Kris Burton recalled for Italy to play in Six Nations
A question appeared on numerous Irish Rugby supporters’ lips yesterday. Who is Kris Burton? This was after Burton was called upon to substitute Craig Gower as a out half in the upcoming fixture in Rome to take on Ireland. Nick Mallett the head coach nominated
Burton for their Six Nations squad. Treviso’s fly half will be joining in to play alongside Sergio Parisse, who just recovered from a finger injury and will be starting for Italy.
Craig Gower has been ruled out due to a knee injury and still has time to recover, while the 30 year old fly half will take over. Burton has always been considered as a playmaker and a front foot attack based player. He has been preferred to Luciaono Orquera
for this position by Mallett. Luciano Orquera has started two international matches for Italy in last autumn’s campaign.
Kristopher Burton is an Italian rugby union player, who plays in Magners League for Benetton Treviso. He has been assisting his club as a fullback, but most preferably fly half. He has been nicknamed as Chris or Kris on field. Burton started his professional
rugby in 2006 for Orleans and made a switch to Prato in 2008. Finally he joined Benetton Treviso in 2010 and has been playing for them since then. He has earned 15 caps and 66 points for the club. Burton made his international debut for Italy in 2007 against
Uruguay and since then earned 4 caps and scored 9 points.
Burton, even though an Australian born, does qualify for Italy international rugby team because of his mother, who came to her homeland around seven years ago. He joined his mother and pursued for professional rugby career.
The immaculate fly half will earn his fifth cap in this coming international fixture. Last time he played for Italy was in 2009 and couldn’t continue due to the club rugby. After signing Treviso in Magners League, Burton he made a promising start and is
considered as Treviso’s spearhead.
In Italian squad, he will be accompanied by Edoardo Gori his regional team mate at half back and Alessandro Zanni in back row. Other than them, he has Salvatore Perugini, Martin Castrogiovanni and Leonardo Ghiraldini on front row and all three are in full
form. Italian frontline has been dangerous recently and it’s hoped that they will put Irish defense under pressure at set piece. Quintin Geldenhuys the Aironi’s captain has also joined in as the second row. Micro Bergamasco and Andre Masi will be starting
on wings, while Luke McLean will be catering fullback.
Burton seems delighted with this development and is confident because he has almost played with all of the Irish and Italian players before in club matches. He said, “You're playing and training with half the national team day in day out. It helps the pulling
together of the team and optimistically we can show that on Saturday.”
Previous Six Nations was won by France with Grand Slam by winning all the matches. Italy bottomed the table by just winning one match and drawing none, whereas Ireland stood as runner up with three match victory and six points. This time around, Italy has
shown considerable improvement in point scoring and with such accomplished defense, results might surprise everyone around.
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