page_title: Rugby union in Italy
section_title: National team
hierarchical_section_title: Rugby union in Italy / National team
caption_attribution_description: English&#58; Italy and France during the 2011 Six Nations at the Stadio Flaminio in Rome. Italy eventually won 22-21, it was the first home win over the French sideFrançais&#58; Les équipes d'Italie et France lorsque du match du Tournoi 2011 à Rome que l'Italie gagnait 22-21Italiano&#58; Una fase di Italia - Francia 22-21 del Sei Nazioni 2011 allo stadio Flaminio di Roma
context_page_description: Rugby union in Italy is governed by the Italian Rugby Federation. Rugby was introduced into Italy in the early 1900s. It is also known as pallovale or palla ovale within Italy. Two Italian professional teams compete in Pro14, a league that also includes sides from Ireland, Scotland, South Africa and Wales. One of the teams is guaranteed a place in the European Rugby Champions Cup; the other normally plays in the European Rugby Challenge Cup. The Top12 is the main national club competition. Four Italian clubs from the national championship compete in a qualifying tournament that awards two places in the Challenge Cup. Italy competes in the Six Nations Championship and Rugby World Cup, and is classified as a tier one nation by World Rugby.
context_section_description: The Italian national rugby union side have been playing international rugby since the late 1920s, and are categorized, by the International Rugby Board, as a tier one nation. They have competed in the Six Nations Championship since 2000 and at all the Rugby World Cups. Italy's best result at a Rugby World Cup was at the 2007 tournament in France, where they won two of their four pool matches and lost by two points to Scotland, narrowly missing the quarter-finals.
  On St. Valentine's Day 2010, Italy lost narrowly to England in Rome (12-17), further consolidating Italy's rise in international rugby, and this rise continued with a 22-21 victory over France on 12 March 2011.
  Notable Italian players include:
  Ivan Francescato
  Paolo Vaccari
  Carlo Checchinato
  Massimo Giovanelli
  Mauro and Mirco Bergamasco
  Sergio Parisse
  Italy also has a national rugby sevens team.
caption: The Stadio Flaminio during a rugby union match in the 2011 Six Nations Championship between Italy and France, which resulted in an upset victory for Italy.
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