The spectacular progress made by Argentina has been one of the happiest rugby stories of the past few years, but the contribution made by Argentine players to the development of another emerging rugby nation is often overlooked. While Italy have been growing as a force in European rugby — last year’s fourth-place finish in the RBS Six Nations Championship was their best so far — they have been bolstered by players of Argentine origin. Of the 30 members of their World Cup squad, no fewer than seven could be classified as “Argitalians”.
Sergio Parisse, the new captain, Martin Castrogiovanni, Santiago Dellape, Ramiro Pez: these are all key players in the Italy side, all of whom have opted to represent the Azzurri rather than their native country. Most are playing on European passports gained through an Italian grandparent or, like Castrogiovanni, a great-grandparent. “Guys of my age in Argentina know that if they come from an Italian family, they have another option in international rugby,” Castrogiovanni, the Leicester prop, said.
The backdrop to this exodus is provided by the powerful historical ties that bind the countries. In the late 1800s, many poor Italian families crossed the Atlantic Ocean in search of the better life promised by Argentina’s booming agrarian economy. The flow of immigrants gained momentum again during the Second World War, which was when Castrogiovanni’s great-grandfather left Italy for Argentina.
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Nowadays, when travelling in Europe, Argentinians are often told that they speak Spanish with an Italian accent. The reverse is probably true for the Argitalians in Italy’s Six Nations squad: their Italian is inflected with a twang of South American Spanish. The lack of a professional game in Argentina has led them to pursue careers in Europe, but they remain South Americans at heart.
“The decision wasn’t easy,” Castrogiovanni said. “When I left home to play for Calvisano, Argentina were picking me for their Under-21s, but Italy wanted me to play in their national team. Some people called me a traitor, but I am happy with the decision.” Born in Parana, north of Buenos Aires, Castrogiovanni now has 49 caps for Italy.
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Alex Moreno, his Leicester team-mate, played three times for Argentina before moving to Europe and being head-hunted by Italy for the 1999 World Cup. In doing so, he followed the path trodden by Diego Dominguez, the most famous of the Argitalians. Dominguez, who had an Italian grandmother, won two caps for Argentina before playing in three World Cups for Italy. “When Diego went to Italy, he started calling all the guys with Italian passports,” Moreno said. “That was where it all started, really.”
Where Dominguez led, many have followed, but the mass migration may soon slow down. The Italian Rugby Federation is restricting its Under-19 and Under-21 teams to players raised in Italy. It may be more likely to succeed if the Pumas are accepted into the Tri-Nations, especially if that leads to the development of a professional structure in Argentina. Until then, the Pumas’ fans will have to be content with cheering on the men wearing the blue of Italy.