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Worcester sign Italian international Renato Giammarioli

Italy's number eight Renato Giammarioli (C) runs with the ball during the autumn international rugby union Test match between Italy and New Zealand at Stadio Olimpico in Rome (Photo by FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images)

Worcester Warriors have signed Italian back row Renato Giammarioli from Zebre – the club have confirmed.

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Giammarioli is the second Italian signing of the Steve Diamond era at Sixways, with fellow Azzurri Hame Faiva also on his way to the club.

The 6’2, 111kg No.8 is the seventh signing by ‘Lead Rugby Consultant’ Diamond, who will next season takeover from Alan Solomons as director of rugby.

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    Diamond has already signed Curtis Langdon and Cameron Neild from Sale, Fergus Lee-Warner and Santiago Medrano from the Western Force, hooker Hame Faiva from Benetton and Russian prop Valery Morozov from Bath.

    “Renato is a great addition to the squad. He is a very ambitious player who has a fantastic skillset. His dynamic carrying and confrontational defence will serve Warriors next season,” said Diamond.

    Giammarioli, 27, made his Italy debut in the 2017 Autumn Internationals as a replacement against South Africa. His most recent international match was against New Zealand in Rome in November.

    After playing junior rugby for Frascati, Giammarioli moved on to Calvisano to play club rugby before joining Zebre.

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    In 2014 and 2015, he represented Italy at the Under-20 level before moving on to the Emerging Players squad and eventually becoming a senior international.

    “I am very glad to start this new chapter of my career with Worcester Warriors,” Giammarioli said.

    “I am sure it will be an amazing experience that will develop my life skills both as a player and a man.

    “I am looking forward to meeting my team-mates and experiencing the glorious English rugby culture.”

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    The looseforward has already played against Worcester Warriors, facing them in the Challenge Cup earlier in the year.

    Speaking previously about his recruitment tactic, Diamond said: “The players that are coming in are not massive names. But the skill of this job is making people into big names, not buying them.

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    “Worcester have been tempted to do that plenty of times, just big household rugby names who haven’t really delivered. That’s not my bag. My bag is to bring players with experience with domestic rugby and international rugby, who are solid dependable players who you can hopefully get 20 to 25 games out of a year.

    “It’s got to be an age profile as well. You want people who are between 24 and 28, if you can, in their prime, who played 75 per cent of the games where they’re been before.”

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    J
    JW 1 hour ago
    Mick Cleary: 'These blokes have done the jersey proud, with their buy-in and with their relish.'

    Jesus PR that’s another great conclusion. I can definitely see it as blocker to bringing through new talent in time for the WC. NZ underwent a lot of change in 2018 following the Lions tour, in part thanks to key injuries. Despite the revenue spending Aaron Cruden (getting frail even at his young age then) and Lima Sopoaga (along with Julien Savea), 2 of the 3 1st5s in the Lions squad, both left before the 2019 WC for example. But when we apply your logic, their delayed departure prevented Richie Mounga and Damien McKenzie (the 15 who got injured and threw a spanner in the works) from brought through in what would possible now be considered the preferred WC preparation. Ditto on the win with a scramble of constant change their all the way through to their WC 3rd/4th playoff.


    Theres certainly cause to account for certain circumstances eventuating being influenced by a Lions tour. But as both nations here select from domestic players only, theres also cause to put similar emphasis on the contracting model in general, as sometimes you can hold on too long. Ireland has a similar model, talking to another irishman here he suggests it has lead to selecting based on contracts, money being spent on a player centrally contracted. So I would not so much worry about fatigue (in part because some incomplete analysis I had done on all.rugby shows the Irish contingent have low minutes this year) but continuing to select underperforming and aging players. When in a pure context of building for a WC, one would normally want to move on an develop the future.

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