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Nicknames: Azzurri, The Gladiators of Rome
Colors: (Light) Blue
Honors: None
Homeground: Stadio Flaminio
Anthem: Il Canto Degli Italiani

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The team are also known as the Azzurri (blues) and "The Gladiators of Rome". Italy have been playing international rugby since the late 1920s, and today are considered one of the best rugby nations in Europe.

Italy really came to prominence following 2000 when they became a part of the Five Nations, making it the Six Nations. Italy have also competed at every Rugby World Cup since the first tournament in 1987. Their best result thus far has been in 2003 where they managed two wins during the pool stages.

The first documented rugby union match played in Italy was a demonstration game played in 1910 in Turin between Racing Club París and Servette of Geneva. The society that organised the game didn't have a long life and dissolved after this first game but the game became known in Milan. The first match played by an Italian team was a year later US Milanese against Voiron of France. On July 25 of the same year the "Propaganda Committee" was formed which in 1928 became the Federazione Italiana Rugby (FIR). There was a further game in 1928 when Ambrosiana Milano beat R.C.T. Bucharest 15-3.

The first Italian championship, won by Ambrosiana Milano, took place in 1929, with 6 of the 16 teams that existed in Italy. In May of the same year Italy played their first international losing 9-0 against Spain in Barcelona. After the formation of FIRA in 1934, which brought together the national teams of Italy, France, Spain, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Germany rugby union spreads through Italy, especially the cities of Milan, Rome, Turin, Bologna, Padua, Naples, Genoa, Brescia, Treviso, Rovigo and Parma. France was the first of the Championship countries to play Italy at senior level and the inaugural match took place in 1937, France winning 43-5.

Anthem

Fratelli d'Italia

Composed in 1847 by Michele Novaro, "Fratelli d'Italia" has been the national anthem of Italy since 1948 replacing the March of the House of Savoy.

Fratelli d'Italia,
l'Italia s'e' desta,
dell'elmo di Scipio
s'e cinta la testa.
Dov'e la vittoria?
Le porga la chioma,
che schiava di Roma
Iddio la creo'.

Stringiamoci a coorte,
siam pronti alla morte.
Siam pronti alla morte,
l'Italia chiamo'.

Stringiamoci a coorte,
siam pronti alla morte.
siam pronti alla morte,
l'Italia chiamo'. Si.