7 | |  Scotland | 76.82 |
| 8 | | Italy | 74.75 |
| 9 | |  United States | 74.20 |
| 10 | |  Wales | 72.58 |
| 11 | |  Japan | 66.41 |
| 12 | |  South Africa | 66.18 |
| 13 | |  Spain | 65.42 |
| 14 | |  Russia | 61.10 |
| 15 | |  Samoa | 60.56 |
| 16 | |  Netherlands | 60.20 |
| 17 | |  Fiji | 59.14 |
| 18 | |  Hong Kong | 56.20 |
| 19 | |  Kazakhstan | 55.23 |
| 20 | |  Sweden | 52.72 |
| *Change from the previous week | |||
On June 22, 1985, the Italian women's national team made their international debut against France. The match ended 0–0, they played again a year later in Bardos, with France winning 12–0. Italy scored their first points in their third match against France when the two neighbors met in Rome in 1987, France won 16–4.
In 1988 Italy participated in the first European championship organized in Bourg-en-Bresse in France by the local women's club. In addition to the hosts, the other two participants were Great Britain and the Netherlands. Italy finished last with three losses. The inaugural edition of this championship, while significant for being the first competition for women's national teams, was never recognized as official by FIRA.
Italian Rugby Federation entry
In 1991 the management of women's rugby was handed over to the Italian Rugby Federation. Their first commitment was the selection of the team for the inaugural edition of the World Cup which was held in April of that same year in Wales. The Azzurre, after having finished last in their pool, were placed in the Plate quarter-finals. They had their first victory in the tournament after defeating Sweden 18–0 in the Plate quarter-final but lost to Canada 6–0 in the Plate semi-final.
The progress of the national team was slow. In their first 15 years of existence, up to the end of 2000, they played in only 33 official matches. In 1995 they came third in the European championship organized at home in Treviso, a result equaled one year later in Madrid, Spain. After a first round elimination with a sixth-place finish at the 1997 European Championship, they finished 12th at the 1998 Women's Rugby World Cup in the Netherlands.
They finished 7th at the 1999 European Championship and 8th in 2001. They won their first Nations Cup title in Veneto in 2002 ahead of the Rugby World Cup, in which Italy finished in twelfth place. Italy won the 2005 European Championship which was held in Hamburg in Germany. In the 2006 Nations Cup Italy successfully defended their title.
Admission to the Six Nations
In December 2006, the executive committee of the Six Nations decided to align the composition of all competitions of the tournament with the men's, which included England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, France and Italy; at the time the only difference with the women's tournament was the presence of Spain, which the committee replaced with Italy starting in 2007.
Italy women's national rugby union team in 2013.
Italy women's national rugby union team in 2014 during 6 nations tournament.
Rugby World Cup
| Rugby World Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D | L | PF | PA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991 |
Plate semi-final | N/A | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 34 | 31 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994 |
Did not participate | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998 |
11th place playoff | 12th | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 108 | 81 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002 |
11th place playoff | 12th | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 45 | 121 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006 |
Did not participate | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 |
Did not qualify | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 |
9th place playoff | 9th | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 75 | 117 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 |
Quarter-final | – | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 58 | 79 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 |
Qualified | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2029 |
TBD | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2033 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 5/9 | 9th† | 22 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 320 | 429 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Six Nations
| Italy | |
|---|---|
| Tournaments | 16 |
| Outright Wins | 0 |
| Grand Slams | 0 |
| Triple Crowns | — |
| Wooden Spoons | 3 |
Rugby Europe Women's Championship
| Competition |  |  |  | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| European Championship | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
Overall
See: List of Italy women's national rugby union team matches
