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FIRFL 2015 - Italy RL Breakaway group

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FIRFL Work Toward More Expansion

The Federazione Italiana Rugby Football League (FIRFL), the ‘unofficial rugby league body’ in Italy have announced early signs of expansion for their mid-year championship - the r-Evolution League (specifically, the Central Italian group). The first new city announced for the 2015 season is L’Aquila in the Abruzzo region, after another rugby league training session held was at a new FIRFL Sports Facility (centro sportivo “dei Rogazionisti”) in Grottaferrata, a sub-city in Rome on December 22 with 27 players present, but not only for some players from Lazio, but much wider in Umbria and Abruzzo.

Two federal technical officers in Sebastian Velazquez and Simone Martellucci were present, along with national team manager Riccardo Marini, where athletes had an effective classic training session: including a few hours work based on some tactical concepts, but especially focusing on defense and technical areas. Team Manager Marini said “It was a very positive training meeting where we tested the level of development of these guys. The ages of the athletes consisted of both Senior and Junior and now we can we are very satisfied from what was seen at Grottaferrata. At the end of the training meeting a classic “third half” was held between those present, an occasion to wish each other greetings for the holidays.

The training in the city was mostly due to the particular presence, a tasty novelty, of ten athletes from Gran Sasso, a club in L’Aquila (participating in the Italian semi-professional rugby union competition serie a) with which could open talks and very interesting plots at the federal level. Marini specifically states “First of all I want to point out that at the training meeting the Gran Sasso coach, Pierpaolo Rotilio was present and we are happy as a Federation that the abruzzo club’s players have wanted to closely test rugby league (due to several players participating with CellaCella XIII Rugby Rieti in 2014). There is possibility, therefore, that in short L’Aquila also can have a team to participate in our Championship.” Again because of this, the next national training meeting for the region (scheduled for January in Central Italy) could be held in the capital of Abruzzo.
 
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Bronco Rob

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So Joel what is the state of play with the FIRFL this year, are they any closer in unifying or is this just a pipedream? Will be interesting to see if it will end up like the US situation and the rebel body eventually takes over the reins. It's a real shame as a unified Italy could be a real force in RL and the 2 combined would have very good playing numbers.
 
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Bronco Rob said:
So Joel what is the state of play with the FIRFL this year, are they any closer in unifying or is this just a pipedream? Will be interesting to see if it will end up like the US situation and the rebel body eventually takes over the reins. It's a real shame as a unified Italy could be a real force in RL and the 2 combined would have very good playing numbers.
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Not on the cards. They went to rl officials with an email and we're ignored a long while ago.
Just focusing on obtaining government/coni recognition and the development.

Certainly would be better as one so all firfl players and coaches could utilize the beneficial coaches and referee education funding and programs on offer. Plus a stronger national team with more domestic players. I'm. Sure if firfl had the international opps more players would be interested in taking up league or current players interest would be heightened. Plenty of pro ru players that are involved of have previously played
 
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Italia Rugby Football League: CellaCella XIII Rugby Rieti confirms plans for 2015

Participating in the Federazione Italiana Rugby Football League (FIRFL) for the second consecutive year, the Cellacella Rieti Rugby XIII is ready to give battle again in 2015, after featuring in the 2014 Championship Finals (the r-Evolution League) held last year in July.

“We hosted the Final Four (and Grand Final) and came third, remember - the player manager of the Rieti team Simon Martellucci said – and this year we will try to confirm at last that result.”

The group will undergo changes, but the team remains competitive Martellucci said. "We will lose a few players to (the new club) Abruzzo since in that region there is another rugby league team, but the basis of the group remains from last year and we can also count on some others from Terni and from our city. What matters most – says the player manager of Rieti – is the enthusiasm and interest that we were able to create around this discipline during last season, there have been several expressions of interest that we received, both by professionals and by parents of several guys.”

There also may be some important news for the youth sector of the rugby league movement in Rieti. "The intention is to form a youth group training which can complement the first team – explains Martellucci - also to give continuity to the movement." Rieti is about to begin the start of their campaign for the 2015 season.

"A short start to train together in preparation our first appointment that will be the Italy Cup (Coppa Italia; scheduled between February and March, ndr), then we will concentrate on the Championship.” Meanwhile Martellucci, working with federal technical officers Sebastian Velazquez and Riccardo Marini, will be watching for some players in the area of Central Italy (both Senior and youth), which may fall within the National Tour and participating in several training meetings organized by the FIRFL.

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Italia Rugby Football League Secretary General Unveils 2015 Year Ahead in Rugby League

Rome – It has been a year of important growth for the Federazione Italiana Rugby Football League (Firfl) and another year is about to begin full of news. Pierluigi Gentile, secretary general of the Federation headed by David Massitti, discusses the federation about the recent past and looking into the future.

"We leave behind a year that saw an increase of 10-15% of members (participants) in all regions. There’s a sign of a growing credibility that is taking over in Italy with our Federation and also of course positive synergy that has been created with the Federazione Italiana Rugby (note: Rugby Union). We are pleased with the progress we have made, but we are aware that there is still great growth potential for our movement."

