The Coppa Italia (Italian Cup), from 2011 to 2018 Excellence Trophy, is a rugby union competition in Italy for domestic clubs. The competition is second to the Top10, the Italian national championship. The competition has been contested annually since 1967, though it was not held from 1974 to 1980, and 1983 to 1994, and again in 1996, 1999 and 2002. The first club to win the competition was CUS Roma.
From 2011 to 2020, it involves only teams from the Top10 who don't participate to the European Rugby Challenge Cup Qualifying Competition, now Continental Shield.
From 2023−2024 season, the competition was substituted with a development tournament named Serie A Elite Cup with emerging players under contract with Serie A Elite teams. [1] The first edition was won by Mogliano Rugby. [2]
Club | Winners | Winning Years |
---|---|---|
Viadana | 6 | 2000, 2003, 2007, 2013, 2016, 2017 |
Fiamme Oro | 5 | 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 2014 |
Benetton Treviso | 4 | 1970, 1998, 2005, 2010 |
Petrarca | 4 | 1982, 2001, 2022, 2023 |
Calvisano | 3 | 2004, 2012, 2015 |
Parma | 3 | 2006, 2008, 2009 |
Rugby Roma Olimpic | 2 | 1999, 2011 |
L'Aquila | 2 | 1973, 1981 |
Rovigo Delta | 1 | 2020 |
Valorugby Emilia | 1 | 2019 |
San Donà | 1 | 2018 |
Milan | 1 | 1995 |
CUS Roma | 1 | 1967 |
From 2006 to 2009 it was instituted an annual Super Cup contested between the Italian Championship winner and Coppa Italia winner. [3]
Edition | Winner |
---|---|
2006 | Benetton [4] |
2007 | Viadana [5] [6] |
2008 | Rugby Parma [7] |
2009 | Benetton [8] |
The Top10, known as the Peroni Top10 for sponsorship reasons, and formerly Top 12, is Italy's top level professional men's rugby union competition. The Top 10 is run by Federazione Italiana Rugby (FIR) and is contested by 10 teams as of the 2019–2020 season, following the Italian federation's decision to name Peroni as the official partner of the Top10 competition.
Rugby Viadana 1970 is an Italian rugby union club based in Viadana. The club was established in 1970, and has since won the Italian championship in 2002, and the Coppa Italia three times. They also compete in European rugby competitions and were runners-up in the European Shield in 2004. Viadana plays in yellow and black. The club did not compete professionally between 2010 and 2012 as they focused their efforts on Aironi. Aironi was based at Viadana's home ground and represented a number of regional teams in the multi-national Celtic League. The FIR withdrew Aironi's licence to play at the end of the 2012, so Viadana reformed as a professional team will play in Italy's top division, the National championship of Excellence, from the 2012–13 season and currently in the Top12.
Rugby union in Italy is governed by the Italian Rugby Federation. Rugby was introduced into Italy in the early 1900s. It is also known as pallovale or palla ovale within Italy. Two Italian professional teams compete in United Rugby Championship, a league that also includes sides from Ireland, Scotland, South Africa and Wales. One of the teams is guaranteed a place in the European Rugby Champions Cup; the other normally plays in the European Rugby Challenge Cup. The Top12 is the main national club competition. Four Italian clubs from the national championship compete in a qualifying tournament that awards two places in the Challenge Cup. Italy competes in the Six Nations Championship and Rugby World Cup, and is classified as a tier one nation by World Rugby.
The Italy national rugby sevens team has occasionally competed in the IRB Sevens World Series since the series' was introduced in 1999, although they do not participate in every leg. Their first ever points in the World Series came in 2003, when they scored four points in the Cardiff leg of the series. Italy also competes in the Rugby Europe Sevens Grand Prix Series each summer.
Alberto Sgarbi is an Italian rugby union former player who played at Centre for the Italian national team. He represented italy on 29 occasions with 2 tries.
Andrea Marcato is an Italian rugby union coach and former international player. He won 16 caps for Italy and played in the 2008 and 2009 Six Nations Championships. After the end of his playing career he began coaching and is the head coach of Petrarca Rugby, a position he has held since 2017.
Nicola Mazzucato is a former Italian rugby union footballer and the former coach of the SMRUFC. He played as a wing achieving over 40 caps for Italy, playing in 2 world cups and 4 trips to the 6 nations.
Tito Tebaldi is an Italian rugby union player. He plays as scrum-half. He made his debut for Italy against Australia on 13 June 2009.
Zebre Parma are an Italian professional rugby union team competing in the United Rugby Championship and EPCR competitions from the 2012–13 season. They are based in Parma (Emilia-Romagna), Italy. They are operated by the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) and replaced Aironi in the Pro12.
Kayle Deon van Zyl is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with Italian side Rugby Calvisano, competing in the Top10 and European Rugby Continental Shield. He has the ability to play in any position in the back-line but has thus far mostly featured as a fullback.
Simone Ragusi is an Italian rugby union player who plays as a full back. He currently plays for Calvisano currently competing in the top tier of the Italian rugby union, the Top12.
Riccardo Brugnara is an Italian prop who plays for Petrarca Padova in the Italian Serie A Elite, previously he played for Leicester Tigers in the Premiership and has played on loan for Doncaster in the Championship.
Michelangelo Biondelli is an Italian rugby union player. His usual position is as a Fly-Half or Fullback and he currently plays for Fiamme Oro in Top10.
Michele Mancini Parri is an Italian rugby union player. His usual position is as a prop and he currently plays for Fiamme Oro in Top10.
Massimo Cioffi is an Italian rugby union player. His usual position is as a Wing and he currently plays for Lazio in Italian Serie A Elite.
Andrea Bronzini is an Italian rugby union player. His usual position is as a centre and he currently plays for Viadana in Serie A Elite.
Giovanni D'Onofrio is an Italian rugby union player. His usual position is as a Wing and he currently plays for Fiamme Oro in Top10.
Andrea Menniti Ippolito is an Italian rugby union player. His usual position is as a Fly-Half and he currently plays for Fiamme Oro in Top10 after the experience with Rovigo Delta.
Nicola Piantella is an Italian rugby union player. His usual position is as a Lock and he currently plays for Serie A Elite team Fiamme Oro.
Joey Caputo is an Australian rugby union player. His usual position is as a fly-half and he currently plays for Petrarca Padova in Italian Serie A Elite.