Rugby Update: Burton to play Six Nations for Italy
Australian born fly half Kristopher Burton is taken in Italian’s side for the Six Nations. He has been made a part of 24 man squad by Italy’s coach Nick Mallett for the next month’s tournament. Italy will play a pre-tournament friendly match in Rome on 27th
January; he is another Treviso player who has been included in the squad after Italy played last time in November against Fiji and Australia.
Burton has only capped Italy four times before this and will be a competition for Luciano Orquera for the number 10 position. Centre Gonzalo Garcia and hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini will be returning to the squad after recovering from the injury. Prop Ignacio
Rouyet is also added to the Italian squad.
Kristopher Burton is a player of rugby Australia and was born on 4th August 1980 in Brisbane, Australia. He also plays in Italy national team and mostly plays as the opening half in the place of Benetton Treviso. Since Kristopher Burton has arrived,
Benetton Treviso has been offseason.
Former Australian Rugby League international and Azzurri fly half Craig Gower and flanker Mauro Bergamasco are out of the Italian side with respective knee and shoulder injuries, while Lorenzo Cittadini and Riccardo Bocchino have been dropped to Italy A.
This is the team that Nick Mallett has picked top play the opening two games in Six Nations against Ireland on 5th February in Rome at Twickenham. The 22 man squad will be proving a point that Mallett wants to make.
He said, “The matches in November demonstrated the quality we have in this group and it's right to keep those who did well in November.”
He added, “While at the same time, in a World Cup year, offering the chance to be a part of the team to two athletes in Rouyet and Burton who are having a good season in the Celtic League with Treviso.”
The players who have been dropped to Italy A have been encouraged by Mallett, as he ensured he will be taking a 30 man squad to Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand. He said it is from this extensive group of Italy A from which he is going to pick a few players
for the World Cup.
Italy has only won Six Nations one time and dropped to the bottom six times out of eleven participations. The overall statistics say that Italy has won seven and lost 47 games and drew only one in their eleven Six Nations.
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