Just based on this, the Federation has undertaken a number of new aspects for the coming season. "First of all there will be new clubs that will participate in the two main competitions, the Championship and the Italian Cup (Coppa Italia). For the latter we have developed major changes: first, it will be (now be) played as rugby league 9’s, which for our discipline is roughly what the rugby 7 's is for rugby union. Then, continues the Firfl Secretary-General – we will also change the formula preceding the Final, to be held in March in a venue to be determined: the inter-regional stages will be held in different cities, starting next February 7, to assign points and whoever has the highest score will "pass" onto the final act ."

There will be organizational innovations again in regards to the Championship. "The most relevant change - specifies Gentile - will cover the weekend dispute dedicated to the semi-finals, which will precede a week leading into Finals (Grand Final and ranking matches). The reference period for the final phase of the 2015 Championship will still be the beginning of July.”

Closing on the commitments of the National Team, Gentile says; “The greater selection will continue their training meetings to improve the understanding of the group and then between late spring and early summer the first internationals in Italy and abroad will take place."

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winnyason said:
How many teams in comp now?
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In the major championship only there was 9 in 2014, but hasn't been announced - hopefully they can create enough new teams for 12 clubs splits between 3 regional groups (north, central and south/sicily)'

For example - there was 3 Sicilian clubs, but in the coppa italia/sicilian development teams there is maybe further 6-7 teams
 
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Firfl announce new rugby league club in Sicily

The Firfl has again continued to announce expansion for this upcoming season as the “preliminary stages” (regional knockout) of the Coppa Italia Rugby League begin (this year the format will be rugby league 9’s), which will see several new teams participate.

In Sicily, one of the strongholds and most active regions for the Federazione Italiana Rugby Football League (Firfl), a new team has been formed. The team will be Syrako based in Siracusa after their manager-player Concetto D’Aquila, a rugby union athlete as well (with the Syrako rugby union) experimented in sport of rugby league playing under the Spartans Catania Rugby XIII jersey in the championship last year.

Concetto D’Aquila says “Last season there were four players from Siracusa that went to the town of Etna to play rugby league, so together with my companion Robert Giuliana we thought together we could involve some people from our rugby union team and be able to form a society. In fact, the new group will be known as Syrako Rugby a XIII that will be composed of mostly players from the Siracusana rugby union society and I’ll be the player manager, as well as take care of the management also.”

In short, the ‘roster’ will almost be totally new to rugby league, but D’Aquila does not seem to be worried. “We will not be the Cinderella of the 2015 Federleague season. Anyway, it is true that between the two types of rugby there are differences, but there are also many similarities, and therefore we believe that we can do well right now.”

The first official test will come soon, though Syrako has yet to begin to do specific game play with rugby league. "So far we are yet to do a little something more fun (with game play) than educational- explains D'Aquila - but soon we will organize training sessions aimed to better know the rules of rugby league. We will be ready for the first qualifying matches for the Italian Cup."

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FIRFL Italian Championship Vice-Champions Albinea “This Year We Want to Win”

Rex Albinea Rugby League is one of the eldest clubs within the FIRFL movement and the team from Reggio Emilia will participate in the Championship organised by the Federazione Italiana Rugby Football League (Firfl) for a fifth time (2015 is the sixth season). Last year, the Emiliani again arrived one step away from snatching the Italian title from multiple-champions Gladiators Roma XIII in last year’s Grand Final and, from there will now need to start again from June.


Albinea coach, Luca Bigi (a professional rugby player) said: “Improving our second place is not easy, but we will try in every way to bring the Italian rugby league title to the North. In the past we have come close on several occasions to triumph (now three times), but the Gladiators have always shown to have something more. We hope to overturn the final outcome this year."


More so, the bulk of the Rex Albinea team will remain unchanged. "We have some players from Reggio Rugby (a top Italian rugby club) and others from Lupi Canolo, and others training in various Reggio teams” says Bigi. He then explains: “The team is on average younger and has ample growth prospects, probably there will be some connections already, but we rely on the experience of those who have also played in the Eccellenza rugby (professional Italian Rugby Union competition) — including various players; Russotto, Lanzano, Caselli, Carbone and Vaki.”

Bigi then paid his compliments to the Federation for its work in recent years. "The code of rugby league is growing significantly, step by step. Events like the National Camp meeting at Vinci (in Tuscany) or the (international) friendly challenge that saw an Azzurri selection (Italia A) play in Kenya, which unfortunately our players they couldn't participate because of rugby activities, representing an important step for raising the bar of the appeal of the whole movement. The synergy that I'm noticing between the Firfl and the Federazione Italiana Rugby (FIR – rugby union and sevens) – concluded Bigi – is definitely the best foundation for further development for this discipline in our country. Especially in the north, in regions such as Veneto, Lombardy and Piedmont we still have room for growth and it can work to see progress the whole movement of rugby league.”


