9:10pm Thursday 18th March 2010
By Iwan Davies
THERE is a quiet confidence in the Italian camp as they plot to record their first ever victory over Wales at the Millennium Stadium.
Their upbeat mood was epitomised by two new members of their sizeable foreign legion.
As well as the native Italian, the squad has more than a sprinkling of accents from across the world including those from Argentina, New Zealand and Fiji.
Yesterday in Quintin Geldenhuys’ South African brogue and Australian rugby league star Craig Gower’s Sydney’s Western Suburbs drawl, they both calmly talked about the Azzurri’s chances.
A Baby Boks lock who played for the Sharks and Pumas in South Africa, the towering Geldenhuys, 28, who is just an inch shorter than Luke Charteris at 6ft 8in, said the Italians’ mission is clear: “The message is, ‘we are coming here to win’. If you don’t think you are going to win, then what are you doing playing?
“Until last week (when they let in six tries during their 46-20 defeat to France) we had only conceded three tries in our previous three games which is pretty good for Italy.”
Viadana’s Geldenhuys, who qualified for Italy last year on the three-year residency rule, said: “And we’ve scored one or two tries, so it’s coming together a bit.”
He also thinks Tom Prydie must be up to the job despite his shock call-up to win his first cap, the youngest in Welsh rugby history at just 18 years old and 25 days.
“François Steyn was 19 when he was playing for South Africa and Leigh Halfpenny was the same age when he was selected for Wales and they are pretty top class players.”
Colourful character Gower, who has got himself into a number of scrapes off the field over the years, has played at outside-half throughout the Six Nations although he plays centre for Bayonne.
The 31-year-old, who captained the Kangaroos, qualifies for the Azzurri through an Italian grandfather.
He said: “Wales will be coming out fired up and it’s a big challenge. We have to make sure we do the basics and that our defence is right and then we will see how it goes.”
Italy: L McLean; K Robertson, A Masi, G Garcia, Mirco Bergamasco; C Gower, P Canavosio; S Perugini, L Ghiraldini (captain), M Castrogiovanni, CA Del Fava or M Bortolami, Quintin Geldenhuys, P Derbyshire or J Sole, Mauro Bergamasco, A Zanni. Replacements: F Ongaro , M Aguero, M Bortolami or V Bernabo, J Sole or M Vosawai, T Tebaldi, R Bocchino, G Canale.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/trade_directory/