Italian Rugby Federation

This article is about F.I.R - Federazione Italiana Rugby. For other uses, see FIR (disambiguation).

Italian Rugby Federation

Federazione Italiana Rugby
Association crest
Sport	Rugby union
Founded	1928
WR affiliation	1987
Rugby Europe affiliation	1934
President	Alfredo Gavazzi
Men's coach	Jacques Brunel
Women's coach	Andrea Di Giandomenico
Website	www.federugby.it

The Italian Rugby Federation (Italian: Federazione Italiana Rugbycode: it is deprecated ) or FIR is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in Italy. The FIR has one seat on the 28-member World Rugby Council, the governing body of World Rugby. (All other members of the Six Nations have two seats on the Council.)

There are two fully professional Italian clubs that play in the Pro12, in the European Rugby Champions Cup and in the European Rugby Challenge Cup—Benetton Rugby Treviso and Zebre. There are ten semi-professional Italian clubs that play in the National Championship of Excellence, four of which qualify to play in the European Rugby Challenge Cup Qualifying Competition to qualify to the European Rugby Challenge Cup.

History

On 25 July 1911 a Propaganda Committee was formed to promote the sport of rugby union in Italy. In 1928 this body became the Federazione Italiana Rugby (FIR). In 1934 the FIR were founder members of the Fédération Internationale de Rugby Amateur, now known as Rugby Europe.

The FIR joined the International Rugby Football Board, later known as the International Rugby Board and now as World Rugby, in 1987 when they took part in the inaugural World Cup. The Italy national rugby union team have played in the Six Nations Championship since 2000.

Italy bid to host the 2015 Rugby World Cup came close to winning but lost to England by just three votes.

Leadership

• Alfredo Gavazzi (2012 - present) - founder of Rugby Calvisano
• Giancarlo Dondi (1996-2012) - Gained Italy's entry into the Six Nations Championship in 2000
• Maurizio Mondelli (1984-1996)

National teams

The FIR is responsible for fielding several national teams:

• Italy national rugby union team - plays in the Six Nations and in the Rugby World Cup
• Italy national rugby union team (sevens)
• Italy national under-20 rugby union team - plays in the Junior World Championship and in the World Rugby Under 20 Trophy
• Italy national women's rugby union team

See also

• Rugby union in Italy
• Italy national rugby union team
• National Championship of Excellence
• Pro12

External links

• (Italian) Official site