Bonjourno Italia! Italy into Magners League

From next season the Magners League will expand, including two Italian teams to increase the current ten team format into a four nation's cross border tournament.

It will be the 10th season of the competition and after much posturing and debate, Celtic rugby has now officially confirmed the entry of Benetton Treviso and Aironi Rugby into the Magner’s competition.

This is the final “shot in the arm” for Italian rugby, after being included into Europe’s elite international tournament a decade ago (taking the Five Nations to the Six Nations), and the opportunity for their players to compete in consistent high level domestic matches bridges the gap.

Currently the elite Italian rugby competition is the Super 10, and many believe it is far too big a jump for the nation to then have to compete in both the Heineken Cup and Six Nations.

This will ensure that their elite rugby development is hastened.

The Welsh, Irish and Scottish unions gave approval for the new Italian “super” teams to join as part of a four year agreement, which will likely extend into permanency.

“This is another massive step forward for the Magners League,” David Jordan, director of Celtic Rugby said

“As well as providing more fixtures for the teams already involved this will also bring both a major cash injection into the competition and greater exposure across Europe.”

“Operationally it will present new challenges, as well as opportunities, but by introducing Italy into the Celtic fold it will also dramatically broaden the appeal of our product.”

“It is anticipated that the Italian super clubs will be largely made up of Italian internationals of full, A and under-20 levels, with a sprinkling of top class overseas players set to provide further extra strength and spice to the tournament.”

Benetton Treviso is well known as arguably the strongest club in Italy, but the Aironi Rugby side will be a franchise in the same style as the Rebel Sport Super rugby teams. It will comprise of players from Viadana, Rugby Parma, Gran Parma, Colorno, Noceto, Reggio Emilia, Modena and Mantova.

Benetton will be based at the Stadio Comunale di Monigo, while Aironi will be based at the Stadio Luigi Zaffanella.

Italy, after believing they had been treated unfairly, is overwhelmed with the final result.

“I am very pleased that, after months of intense negotiations, an agreement that will see two Italian teams join the Magners League at the start of next season has been reached,” Giancarlo Dondi, the President of Federazione Italiana Rugby said.

“I am sure that the Magners League will bring benefits to all Italian rugby and will have a positive impact on the competitiveness of our national team.”