November 22, 2024 • 6 mins
Italy are facing a significant challenge this weekend.
They’re facing off against the All Blacks for the final game in the AB’s Northern Tour, playing at Allianz Stadium tomorrow morning.
Former Italy Coach Kieran Crowley joined Piney to discuss what we can expect to see from the team.
“I think they're gonna have a massive challenge against New Zealand on, or against the All Blacks on Saturday, but you know, I think they, if they get the right sort of draw at the next World Cup, you know, they could be pushing, or should be pushing for top eight.”
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from news talks Edby.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Morning just after nine New Zealand time. They faced Italy
and Turin for commentary here on news Talks EDB. Former
thirty five game nineteen Test all Backs fullback Karen Crowley
coached Italy from twenty twenty one through to the twenty
twenty three Rugby World Cup. That time at the Helm
included anasuric first ever win over Australia and ending a
long windless run in the Six Nations. He's now coaching
(00:34):
in Japan and joins US now. Karen. After the World
Cup last year, you said that the Italian players need
to start being treated with a bit of respect off
the field. What did you mean by that?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (00:47):
I good to be on look, Yeah that was within
within Italy circles. I felt, I feel, you know, there
s some stuff goes on behind the scenes that are
not don't don't put the team in the best position.
You have to perform on weekends or on games, and
you know there was stuff going on in the World
Cup behind the scenes.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
It shouldn't have been going on, you know, just things
like that.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
There was a sort of it was a dig at
the at the Italian Italian hierarchy.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
I suppose of the time.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Do you think things have improved?
Speaker 4 (01:19):
Well, I don't know. You know, they got rid of
me straight after that. So yeah, look the guys, I.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Think it is.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
You know, I think their performances are showing that they
are in that respect. So you know, I think, you know,
things are progressing. Has been a change in leadership, which
I think is as a good move and hopefully you know,
they get the benefit of that.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
So on the grass then I think you also said
that this current World Cup cycle, the one we're in now,
could be at a least time. Have you seen that
on field progress in the last year or so?
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
I mean I think the reason I said that is that,
you know, I thought most of the guys that went
to the last World Cup will be at this next
World Cup, and then I think most of them will
be at the World Cup after that as well. And
I think, you know, you're gonna have a lot of
players well by this World Cup who have had fifty
or sixty test matches, and then the next World Cup,
you know they're going to be up above that, which
(02:14):
you know they haven't had that for a long time
because there was a you know, a whole lot of
younger guys came in at the same time, and they
will be going forward.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
You know.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
I think they're gonna have a massive challenge against New
Zealand or against the All Blacks on Saturday. But you know,
I think they if they get the right sort of
draw at the next World Cup, you know, they could
be pushing or should be pushing for top eight. Anyway,
I think.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
If there are areas which you could pinpoint that still
need to improve if they are to achieve that sort
of a goal at the next Rugby World Cup, care
and what would they be? Where do they need to
still improve?
Speaker 4 (02:46):
They need big men up front. I mean they haven't
got big men. You know, they've got good players. I
mean you look at their front row. The lucid prop
the plays against you know, the All Blacks on the
weekend is against you know, one hundred and twenty five
kilo guy and he's one hundred and nine kilos. You know,
and at international level, you know you have parity. It's
(03:09):
in those sort of positions because you know you can
hang in and hang in and hang in, but ultimately
you know, the saying goes, you know, a good big
man will always always been a good smaller man.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
So they need to get a little bit more size.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Particularly in their type five is probably the major area
I think.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
So that's that's attracting big men though, isn't it that?
How do you how do you even start to strategize
to do that? Do you just go look around the
country for big blokes.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
Well, there's a few players, you know, like who who
you know are Italian qualified? I mean a guy like
Deno Lamb for example, who has just crossed over is
you know, was Italian eligible, you know, and he's a
bigger man than some of them have got. There's a
couple of others out there that you know, they need
to try and really entice over and and then you
know they need to they need to get the systems
(03:55):
right that you know. Sometimes a bigger kid, you know,
coming through, you know he's not going to make it
for a.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Little while, but he develops later.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
So you know you've got to put your put your
faith in those sort of guy rather than you know,
taking the hair and now, I mean there's a hell
of a lot of six for two locks in Italy
you know, whereas they need to be six, what's five?