(Full internationals only)
Correct as of 11 February 2023
| Opponent | First game | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Belgium |
2006 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% |
| Canada |
1991 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00% |
| England |
1991 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0.00% |
| France |
1985 | 26 | 4 | 0 | 22 | 12.50% |
 Great Britain |
1988 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00% |
| Germany |
1996 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% |
| Ireland |
1997 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 10.00% |
| Japan |
2002 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 66.67% |
| Kazakhstan |
2001 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00% |
| Netherlands |
1988 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 62.50% |
| Russia |
1998 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% |
| Samoa |
2013 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% |
| Scotland |
1995 | 22 | 15 | 1 | 6 | 68.18% |
| South Africa |
2018 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% |
| Spain |
1991 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 33.33% |
| Sweden |
1991 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 62.50% |
| United States |
2012 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 33.33% |
| Wales |
1999 | 21 | 7 | 1 | 13 | 33.33% |
| Summary | 1985 | 164 | 57 | 3 | 104 | 34.76% |
Current squad
Giovanni Raineri announced Italy's 30-player squad for the WXV 2 competition on 16 September.[2][3]
| Player | Position | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club/province |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ilaria Arrighetti | Back row | 2 March 1993 (aged 31) | 57 | Stade Rennais Rugby |
| Chiara Cheli | Hooker | 0 | Rugby Colorno | |
| Giordana Duca | Lock | 18 September 1992 (aged 32) | 49 | Valsugana Rugby Padova |
| Elena Errichiello | Back row | Unione Rugby Capitolina | ||
| Valeria Fedrighi | Lock | 5 September 1992 (aged 32) | 55 | Rugby Colorno |
| Alessandra Frangipani | Back row | 12 July 2003 (aged 21) | 8 | Villorba Rugby |
| Elisa Giordano | Back row | 1 November 1990 (aged 33) | 67 | Valsugana Rugby Padova |
| Laura Gurioli | Hooker | 2 February 1995 (aged 29) | 9 | Villorba Rugby |
| Gaia Maris | Prop | 5 December 2001 (aged 22) | 29 | ASM Romagnat Rugby |
| Alissa Ranuccini | Back row | 28 June 2000 (aged 24) | 8 | Rugby Colorno |
| Sara Seye | Prop | 26 August 2000 (aged 24) | 24 | Trailfinders |
| Francesca Sgorbini | Back row | 7 January 2001 (aged 23) | 25 | ASM Romagnat Rugby |
| Emanuela Stecca | Prop | 24 February 1997 (aged 27) | 11 | Villorba Rugby |
| Sara Tounesi | Lock | 19 July 1995 (aged 29) | 41 | Montpellier Hérault Rugby |
| Silvia Turani | Prop | 6 July 1995 (aged 29) | 35 | Harlequins |
| Vittoria Vecchini | Hooker | 13 January 2002 (aged 22) | 28 | Valsugana Rugby Padova |
| Beatrice Veronese | Back row | 11 March 1996 (aged 28) | 19 | Valsugana Rugby Padova |
| Vittoria Zanette | Forward | 29 November 2004 (aged 19) | 0 | Villorba Rugby |
| Beatrice Capomaggi | Fullback | 29 April 1997 (aged 27) | 15 | Villorba Rugby |
| Sofia Catellani | Back | 15 June 2004 (aged 20) | 2 | Rugby Colorno |
| Francesca Granzotto | Scrum-half | 22 March 2002 (aged 22) | 13 | Villorba Rugby |
| Veronica Madia | Fly-half | 16 January 1995 (aged 29) | 51 | Rugby Colorno |
| Sara Mannini | Centre | 28 August 2005 (aged 19) | 1 | Rugby Colorno |
| Nicole Mastrangelo | Centre | 21 September 2003 (aged 21) | 1 | Unione Rugby Capitolina |
| Aura Muzzo | Wing | 12 April 1997 (aged 27) | 46 | Villorba Rugby |
| Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi | Fullback | 6 December 2001 (aged 22) | 34 | Valsugana Rugby Padova |
| Beatrice Rigoni | Centre | 1 August 1995 (aged 29) | 76 | Sale Sharks |
| Michela Sillari | Centre | 23 February 1993 (aged 31) | 83 | Valsugana Rugby Padova |
| Sofia Stefan | Scrum-half | 12 May 1992 (aged 32) | 89 | Sale Sharks |
| Emma Stevanin | Fly-half | 11 April 2002 (aged 22) | 15 | Valsugana Rugby Padova |
Previous squads
Award winners
World Rugby Awards
The following Italy players have been recognised at the World Rugby Awards since 2001:[4]
| Year | Forwards | Backs | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Players | No. | Players | ||
| 2021 | — | 12. | Beatrice Rigoni | 1 | |
| Year | Date | Nominee | Match | Tournament | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13 September | Sara Barattin | vs. Scotland | World Cup Qualifying | — |
| 2023 | 15 April | Sofia Stefan | vs. Ireland | Six Nations | Sofia Stefan |
Six Nations Awards
The following Italy players have been recognised in the Women's Six Nations Awards since 2020:[5][6][7]
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