Rome gets rugby
Italy to play Six Nations' matches in Eternal City
Posted: Saturday July 18, 1998 05:02 PM
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Rome will be the home of Italy Six Nation's matches (Shaun Botterrill/Allsport) |
ROME (Reuters) -- Italy's Six Nations' matches will be played in Rome rather than the country's northern rugby heartland, the Italian Rugby Union Federation said Saturday.
It said the matches would be played at the city's Flaminio stadium, which has a capacity of 31,000. The ground is owned by the Rome council but is leased to the Italian Olympic Committee.
The northern cities of Bologna, Genoa and Padua had all put themselves forward to host the games, which kick off in 2000 when Italy joins the current Five Nations' tournament.
Bologna has hosted several Italian test matches, including last November's visit of South Africa, while some of Italy's leading club sides come from the northeastern towns of Padua, Treviso and Rovigo.
"The executive carefully examined all the proposals...In the end they chose Rome, a choice of vital importance for the future of our rugby," Federation president Giancarlo Dondi said.
Italy joins England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and France in the world's oldest international tournament. Italy is the first new tournament member since the French joined in 1910.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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