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Six, what's six? You know, even higher? So we're taller.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
So you know, you've got to put your faith in
your and some younger, younger people that may not be
ready at the moment.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
There was a suggestion that the All Black side to
play this game might be a little bit below full strength,
having played England Island in France and three big Test
matches over the last three weekends. But Raises named pretty
much a full strength side. Was that a surprise to you?
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Oh? Yes and no.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
I mean, look, they would have a plan I think
going in. I think if that beat in France, it
could have been different. The fact that you know they
didn't quite get over the line against France has probably
influenced things a little bit.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
But you know, so you know that that was my
main takeaway from that.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
I mean also, you've got a couple of guys retiring
and Caine and Piranara, and they wanted to send them
off on the right right sort of foot as well.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
How have you rate rated the first year under Scott
Robertson's helm ship. I guess for the All Blacks.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Yeah, it's been challenging at the start obviously.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
I mean, you know, I think they could have gone
across the line and you know in a couple of
games that.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
They've lost, but they also could have got.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Beaten in a couple of games up won you know
if you look at those England games. But you know
it's the same anywhere you go. A new coach coming
in or a new coaching team, you know, they take
a little while the systems, they have new players, et cetera,
et cetera. So you know, I think they're tracking them
the right way. You know, they've had some good performances
and you know if they finish you know, strongly on
the week or on the weekend, well then you know,
(05:43):
I think you can certainly say that it's been a
successful first year. I mean, you know, they'ven't just introduced
some newer players and guys like Satiti and you know,
the halfbacks getting a little bit more depth. You know,
they're probably the one area that they probably are looking
at a little bit harder as probably the ten area.
But you know, apart from that, I think, you know,
(06:04):
it's been a pretty positive posit of year.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
How's your first year been in Japan?
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Yeah, A bit of a struggle last year.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
Yeah, we are coming to a team that had just
got promoted to First Division and you know we were
we got a few hidings that we're putting a lot
of hard work in this at the beginning of the
preseason at the moment and looking forward to this season
hopefully we can improve.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Good to hear, Hey, Karen, really appreciate you taking time
for a chat and lending us some of your analysis
and insight. Thank you very much, Cheers all the best now,
all the best to you too, Karen. Karen Crowley, their
former All Blacks fullback former coach of Italy eight.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from news talks Edby.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Morning just after nine New Zealand time. They faced Italy
and Turin for commentary here on news Talks EDB. Former
thirty five game nineteen Test all Backs fullback Karen Crowley
coached Italy from twenty twenty one through to the twenty
twenty three Rugby World Cup. That time at the Helm
included anasuric first ever win over Australia and ending a
long windless run in the Six Nations. He's now coaching
(00:34):
in Japan and joins US now. Karen. After the World
Cup last year, you said that the Italian players need
to start being treated with a bit of respect off
the field. What did you mean by that?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (00:47):
I good to be on look, Yeah that was within
within Italy circles. I felt, I feel, you know, there
s some stuff goes on behind the scenes that are
not don't don't put the team in the best position.
You have to perform on weekends or on games, and
you know there was stuff going on in the World
Cup behind the scenes.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
It shouldn't have been going on, you know, just things
like that.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
There was a sort of it was a dig at
the at the Italian Italian hierarchy.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
I suppose of the time.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Do you think things have improved?
Speaker 4 (01:19):
Well, I don't know. You know, they got rid of
me straight after that. So yeah, look the guys, I.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Think it is.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
You know, I think their performances are showing that they
are in that respect. So you know, I think, you know,
things are progressing. Has been a change in leadership, which
I think is as a good move and hopefully you know,
they get the benefit of that.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
So on the grass then I think you also said
that this current World Cup cycle, the one we're in now,
could be at a least time. Have you seen that
on field progress in the last year or so?
