1
Zebre confirm 8 player departures ahead of next month's PRO14 season restart
By Online Editors
Guinness PRO14 strugglers Zebre have confirmed the eight players who won't be returning as part of their squad for next month's resumption of the suspended 2019/20 season.
The Italian minnows won just two of their 13 league games before the season was halted last March. It is set to recommence with a series of derby matches that in Italy will see Zebre take on their local rivals Benetton.
They will do so minus eight of the players who were on their roster in the spring - Fijian winger Paula Balekana, Italian lock George Biagi, South African out-half Francois Brummer, Italian full-back Edoardo Padovani, Fijian lock Apisai Tauyavuca, Italian prop Roberto Tenga, Italian winger Giovanbattista Venditti and English winger Charlie Walker.
Biagi has taken up an operations management position at the club, Padovani has joined Benetton while Walker has moved to Ealing Trailfinders.
Zebre team manager Andrea de Rossi said: "I would like to thank these players, protagonists of historical and indelible results for our club, such as the first victory in England, the one in South Africa, the one in Newport, the one in Paris and also the last record-breaking success against the Cheetahs in Parma in January.
"Due to the coronavirus emergency, it's a shame we didn't say goodbye to them properly on the pitch in front of the fans. A special thanks goes to George Biagi, centurion and leader as captain of Zebre. He has been an example on and off the pitch for many young people who have grown up in our club over the past seven years."
Speaking about their 2019/20 PRO14 season, Zebre boss Michael Bradley told RugbyPass last December: “We are not happy with the results to date but the direction the team is going in, we have got a much better team this year. People from the teams that we have played recognise that as well and have set their teams up accordingly.
"For the first time we have the ability to rest and rotate players which puts us on the same level as most of the other sides, so we will stick with the brand of rugby we are trying to play which is keeping the ball alive, keeping it up off the ground, keeping it fast.
"We will make mistakes but if we keep practising and keep our focus on this area, we will get better and better and we will start knocking over some decent teams and getting to the play-off side of things.”
Trending on RugbyPass
2
Jake White: Ireland, Australia and Wales have the same problem
3
David Campese names his Springbok world player of the year winner
4
Let's be real about these All Blacks
5
Latest Comments
John, McKenzie was 10 years ago and he only lasted 15 months until the disgustingly unfair affair that brought him down. I thought that if he didn't get another gig over Eddie V2 then he was done. I read that he had been approached but declined to put his name in the ring.
There are no potential Wallaby coaches outside of McKellar unless you have some inside info?
Go to commentsThe way they are defending is sometime pathetic to be honest. Itoje is usually on the inside of the rush and he is paired with a slower tight forward. Unable to keep up with the rush we have seen the line become disconnected on the inside where the big boys are. How many times have we seen Earl rush past the first receiver almost into no mans land covering no attacker. It looks like a system without any guidance. Tome Wright, Ikitau and a number of Wallabies went back to this soft centre as did Williams, Jordan and several others. Also when the line is broken the multiple lines of defence seems to be missing. The rush is predicated on a cover and recovery system with multiple lines of defence but with England you dont see it any more. Fitness and conditioning seems to be off as well as players are struggling to keep up with the intensity of the rush. Felix Jones has left a huge hole. The whole situation was and is a mess. Why they insist on not letting him go and having him work remotely is beyond me. Its leading to massive negative press and is a hot button issue thats distracting from the squad. Also the communication around Jones and his role has been absolute rubbish and is totally disjointed. While some say he is working remotely and playing a role others are saying theres been no contact. His role has not been defined and so people keep asking and keep getting different answers. England need a clean break from him and need to start over. Whatever reason for his leaving its time to cut the rope before the saga drags the whole Borthwick regime down. As for Joe El Abd well good luck to him. He is being made to look like an amateur by the whole saga and he is being asked to coach a system thats not his and which has been perfected and honed since 2017 by Nienaber, Jones, Erasmus and Co and which was first started by White in 2004. He is literally trying to figure out a system pioneered by double world cup winning coaches at the highest level and coach it at the same time. Talk about being on a hiding to nothing.
Go to comments