Tommaso Allan

Tommaso Allan

Allan during a Six Nations event, March 2018
Date of birth	(1993-04-26) 26 April 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth	Vicenza, Italy
Height	184 cm (6 ft 0 in) [1]
Weight	87 kg (192 lb; 13 st 10 lb) [1]
School	Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe, European School, Culham
Notable relative(s)	John Allan (uncle)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly-half/ Full-Back Current team Perpignan Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2013–2016 Perpignan 41 (150) 2016–2021 Benetton 66 (378) 2021−2023 Harlequins 36 (138) 2023− Perpignan 5 (42) Correct as of 2 Dec 2023 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2012–2013 Scotland U20 16 (89) 2013– Italy 79 (489) Correct as of 6 Oct 2023

Tommaso Allan ( /ˈælən/ ; born 26 April 1993) is an Italian professional rugby union player who primarily plays fly-half for Perpignan of the French Top 14. He has also represented Italy at international level, having made his test debut against Australia during the 2013 Autumn Internationals. Allan has previously played for Harlequins and Benetton, as well as an earlier stint at Perpignan. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Early life & youth rugby

Allan was part of the London Wasps Academy in 2011 before captaining the RGS High Wycombe rugby side. He won the Under-19 Provincial Championship while playing for Western Province in South Africa and at the end of his contract there, he joined Perpignan.

Club career

Allan signed for French Top 14 side Perpignan shortly before the 2013–14 season. Allan made his debut for Perpignan on 8 September 2013 against Racing Métro at Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir in the Hauts-de-Seine, Paris. Perpignan lost 19–16, ^[5] with Allan kicking one conversion (56th minute) and kicking three penalties (3rd minute, 26th minute, 68th minute).

Because of Allan's end-of-year performances, he was called up to the national team. Allan played a total of eight games in the Top 14 and four in the Heineken Cup in his debut season for Perpignan, scoring a total of 27 points in 12 appearances for the side. Perpignan were relegated to the Pro D2 after finishing 13th out of the 14 teams.

In the 2014–15 Pro D2 season, Allan cemented a firm position on the number 10 role for Perpignan. Playing eighteen games, scoring three tries, fourteen penalty goals, scoring a total of 81 points and helping Perpignan to reach promotional play-offs.

Allan returned to his home region of Veneto, Italy, signing for Benetton Treviso before the 2016–17 Pro12 until 2020–21 Pro14 season. ^{[6] [7]}

It was announced on 5 May 2021, that Allan had been signed by the English Premiership team Harlequins, to begin his career with them ahead of the 2021/22 season. ^[3]

International career

On 9 October 2013 Allan was named in the Italian 35-man training squad for the 2013 end-of-year rugby union tests, ^[8] which led to the Scottish Rugby Union seeking clarity on Allan's intentions for his future. ^[9] Despite Allan playing for Scotland at Under 17, Under 18 and Under 20 age groups, he was named in Jacques Brunel's final squad. ^[10] He made his debut coming off the bench to score against Australia.

Allan started the first three of Italy's 2014 Six Nations matches against Wales, France and Scotland. ^[11]

On 24 August 2015, he was named in the final 31-man squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup ^[12] and on 18 August 2019, he was named in the final 31-man squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. ^[13]

On 22 August 2023, he was named in the Italy's 33-man squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. ^[14] On 4 February 2024, he became the best Italian points and try scorer in the Six Nations Championship, surpassing Diego Domínguez (rugby union) ^[15]

Personal life

Allan hails from a rugby family; his Scottish father William Allan and his Italian mother Paola Berlato both played in Italy, while his uncle John Allan earned 9 caps for Scotland and 13 for South Africa. ^[16] Through his father he was eligible to represent Scotland, but chose to play for Italy at senior level. He went to the European School in Culham, then graduated in economy in London to eventually get a master in marketing and business in Italy.

