Italy national under-20 rugby union team

Italy under-20

Union	Italian Rugby Federation
Nickname(s)	Azzurrini
Coach(es)	Roberto Santamaria
Team kit Change kit
First international
Ireland 6-0 Italy (1 February 2008)
Largest win
Italy 43-3 Scotland (1 July 2021)
Largest defeat
South Africa 65–3 Italy (9 June 2009)
World Cup
Appearances	12 (First in 2008)
Best result	7th 2025

The Italy national under-20 rugby union team has competed in both the IRB Junior World Championship and IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy. They were one of four teams relegated in 2009 to the Junior World Trophy after finishing at the bottom of the tournament. They were again promoted to the 2011 IRB Junior World Championship after winning the 2010 IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy.

Italy finished in last place at the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship and had again been relegated to the Junior World Trophy for 2013. Then they won the 2013 IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy so Italy participated in the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship that was played in New Zealand.

Since 2008, its first edition, they participate in the Six Nations Under 20s Championship. ^[1]

Squad

Squad to the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship ^[2]

Matteo BELLOTTO (Mogliano) Niccolò BENI (Biarritz Olympique) Carlo Antonio BIANCHI (Unione Rugby Firenze) Nicola BOLOGNINI (Rugby Badia 1981) Francesco BRAGA (Valpolicella Rugby) Christian BRASINI (Livorno) Alessio CAIOLO-SERRA (SO Chambéry) Riccardo CASARIN (Amatori & Union Rugby Milano) Nelson CASARTELLI (Rugby Paese) Nicolò Michele CORVASCE (S.S. Lazio Rugby 1927) Alessandro DRAGO (Mogliano) Jules DUCROS (Montpellier Hérault) Simone FARDIN (Rugby Casale) Roberto FASTI (Rugby Casale) Piero GRITTI (ASM Clermont) Riccardo IOANNUCCI (Petrarca Padova) Mattia MIDENA (Rugby Paese / Benetton Academy) Giacomo MILANO (Rugby Noceto FC / Zebre Parma Academy) Antony Italo MIRANDA (Rugby Paese / Benetton Academy) Sascha MISTRULLI (FC Grenoble) Damien MORI (Rugby Calvisano) Enoch OPOKU GYAMFI (Bath) Sergio PELLICCIOLI (Petrarca Padova) Gianmarco PIETRAMALA (Unione Rugby Firenze) Tommaso REDONDI (Verona Rugby) Luca ROSSI (Pesaro Rugby) Edoardo TODARO (Northampton Saints) Luca TREVISAN (Golden Lions) Bruno VALLESI (Viadana / Zebre Parma Academy)) Federico ZANANDREA (Mogliano / Benetton Rugby)

Management

• Roberto Santamaria - Head coach
• Claudio Appiani - Team manager
• Victor Jimenez - Assistant coach
• Giacomo Vigna - Fitness coach
• Nicola Cordioli - Physiotherapist
• Roberto Alessandrini - Team doctor
• Paolo Granata - Assistant manager
• Niccolo Gaetaniello - Video analyst
• Andrea Nicotra - Committee member

Tournament record

Year	Tournament	Host	Rank	Result
2008	Junior World Championship	Wales	11th
2009	Junior World Championship	Japan	13th	Relegated to 2010 IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy
2010	Junior World Trophy	Russia	1st	Promoted to 2011 IRB Junior World Championship
2011	Junior World Championship	Italy	11th
2012	Junior World Championship	South Africa	12th	Relegated to 2013 IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy
2013	Junior World Trophy	Chile	1st	Promoted to 2014 IRB Junior World Championship
2014	Junior World Championship	New Zealand	11th
2015	Junior World Championship	Italy	11th
2016	Junior World Championship	England	11th
2017	Junior World Championship	Georgia	8th
2018	Junior World Championship	France	8th
2019	Junior World Championship	Argentina	9th
2020	Junior World Championship	Italy		Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [3]
2021	Junior World Championship			Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [4]
2022	-			Replaced with Six Nations Summer Series in   Italy
2023	Junior World Championship	South Africa	11th
2024	Junior World Championship	South Africa	10th
2025	Junior World Championship	Italy	7th

Six Nations Under 20s Championship

Main article: Six Nations Under 20s Championship

Year	Pos	Played	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TD	LBP	TBP	Table Points
2008	5th	5	1	0	4	54	99	–45	5			N/A	N/A	2
2009	6th	5	0	0	5	57	137	–80	6			N/A	N/A	0
2010	6th	5	0	0	5	54	128	-74	3			N/A	N/A	0
2011	5th	5	1	0	4	39	180	-141				N/A	N/A	2
2012	6th	5	0	0	5	60	138	-78	7			N/A	N/A	0
2013	6th	5	0	1	4	65	145	-80	8			N/A	N/A	1
2014	5th	5	1	0	4	46	143	–97				N/A	N/A	2
2015	6th	5	0	0	5	45	216	-170				N/A	N/A	0
2016	6th	5	0	0	5	43	160	-117				N/A	N/A	0
2017	6th	5	0	0	5	61	156	–95	8	21	–13	0	2	2
2018	4th	5	2	0	3	126	181	–55	17	27	–10	2	1	11
2019	5th	5	1	0	4	99	168	-69	15	22	-7	2	1	7
2020	Cancelled	3	1	0	2	65	68	-3	8	9	-1	1	1	8
2021	5th	5	1	0	4	102	98	+4	13	10	+3	1	2	7
2022	4th	5	3	0	2	87	113	-26	11	12	-1	1	0	13
2023	3rd	5	2	0	3	148	146	+2	24	18	+6	5	2	15
2024	4th	5	2	0	3	118	120	-2	16	17	-1	1	1	10
2025	4th	5	2	0	3	84	133	-49	12	21	-9	1	1	10

F.I.R. Academy

During the regular season, many players of Under-20 are selected to play for F.I.R. Academy "Ivan Francescato" of Parma (from 2018 to 2020 in Remedello, Brescia). ^[5] This team played in Italian Serie A, Pool A, until 2021-2021 season.

References

1. "Elwood names Ireland Under-20 team". RTE. 30 Jan 2008. Retrieved 7 Jun 2025.
2. "Scelti i convocati dell'Italia per il World Rugby U20 Championship 2025".
3. "World Rugby update on COVID-19 response measures and statement from Sir Bill Beaumont". World Rugby. 20 March 2020. Archived from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
4. "World Rugby update on COVID-19 response measures and statement from Sir Bill Beaumont". World Rugby. 20 March 2020. Archived from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
5. "Accademia Nazionale Ivan Francescato 2020/21".