Spritz & Scrums - Italian Rugby Podcast

Spritz and Scrums is back, and we are on a train from Venice to Rome still reeling from a heartbreaking weekend of Italian rugby. Benetton blew a 17-nil lead against Glasgow to lose in the final three minutes, while Zebre scored five tries away at Connacht but still came up short. We break down the brilliance of Benetton's first 50 minutes, the six-minute yellow-card collapse, questionable bench decisions, and why young props need to learn the dark arts of referee management. Then it's on to Zebre's encouraging attacking displays, their ongoing defensive struggles, and the emerging young talent coming through. Off the pitch, the "Lyon Fund" betting strategy is in tatters (£100 down and counting), someone's stolen a pair of personalized Ray-Bans from the stadium, and Coach is fuming about Guinness pour times. Plus: injury updates for Italy ahead of the Autumn Nations, who should replace Lamaro as Azzurri captain, and a very happy birthday to Louis Warchon.| 0:00 | Intro: On the train, five weeks nil wins | 1:12 | Benetton vs Glasgow: The heartbreak begins | 2:10 | First half brilliance: 17-nil and flying | 4:39 | The collapse: Six minutes, three tries, yellow card | 6:34 | Experience vs youth: Scrums, refs & Lions savvy | 7:58 | Injuries: Lamaro's 100th cap ends in broken hand | 8:59 | Bench decisions: Why did they take Rhino off? | 10:07 | The Lyon Fund: Betting against your own team | 13:08 | Connacht vs Zebre: Five tries away from home | 15:25 | Zebre's defense: Effort without a plan | 16:18 | Stabile's smash & the Argentina question | 16:50 | Young talent: Zebre's whipper-snappers | 17:57 | Next week: Benetton vs Edinburgh, Zebre vs Dragons | 19:07 | Being supporters: Highs, lows & social media | 21:00 | What made Coach mad: Guinness pour times | 21:55 | The stolen Ray-Bans saga | 23:03 | Italy's injury crisis & the captaincy question | 23:48 | Outro: Happy birthday Louis Warchon

Welcome back to the Italian Rugby Podcast! Four weeks in, zero wins from eight across both Benetton and Zebre — but we're still here, and so are you.In this episode we break down Benetton's European Challenge Cup opener away at Castres (18-9 loss), where the attack still isn't clicking and the basics are letting them down. We also cover Zebre's Challenge Cup clash at home to Ulster (21-40), where a 19-0 halftime deficit was met with a spirited second-half fightback that earned bonus-point respect.00:00 - Welcome & going family-friendly05:00 - Castres vs Benetton match review09:00 - Benetton's basic skills issues13:00 - Glasgow preview & Franco Smith warning17:00 - Full-time score & highlights analysis21:00 - Benetton vs Zebre expectations25:00 - Zebre vs Ulster match review32:00 - Zebre's passion & spirit41:00 - Coach's Florence adventures45:00 - Autumn test squad & sign-off

Both Italian sides remain winless after three rounds of the United Rugby Championship. Benetton threw away another game with poor tackling, while Zebre showed fight despite losing to table-topping Edinburgh. The hosts look ahead to the EPCR as a fresh start, share a wild night out at an Irish bar, and predict Italy will shock France in the Six Nations.00:00 — Intro & welcome from Florence00:55 — Benetton vs Scarlets: lost 27-2601:25 — Benetton's table position: 15th, all losses to bottom-half teams02:17 — First half good, second half collapse02:30 — Lewis Liner standout performance03:12 — Tackling problems & Retafa's missed tackle05:17 — Bad attitude coming out after halftime05:55 — Forward pack dominance not exploited08:50 — Team-wide attitude problem, not individuals10:40 — Controversial disallowed try (came off his knee)12:39 — Final score & who is Owens?13:14 — Zebre vs Edinburgh review begins14:28 — Fusco's brilliant try from his own 2215:24 — Zebre's positives: energy, drive, camaraderie17:18 — Looking ahead: EPCR — Benetton vs Castres, Zebre vs Ulster19:21 — What made Coach Mad: not exploiting patterns19:51 — Meeting the 19-year-old Australians in Florence21:23 — Shout-out: The Old Stove Irish Bar22:24 — Outro: Italian rugby not looking good22:48 — Prediction: Italy will beat France in the Six Nations23:59 — Sign-off

