Dario Esposisto who's at Dewsbury this year should be in the squad too. He's a prop/second row forward.

Italy were Germany's allies during the 2nd world war, this (under RL rules) qualifies him.

'Under RL Rules'

His grandmother was Italian, that would qualify him in every other sport too.

Zola Budd, Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, Lesley Vainikolo, Willie Mason, Henry Paul, Owen Hargreaves, Allan Lamb, Mo Farah...I could go on for a long, long time.

So why is RL any different? Why critcise your own sport, when there's nothing there to criticise?

With Budd at 6 and Lamb at hooker, that team could compete with fiji and png for 4th place

There is a world of difference from you naming random passport hoppers from multiple sports over a number of decades and trying to compare it to the potential Italian RL squad for 2013.......even Irelands soccer team under Jack Charlton had more locals in it for christ sake.......

I repeat, it is well documented that other sports often have a scenario where 1, 2 or maybe 4 players have questionable rights to represent a nation, IIRC, the Italian Union side of 10 years ago had a smattering of about 7 or 8 including some Argentinians, saffas, Aussies and a Kiwi in their squad for the 6 nations, but the discussion here is about an Italian RL side that contains PRETTY MUCH an NRL, Aussie born and Bred starting XIII with a handful of Italian born players.

Regardless of if these mercenaries get their adopted team to the quarters or not ....it's the level of support that Italian RL gets AFTER the RLWC that will be important.....although if they do well, the post match comments of Gower broadcast in Italy, with subtitles will speak volumes

Which team is stronger1. Anthony Minichiello (Sydney Roosters)

2. James Tedesco (Wests Tigers)
3. Vic Mauro (Manly)
4. Cederic Prizzon (Villefranche)
5. Ryan Ghetti (Northern Pride)

6. Terry Campese (Canberra)
7. Craig Gower (London)

8. Kade Snowden (Newcastle)
9. Shaun Berrigan (Canberra)
10. Anthony Laffranchi (St. Helens)
11. Aiden Guerra (Sydney Roosters)
12. Mark Minichiello (Gold Coast)
13. Cameron Ciraldo (Penrith)

14. Rocky Trimarchi (Wests Magpies)
15. Alex Ranieri (North Sydney)
16. Fabrizio Ciaurro (Ducato)
17. Matthew Sands (Padova)[/i


FIJI

[i1. Lote Tuqiri (Wests Tigers)

2. Marika Koroibete (Wests Tigers)
3. Darrel Millard (Catalans)
4. Kevin Naiqama (Newcastle)
5. Sisa Waqa (Melbourne)

6. Jarryd Hayne (Parramatta)
7. Ryan Millard (Wests Magpies)

8. Petero Civinoceva (Redcliffe Dolphins)
9. ?
10. Ashton Sims (Nth Queensland)
11. Tariq Sims (Nth Queensland)
12. Wes Naiqama (Penrith)
13. John Sutton (South Sydney[/i)


The selection of Hayne, who played for Fiji in 2008 World Cup, assumes that he won't get picked for Australia, which he may. If Hayne doesn't play then Fiji are a lot weaker with the Fiji halves not in the same class as Italy's.

Personally would quite like to see a strong Italian side even if it was made up with mainly NRL players, think it would add to the WC and maybe increase the profile in that country.

But as far as qualification rules etc it's different in most sports, England cricket rules are funnily enough some of the strictest of all the sports. They've just raised the qualification period to a 7 years residency period, that's even if you have a English parent you still have to qualify. KP has had a British passport since birth because his mother is English but also had a 5 years qualification period before he could play for England. Andrew Strauss has English parents who were working abroad and came back to live here as a young kid. For teams like Italy though I think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of fielding foreign born players.

What a great promotion for the game in Europe it would have been if Italy, Fiji, France and England had played a four way competition this autumn instead of wasting time with the Welsh. I am sure they could have attracted over 10,000 to every game.

Absolute and utter Bollox.......but carry on dreaming if it means the meds are working!

Italy, Fiji, France and England 10k a game... ...England v France failed TWICE to attract 10k this year........Italy v Fiji in Italy would get less than 4 figures......in the UK or France it might get 3k.....England v Italy or v Fiji getting more than France this year



Better teams don't mean bigger gates..........2011 Wales v AUSTRALIA scraped past 5k.......