Statistics

List of international test tries

As of 3 February 2024 ^[17]

Try	Opposing team	Location	Venue	Competition	Date	Result	Score
1	Australia	Turin, Italy	Stadio Olimpico di Torino	2013 end-of-year rugby union internationals	9 November 2013	Loss	20 – 50
2	Scotland	Rome, Italy	Stadio Olimpico	2014 Six Nations	22 February 2014	Loss	20 – 21
3	Romania	Exeter, England	Sandy Park	2015 Rugby World Cup	11 October 2015	Win	32 – 22
4	Tonga	Padova, Italy	Stadio Euganeo	2016 end-of-year rugby union international	26 November 2016	Loss	17 – 19
5	Ireland	Dublin, Ireland	Aviva Stadium	2018 Six Nations	10 February 2018	Loss	56 – 19
6	Scotland	Rome, Italy	Stadio Olimpico		17 March 2018	Loss	27 – 29
7
8	Georgia	Florence, Italy	Stadio Artemio Franchi	2018 end-of-year rugby union internationals	10 November 2018	Win	28 – 17
9	England	London, England	Twickenham Stadium	2019 Six Nations	9 March 2019	Loss	57 – 14
10	Russia	San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy	Stadio Riviera delle Palme	2019 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches	17 August 2019	Win	85 – 15
11	Namibia	Osaka, Japan	Hanazono Rugby Stadium	2019 Rugby World Cup	22 September 2019	Win	47 – 22
12	England	London, England	Twickenham Stadium	2021 Six Nations	13 February 2021	Loss	41 – 18
13	Romania	Bucharest, Romania	Stadionul Arcul de Triumf	2022 July Internationals	1 July 2022	Win	13 – 45
14	Scotland	Edinburgh, Scotland	Murrayfield Stadium	2023 Six Nations	18 March 2023	Loss	26 – 14
15	England	Rome, Italy	Stadio Olimpico	2023 Six Nations	4 February 2024	Loss	24 - 27

References

1. "Tommaso Allan player profile". rugbyworldcup.com. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
2. "Tommy Allan: 'Unusual' Italy fly-half charts voyage of discovery". BBC Sport . 28 August 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
3. "Harlequins sign Tommaso Allan". Harlequins. 5 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
4. "Italy flyhalf Tommy Allan signs for Perpignan". amp.rugbypass.com. 10 December 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
5. "Racing Métro – Perpignan". Top 14 (in French). 8 September 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
6. "Dopo Cinque Stagioni Tommaso Allan Passa Agli Harlequins". 5 May 2021.
7. "Il Benetton Rugby saluta 10 Leoni e 4 componenti dello staff". Benetton Rugby (in Italian). 30 May 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
8. "Italy call-up Scotland U-20 fly-half". ESPN . 9 October 2013.
9. "Scotland seek clarity on Tommaso Allan after Italy call-up". BBC Sport . 9 October 2013.
10. "Italia, geldenhuys rientra in gruppo in vista dei cariparma test match". Italian Rugby Federation (in Italian). 19 October 2013.
11. "Scotland leave it late to beat Italy in Rome with Weir drop goal". RTÉ Sport . Retrieved 22 February 2014.
12. Rugby World Cup, Scelti i 31 Azzurri per Inghilterra 2015
13. "Italrugby, Conor O'shea Annuncia I 31 Giocatori Convocati per Il Mondiale".
14. "ITALIA, I 33 AZZURRI PER LA RUGBY WORLD CUP "FRANCIA 2023". Federazione Italiana Rugby (in Italian). 22 August 2023.
15. "England come from behind to edge out Italy in Rome". BBC Sport.
16. Tommaso Allan SRU Profile Archived 21 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
17. "Tommaso Allan". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 3 June 2022.

External links

• Tommaso Allan at European Professional Club Rugby
• Tommaso Allan at Premiership Rugby (archived)
• Tommaso Allan at ESPNscrum
• Tommaso Allan at ItsRugby.co.uk