Italy national rugby union team

Italy

Nicknames	Gli Azzurri (The Blues) Italrugby
Union	Italian Rugby Federation
Head coach	Gonzalo Quesada
Captain	Michele Lamaro
Most caps	Sergio Parisse (142)
Top scorer	Diego Domínguez (983)
Top try scorer	Marcello Cuttitta (26)
Home stadium	Stadio Olimpico
First colours Second colours
World Rugby ranking
Current	8 (as of 15 July 2024)
Highest	8 (2007, 2024)
Lowest	15 (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)
First international
Spain 9–0 Italy  (Barcelona, Spain; 20 May 1929)
Biggest win
Italy 104–8 Czech Republic  (Viadana, Italy, 18 May 1994)
Biggest defeat
South Africa 101–0 Italy  (Durban, South Africa, 19 June 1999)
World Cup
Appearances	10 (First in 1987)
Best result	Pool stage (1987, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023)
Website	federugby.it

The Italy national rugby union team^[1] represents the Italian Rugby Federation in men's international rugby union. The team is known as gli Azzurri (the light-blues). Savoy blue is the common colour of the national teams representing Italy, as it is the traditional colour of the royal House of Savoy which reigned over the Kingdom of Italy from 1860 to 1946.

Italy has played international rugby since 1929, and for decades was considered one of the best European teams outside the Five Nations Championship. Since 2000, Italy has competed annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. In 2013, they were holders of the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy which is played annually between Italy and France. Italy is ranked 8th in the world by the IRB as of the 15th of July 2024.

Italian rugby rose to prominence in 2000 when it was added to the Five Nations, creating the Six Nations. Initially on the receiving end of some heavy defeats, the side grew in competitiveness, recording a fourth-place finish in 2007 and 2013, and one-sided defeats became less frequent. The Azzurri showed respectable results when playing at home in the early 2010s: they defeated France 22–21 in the 2011 Six Nations; and during the 2013 Six Nations, they again beat France 23–18,^[2] also securing a 13-13 draw in 2024 and defeating Ireland 22–15.^[3]. Italy has beaten Wales in 2003 Six Nations, 2007 Six Nations, 2022 Six Nations and 2024 Six Nations, and securing a 18-18 draw in 2006 Six Nations at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. In 2022 Six Nations Edoardo Padovani scored a last minute try against Wales, to earn Italy their first win in 36 games, as well as their first away win against Wales and third away win in the tournament. Italy has also defeated Scotland in 2000 Six Nations, 2004 Six Nations, 2008 Six Nations, 2010 Six Nations, 2012 Six Nations and 2024 Six Nations at Stadio Olimpico, and in 2007 Six Nations and in 2015 Six Nations at Murrayfield. As of 2024 they have defeated at least once each 6 nations team, except England, for now.

Italy have competed at every Rugby World Cup since the first tournament in 1987, where Italy played the inaugural game against New Zealand, but they are yet to progress beyond the first round. The team has developed a reputation for being a consistent middle man at the tournament. Italy's results, since the inception of a new group stage formula in 2003, have consistently followed a pattern of two wins against Tier 2 teams and two losses against Tier 1 ones (although in 2019, the match against New Zealand was cancelled due to Typhoon Hagibis and a draw was awarded as result). The current head coach is Gonzalo Quesada and the captain is currently Michele Lamaro.^[4]