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Italian Cup (Firfl) - Spartaco Roma triumph at Tre Fontane in Lazio Qualifiers


Rome - Last Saturday, in a day where it was completely dedicated to the oval ball in Rome (Six Nations match was held also), we carved some space for rugby league for the first official act of the season for the Federazione Italiana Rugby Football League (Firfl).
In the historic rugby centre of “Tre Fontane” in Rome, in fact, was held the first regional meetings of three planned before the 2015 Italian Cup (Coppa Italia) Finals organised by the FIRFL, who had announced a few weeks ago that this competition would be played under the shortened rugby league format ‘nines’ to provide greater agility and excitement to the matches.
And the excitement for this event (held Saturday morning in order to not overlap the event with the Six Nations) was certainly not missed: competing were three Roman based teams - the Usag Lazio, who last year won the Italian Cup, the Gladiators, triumphant in the last Championship, and Spartaco Roma. The match that had "broken the ice" was the one between Usag and Gladiators with the latter imposing their determination and attitude.
The other two challenges that were seen in the field, Spartaco Roma just came out the narrow winner on both occasions: the Gladiators folded first and then the Usag. Thanks to these successes, the Spartaco Roma were awarded victory in the Lazio regional meetings, ahead of Gladiators and Usag, who participated in a "mini-classification” match that will allow them to accumulate points ahead of the Italian Cup Finals that will most likely be held in the Marche region on March 21.
The Firfl calendar will now expect to see the next regional appointment staged on 28 February in Florence for their first ever regional meetings of the Italian Cup. The third, however, will be held in Catania on March 15 and then six days later will be the national finals, which will award the first trophy of the season before diving into the Championship rounds from June.
 
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FIRFL: The Last Leg of the Italian Cup staged at Catania!

Rome – the first major event of the Federazione Italiana Rugby Football League (Firfl) is the Italian Cup (Rugby League 9’s) Finals are scheduled for Saturday, 21 March in Florence and thus rugby league returns to Tuscany, after the dispute of the successful second regional stage a few weeks ago.
On Sunday, however, there will be a third regional stage of the competition with it being hosted in Catania at the playing field of Briganti in San Teodoro Liberato, after the Romans and (in fact) the Tuscans have already qualified.

"We can't wait to see this beautiful festival of sport and making further promotion to the rugby league movement - said the head of Firfl Sicily Committee, Gianni Saraceno – we'll start in the late morning and there will be three teams: the “historians” of league Briganti, the novelty Syrako of Syracuse (debutants) and a Sicilian development side. Beyond the outcome, we hope to attract a lot of people to the San Teodoro Liberato field to introduce more and more people to our discipline.”

Sicily, over time, it has been confirmed among the most "active" regions of Italian Rugby League. "We are pleased with how things are going to be strictly numerical level both in terms of quality and on the work done in the past by important people of the sport, especially Massimo Nicotra and Tino Magri. The work to be done is still very much and we hope to grow more, but the involvement of a new team in Syracuse confirms that we're moving in the right direction."

As the last regional competition is being finalised before the Semi Finals and Grand Final: the holders of the, Usag Lazio, will soon know their full opponents. Overall, the Italian Cup this year will see ten senior teams participating!
 
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Bronco Rob

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I couldn't understand a word on that video but looked good apart from the pitch. There would have been some bark off for sure.
 
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Craigo

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The best part of the video was seeing the young ones playing. The sooner the RLIF sort out the Italian game the better.
 
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RUGBY LEAGUE: USAG ROMA LIFT THE ITALIAN CUP IN BISENZIO, TUSCANY
Once again, the defending champions of the last edition of the Italian Cup, Usag Roma, have lifted the trophy again in 2015 at Campi Bisenzio, on a beautiful day in the climax of this year’s event, which saw a completely new formula.
The Federazione Italiana Rugby Football League (Firfl) had decided to make "inter-regional" competitions to determine the finalists of the 2015 Italian Cup and chose to play rugby league nines, rather than in the classical discipline of 13 men), in an endeavour to try to balance the competitiveness on the field and focus on faster matches and create more excitement. A good choice, even though Usag Roma had the upper hand again, beating in the final the home team of Magnifici Firenze and Syrako from Sicily.
Last Saturday, at the field of Libertas of San Piero at Ponti Puma Bisenzio, in the town of Campi Bisenzio (near Florence) who had previously hosted an inter-regional event, the day opened with a touch rugby league and then three young Under 14 teams from Florence 1931, the Puma Bisenzio Livorno Lions took to the field. Then there was a break for the Six Nations Rugby match between Italy and Wales, projected on a giant screen (any rugby is good in Italy, where soccer/football dominates majority of the time), and then the highlight of the event with the Italian Cup Finals matches began .
The first to take the field were Magnifici and Syrako, with the Tuscans outmanoeuvring the Sicilians by 14-8. The Sicilians fought with great determination in the second match, but were unable to do much against the experience and clever tactics set by Usag Roma who won 16-4. In the Final, the capitolini went on to take the trophy by defeating the Magnifici 16-0 and triumphing in the ‘Coppa Italia 2015’.
With regard to the next domestic appointments, next, they will return to the field in early June with the dispute of the first Championship matches for the Federleague 2015 season, but the attention of the whole Firfl movement is already focused on to the fantastic international event that the Azzurri Rugby 13 this coming May 16 in Rome against the BARA.

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