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
I mean I think the reason I said that is that,
you know, I thought most of the guys that went
to the last World Cup will be at this next
World Cup, and then I think most of them will
be at the World Cup after that as well. And
I think, you know, you're gonna have a lot of
players well by this World Cup who have had fifty
or sixty test matches, and then the next World Cup,
you know they're going to be up above that, which
(02:14):
you know they haven't had that for a long time
because there was a you know, a whole lot of
younger guys came in at the same time, and they
will be going forward.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
You know.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
I think they're gonna have a massive challenge against New
Zealand or against the All Blacks on Saturday. But you know,
I think they if they get the right sort of
draw at the next World Cup, you know, they could
be pushing or should be pushing for top eight. Anyway,
I think.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
If there are areas which you could pinpoint that still
need to improve if they are to achieve that sort
of a goal at the next Rugby World Cup, care
and what would they be? Where do they need to
still improve?
Speaker 4 (02:46):
They need big men up front. I mean they haven't
got big men. You know, they've got good players. I
mean you look at their front row. The lucid prop
the plays against you know, the All Blacks on the
weekend is against you know, one hundred and twenty five
kilo guy and he's one hundred and nine kilos. You know,
and at international level, you know you have parity. It's
(03:09):
in those sort of positions because you know you can
hang in and hang in and hang in, but ultimately
you know, the saying goes, you know, a good big
man will always always been a good smaller man.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
So they need to get a little bit more size.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Particularly in their type five is probably the major area
I think.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
So that's that's attracting big men though, isn't it that?
How do you how do you even start to strategize
to do that? Do you just go look around the
country for big blokes.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
Well, there's a few players, you know, like who who
you know are Italian qualified? I mean a guy like
Deno Lamb for example, who has just crossed over is
you know, was Italian eligible, you know, and he's a
bigger man than some of them have got. There's a
couple of others out there that you know, they need
to try and really entice over and and then you
know they need to they need to get the systems
(03:55):
right that you know. Sometimes a bigger kid, you know,
coming through, you know he's not going to make it
for a.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Little while, but he develops later.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
So you know you've got to put your put your
faith in those sort of guy rather than you know,
taking the hair and now, I mean there's a hell
of a lot of six for two locks in Italy
you know, whereas they need to be six, what's five?
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Six, what's six? You know, even higher? So we're taller.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
So you know, you've got to put your faith in
your and some younger, younger people that may not be
ready at the moment.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
There was a suggestion that the All Black side to
play this game might be a little bit below full strength,
having played England Island in France and three big Test
matches over the last three weekends. But Raises named pretty
much a full strength side. Was that a surprise to you?
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Oh? Yes and no.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
I mean, look, they would have a plan I think
going in. I think if that beat in France, it
could have been different. The fact that you know they
didn't quite get over the line against France has probably
influenced things a little bit.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
But you know, so you know that that was my
main takeaway from that.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
I mean also, you've got a couple of guys retiring
and Caine and Piranara, and they wanted to send them
off on the right right sort of foot as well.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
How have you rate rated the first year under Scott
Robertson's helm ship. I guess for the All Blacks.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Yeah, it's been challenging at the start obviously.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
I mean, you know, I think they could have gone
across the line and you know in a couple of
games that.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
They've lost, but they also could have got.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Beaten in a couple of games up won you know
if you look at those England games. But you know
it's the same anywhere you go. A new coach coming
in or a new coaching team, you know, they take
a little while the systems, they have new players, et cetera,
et cetera. So you know, I think they're tracking them
the right way. You know, they've had some good performances
and you know if they finish you know, strongly on
the week or on the weekend, well then you know,
(05:43):
I think you can certainly say that it's been a
successful first year. I mean, you know, they'ven't just introduced
some newer players and guys like Satiti and you know,
the halfbacks getting a little bit more depth. You know,
they're probably the one area that they probably are looking
at a little bit harder as probably the ten area.
But you know, apart from that, I think, you know,
(06:04):
it's been a pretty positive posit of year.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
How's your first year been in Japan?
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Yeah, A bit of a struggle last year.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
Yeah, we are coming to a team that had just
got promoted to First Division and you know we were
we got a few hidings that we're putting a lot
of hard work in this at the beginning of the
preseason at the moment and looking forward to this season
hopefully we can improve.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Good to hear, Hey, Karen, really appreciate you taking time
for a chat and lending us some of your analysis
and insight. Thank you very much, Cheers all the best now,
all the best to you too, Karen. Karen Crowley, their
former All Blacks fullback former coach of Italy eight.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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