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<font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">Sono veramente sconcertato e
spero siano veramente voci false e tendenziose che la FIR smentirà
presto.<br>
Pare (fonte: Irish Times) che ad andare in Celtic League saranno
Treviso e Roma.<br>
Allora, per non fare le cose all'italiana ci vorrebbe un pò di serietà
in più.<br>
Se fosse vera la notizia noi manderemmo in Celtic League:<br>
<br>
a) Roma: una squadra che non ha la copertura economica: nessuno ha
garantito che i 7 milioni di ¤ di budget siano garantiti<br>
b) Treviso: una squadra che non ha alcun aggancio territoriale se non
quello del territorio trevigiano, che già ha dimostrato ... (<span
class="moz-smiley-s6"><span> :-[ </span></span>) l'attaccamento alla
propria maglia ... che non ha mai perseguito una politica di
valorizzazione delle risorse italiane e che è inviso al proprio
territorio (ve li vedete Rovigo, Padova e Venezia a tifare per i
"Leoni" ...) ??<br>
<br>
Gli unici che hanno portato avanti un progetto serio bisogna ammettere
sono gli Aironi del Po, che hanno predisposto nome, simbolo, un accordo
fra club, individuato lo stadio e... soprattutto, garantito la
copertura finanziaria con i fatti ... e non con le parole ...<br>
Se fossero gli unici ad essere esclusi sarebbe veramente una beffa ...<br>
<br>
Personalmente mi fa "schifo" - ed uso il termine consapevolmente ... -
leggere che dietro la franchigia romana c'è AN (per chi non lo sapesse:
Alleanza Nazionale) e dietro Viadana e Treviso ci sarebbe la Lega ...<br>
Fuori la politica dal rugby .. !!! E' l'unica cosa che mi sento di dire
... <br>
<br>
</font>Tratto da Irish Times<br>
<br>
<span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;"><span
style="font-weight: bold;">Italy close in on Magners League</span></span><br>
GERRY THORNLEY and JOHN O'SULLIVAN<br>
<br>
RUGBY
NEWS ROUND-UP: ANOTHER PRODUCTIVE meeting between the Magners League
chairman John Hussey and the Italian federation president, Giancarlo
Dondi, in Rome on Saturday, has brought the prospect of two regional
Italian sides entering the league much closer to fruition.<br>
<br>
Hussey
returned with the Irish team to Dublin yesterday “reasonably confident”
the Magners League board will ratify the inclusion of two Italian sides
in time for the 2010-11 season between now and the end of March.<br>
<br>
Exploratory
talks have been ongoing about some form of Italian involvement in the
league for a couple of years and although the formula for making this
come to pass has not been finalised, the proposal has gathered momentum
lately because Nick Mallett and Dondi believe it is imperative for the
future health of Italian rugby.<br>
<br>
The Italians would like to have
four teams entering the competition but as that would mean eight extra
rounds of matches it is not feasible. But they are prepared to
compromise, with two largely indigenous Italian regions being based in
<b>Treviso and Rome.</b><br>
<br>
Accommodating two Italians sides would be
problematic given it would require finding four extra weekends and
Hussey admits the board would have to be “creative” in finding them,
perhaps during the Six Nations. It helps though that the EDF Cup is in
its last year.<br>
<br>
Meanwhile, Mallett has received the dreaded “vote
of confidence” from Dondi in the wake of Sunday’s defeat to Ireland at
the Stadio Flaminio. The South African has attracted a barrage of flak
in the last two weeks, beginning with his experiment of playing flanker
Mauro Bergamasco at scrumhalf against England at Twickenham on the
opening weekend of the tournament that imploded disastrously.<br>
<br>
The
Italian media was quick to point out the error of Mallett’s ways and
were again unconvinced with Italy’s performance against Ireland in
Rome. Picking up on the displeasure of the home supporters at the
Stadio Flaminio, Dondi was asked whether Italian rugby was heading in
the right direction. “I am saddened to have heard the booing. But that
only came after the last two tries.”<br>
<br>
Another more pointed
inquiry suggested Italy have regressed this season under Mallett. Dondi
argued: “It is difficult to think that our team has become worse with
respect to 2008. My belief is that the other teams have improved and
they have absorbed the new rules better. Mallett does his job and he
has no fault.”<br>
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