Italia Rugby Football League introduce Rugby League to Leonardo da Vincis birthplace: Italia A v Barbarian, Italia u18 and Rugby School
The Federazione Italiana Rugby Football League has helped to expand Rugby League to Vinci, Tuscany during the popular GenioGioco festival with the Italia A National Team battling Barbarian Warriors (made up of International and Italian Development players from the championship) and their u18 Italia A and Italia B taking on each other on Saturday June 27 at the Golf Club Bellosguardo di Vincis Rugby field (sponsor of the event). Initially the opponent would have been a selection from a French region, but bureaucratic problems arose (FIRFL are a breakaway body in Italy).
Present at the local press announcement were FIRFL Federal Councillor Alessandro Coppala, FIRFL Secretary General Pierluigi Gentile, the Mayor Giuseppe Torchia and the Vice-President of Bellosguardo Golf Club Cristina Carmignani on Friday, June 27.
This opportunity allowed them to discuss rugby in general, the differences of rugby league and union and how all rugby codes are silenced by the soccer or football juggernaut in the country.
Coppola told gonews.it Rugby portrays values, such as loyalty, fairness and team play. If we look at soccer and other minor sports we realize that we must take a different sense. We are committed above all to teaching children how to grow following this vision.
The FIRFL has been involved in social initiatives for several years as Gentile explains For years together we have been committed to spreading rugby league to prisons, disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Rome or in support of poor countries: we were recently in Kenya teaching children this sport, but especially to fix orphanages and lend a hand.
Pierluigi Gentile suggests, although two different sports, they have a working together approach as close cousins for Rugby, not against like in various other countries. We have activated contacts with CONI (Italian National Olympic Committee, in English) to recognize our Federation and we have found some availability. Players and Coaches constantly changing between the two disciplines and demonstrates this closeness ".
Mayor Torchia thanked the Federation for the selecting Vinci, (this will be) an occasion to attract an many interested people in this sport and then stimulate commercial and touristic benefits: "Initiatives such as these are important to us and to the territory" We're starting to assess the possibility of creating a school of Rugby (league) for Vinci, there is the utmost collaboration from the council."
Among the FIRFL staff was one of their rugby league national technical coaches Luigi Ferraro, star of Calsivano Rugby (union national champions) and Magnifici Firenze XIII. He explained (via valdelsasportiva.it) Organising a national event in a city like Vinci is definitely an important opportunity to raise awareness of the discipline and maybe leave a few small buds so that in future there may be a youth movement. I'm a (former national rugby union player, but in recent years, I took part in the (rugby league) course for coaches and I am proud to be able to make a contribution to help grow this sport.
The Federazione Italiana Rugby Football League has helped to expand Rugby League to Vinci, Tuscany during the popular GenioGioco festival with the Italia A National Team battling Barbarian Warriors (made up of International and Italian Development players from the championship) and their u18 Italia A and Italia B taking on each other on Saturday June 27 at the Golf Club Bellosguardo di Vincis Rugby field (sponsor of the event). Initially the opponent would have been a selection from a French region, but bureaucratic problems arose (FIRFL are a breakaway body in Italy).
Present at the local press announcement were FIRFL Federal Councillor Alessandro Coppala, FIRFL Secretary General Pierluigi Gentile, the Mayor Giuseppe Torchia and the Vice-President of Bellosguardo Golf Club Cristina Carmignani on Friday, June 27.
This opportunity allowed them to discuss rugby in general, the differences of rugby league and union and how all rugby codes are silenced by the soccer or football juggernaut in the country.
Coppola told gonews.it Rugby portrays values, such as loyalty, fairness and team play. If we look at soccer and other minor sports we realize that we must take a different sense. We are committed above all to teaching children how to grow following this vision.
The FIRFL has been involved in social initiatives for several years as Gentile explains For years together we have been committed to spreading rugby league to prisons, disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Rome or in support of poor countries: we were recently in Kenya teaching children this sport, but especially to fix orphanages and lend a hand.
Pierluigi Gentile suggests, although two different sports, they have a working together approach as close cousins for Rugby, not against like in various other countries. We have activated contacts with CONI (Italian National Olympic Committee, in English) to recognize our Federation and we have found some availability. Players and Coaches constantly changing between the two disciplines and demonstrates this closeness ".
Mayor Torchia thanked the Federation for the selecting Vinci, (this will be) an occasion to attract an many interested people in this sport and then stimulate commercial and touristic benefits: "Initiatives such as these are important to us and to the territory" We're starting to assess the possibility of creating a school of Rugby (league) for Vinci, there is the utmost collaboration from the council."
Among the FIRFL staff was one of their rugby league national technical coaches Luigi Ferraro, star of Calsivano Rugby (union national champions) and Magnifici Firenze XIII. He explained (via valdelsasportiva.it) Organising a national event in a city like Vinci is definitely an important opportunity to raise awareness of the discipline and maybe leave a few small buds so that in future there may be a youth movement. I'm a (former national rugby union player, but in recent years, I took part in the (rugby league) course for coaches and I am proud to be able to make a contribution to help grow this sport.
