Six Nations countdown / Interview / Pierre Berbizier: Gerry Thornley does not envy a former French legend as he tries to inject new life into Italy's Six Nations challenge
W ho'd want to be the Italian coach? The "great" Azzurri side of the mid to late 1990s had one last throw of the dice when winning their historic first match in the Six Nations in 2000 against Scotland but since then they have recorded only two home wins - against Wales in 2003 and Scotland in 2004 - and losing the other 27.
Another pointless campaign last season prompted the departure of John Kirwan and after two spells under Kiwis, the Italians have returned to a Frenchman, Pierre Berbizier. Virtually a fixture in the French side from 1981 to 1991, Berbizier played 56 times for France, captaining them 13 times and helping them to Grand Slams in 1981 and 1987, as well as playing in the inaugural 1987 World Cup final against the All Blacks.
In 1992, at the age of 34, Berbizier assumed the role as coach of Les Bleus, leading them to the 1993 Five Nations' title and the semi-finals of the 1995 World Cup during his three years at the helm.
There followed a five-year stint at Narbonne, during which the former Wallabies outhalf and current Leinster assistant coach David Knox revealed he never saw Berbizier smile once in what he described as a fairly "joyless" six months there; in a rugby sense in any event. Berbizier appeared to have stepped back from coaching when in 2001 he took up a career in the media and was a somewhat surprising choice in April last year to succeed Kirwan. Berbizier spoke of it being an honour and privilege to coach a national side for a second time.
"Now though, you must be aware of what the reality is as far as the level of Italian rugby is concerned. Italian rugby has only been in this international tournament since 2000. We lack experience at international level and the objective of a tournament such as this Six Nations is to get that experience at the high level in order for the team to progress, and meeting the other teams in this tournament at this very high level will enable us to progress and be better for the 2007 World Cup."
In truth, for all Kirwan's talk of fast cars and Santa Claus, the Azzurri had become a pretty joyless team to watch in recent times. Most of their best players are forwards, and they've never adequately replaced the linchpin of the side that effectively forced Italy's way into the Six Nations, Diego Dominguez.
Generally they profited best when engaging sides in trench warfare, such as on a windswept day in Lansdowne Road two years ago. They would work the ball laboriously and painfully through the phases but barring close-range tries for their pack or the odd intercept or two, struggled to convert territory and possession into points.
This is backed up by the IRB's Game Analysis of last season's Six Nations, when Italy averaged a try for every 16 minutes and 33 seconds in possession, compared to Wales' rate of five minutes and four seconds. Needless to say, they were the most porous, proving particularly vulnerable when attacked through phases or off turnovers or counter-attacks, especially with pace out wide.
Aside from gaining experience and performing consistently, in reality all Italy can hope is one, or perhaps two surprise wins, but with an itinerary that kicks off with away matches against Ireland and France, followed by a home game against England and a trip to Wales, their best hope of this is surely the final game at home to the Scots.
"You must accept reality," states Berbizier. "Italy only came into the tournament in 2000, they have only five years experience. When you think of a country like France, they have been in the competition for 50 years but when they entered the tournament there was also a period of adapting for France. Obviously Italy has got to adapt as well and slightly faster. But the gap widens because the big teams play 12 or 14 matches every year and a team like Italy may play barely half that.
"For me a victory for Italy is that the team is able to play at 100 per cent of its potential during any given game," says Berbizier. "We shall meet teams that are stronger than us and my best hope for our team is that we play at 100 per cent of our potential and hoping as well on the day that the team we play against is not at its best."
Of some encouragement have been Italy's results under Berbizier, notably a win away to Argentina last June. "The tour of Argentina and the win against Argentina was important because it gave the Italian team the knowledge they can actually win at international level. But now we have to play consistently and learn to win consistently."
Since then Italy have been beaten by Argentina at home in an error-strewn game while also beating Fiji 23-8 - a result put in a healthy perspective by the Fijians almost beating an under-strength Welsh team in Cardiff - and thrashing Tonga 48-0.
The key men remain lock and captain Marco Bortolami, the Stade Francais backrowers Sergio Parisse and Mauro Bergamasco, along with stalwarts such as the Clermont Auvergne-based Gonzalo Canale and fellow midfielder Andre Masi of Viadana, prop Andrea Lo Cicero, and Mirko Bergamasco.
Dominguez's chosen heir as outhalf, Ramiro Pez, a failure at Leicester and now with Perpignan, was deemed too flaky and defensively suspect by Kirwan, not even making the 2003 World Cup squad, but he is now back in favour.
Regarding their opening opponents, Berbizier said: "I'm well aware of the strengths of the Irish team especially after the qualification of Munster and Leinster for the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup. It will be very hard for us but it is always a pleasure to play at Lansdowne Road, with its particular ambience and it will be very special this year because it will be the last year we will play there and I will try to make this clear to my players. I want them to extract pleasure from that game but obviously to be at the right level for this game against Ireland."
