Women’s Six Nations, eight Blue Women in contention for top XV
The discrete Women’s Six Nations played so far by Italy (the balance is one victory and three defeats, but even in the lost matches the Azzurre have shown good things) is evidenced by the choice of eight representatives of the Tricolor in the ‘list’ of the 45 candidates for the best XV of the event, a list made official by the organizers of the competition on Tuesday evening.
The athletes chosen are Silvia Turani (prop, Harlequins, 40 caps), Vittoria Vecchini (hooker, Valsugana Rugby Padova, 34 caps), Giordana Duca (second line, Valsugana Rugby Padova, 55 caps), Sara Tounesi (second line, Montpellier Herault Rugby, 46 caps), Francesca Sgorbini (flanker, ASM Clermont Rugby, 31 caps) Sofia Stefan (scrum-half, Svincolata, 95 caps), Alyssa D’Incà (winger, Villorba Rugby, 30 caps) and Aura Muzzo (winger, Villorba Rugby, 53 caps).
Alyssa D’Incà, last year, had also made it onto the shortlist of eligible athletes for the Best Overall Women’s Six Nations player award, an accolade that went, however, to England’s Ellie Kildunne, the latter elected a few months later as the world’s best female rugby player.
The women’s national rugby team, coached since this year by Fabio Roselli, lost 38-5 to England on the first day of the Six Nations (Francesca Sgorbini’s only goal), before surrendering 12-54 to Ireland in Parma (goals by Stefan and Rigoni for the Azzurri). In the third round came a 25-17 success in Scotland (heavy scoring by Sgorbini, Muzzo, Minuzzi, two goals for D’Incà), while on the fourth day Italy dominated the first half against France, closing it ahead by nine points, before conceding in the second half and losing 34-21 (Azzurre goals by Vecchini, Muzzo and Turani).