Season 5 is here and it already feels like Season 4. Benetton are 0 from 2 at home after a crushing loss to Connacht, with 20 missed tackles and a worrying lack of desire in the backs. Meanwhile, Zebre put in a stunning late comeback against Cardiff, scoring three tries in nine minutes and showing the heart Benetton are missing.We break down both games, look ahead to Week 3 (Scarlets away and Edinburgh at home), and discuss whether Jacob Umaga can become the leader Benetton's backs desperately need. Plus: Italian gym membership bureaucracy, the lost phone saga, and why carrier pigeons should make a comeback.00:00 — Intro & Benetton defense05:00 — 20 missed tackles08:30 — Backs don't care10:00 — Leaders & Negri injury13:00 — Who leads the backs?15:00 — Negri prognosis17:30 — Scarlets must-win20:00 — Zebre backline & Allan25:00 — Tommy Allan & carrier pigeons30:00 — Gym hassle & lost phone35:00 — Phone tracker & anger39:00 — Sign-off

Welcome back to Spritz & Scrums! We kicked off the 2026/27 URC season with our ultimate Italian "Super Rugby Grand Tour" — traveling through Treviso, Venice, Parma, and ending in Florence.While the rugby on the pitch had its ups and downs, the trip was a 12/10! Join us live from our Mercedes as we dissect Benetton’s frustrating 19-19 draw against the Dragons, take a look at Zebre Parma’s spirited performance against a full-strength Bulls side, check in on Stadio Monigo's new stand, review the new United Colors of Benetton apparel, and share a few personal updates.Grab a spritz and join the chat in the comments!00:00 Intro & Welcome to Spritz and Scrums01:36 The URC Grand Tour: Treviso, Venice, Parma & Florence02:52 New stand at Stadio Monigo05:38 Benetton vs Dragons: Match Review10:39 Benetton's Leadership Vacuum & Player Exodus17:51 New Benetton Merch: United Colors of Benetton Retro Shirts21:41 Zebre Parma vs Bulls: Match Review29:23 Zebre's Fighting Spirit & Season Outlook31:01 What Made Coach Mad This Week37:15 Outro, Shoutouts & Sign-Off

We're back! After the longest break in Spritz and Scrums history, the trio reunites. It's the 2025-2026 Italian rugby season review. We cover everything: the Azzurri's historic first-ever win over England in the Six Nations, a brutal summer tour, Benetton's dismal URC campaign and the arrival of Wayne Pivac, Zebre Parma's closest-ever season with Tommaso Allan heading back to Italy, the Women's Azzurri's strongest Six Nations yet, and the Under 18s demolishing England 46-26. Oh, and there's a Rugby World Cup next year. Yes, really.00:00 - Welcome Back & Coach's Weight Loss04:12 - 2025-2026 Season Overview08:48 - Italy Beat England for the First Time10:24 - Azzurri: Autumn Tests & Summer Tour14:54 - Azzurri Season Rating & Rankings18:45 - Italians in the Premiership & Top 1425:00 - Women's Italian Rugby28:00 - Benetton Rugby & Wayne Pivac36:30 - Coach's Big News: Moving to Florence46:40 - Zebre Parma & Tommaso Allan57:00 - Under 20s, Under 18s & Looking Ahead

Spritz and Scrums is back! It's been a wild final home weekend for both Italian URC clubs. Benetton pull off one of their most memorable results in years, beating a fully-loaded Leinster side with the last kick of the game — their first home win over Leinster since 2010 — in front of a sold-out, record-breaking crowd Meanwhile, Zebre suffered heartbreak, conceding a late try to Dragons in an 18-19 loss that summed up a season of near-misses. We also bid farewell to some huge departures, reflect on the highs and lows of Benetton's wildly inconsistent season, celebrate Tommy Allen's signing for Zebre, and round off with a brilliant Italy Women's Six Nations win over Scotland. All that, with our usual blend of passion, spritz, and mild existential crisis.00:00 – Intro & Benetton Beat Leinster Reaction02:28 – The Historic Win: First Home Win vs Leinster Since 201005:37 – Match Breakdown & Emotional Atmosphere08:26 – Farewell13:14 – Benetton's Season of Inconsistency17:32 – The Gaslighting Continues: Peaks & Troughs20:22 – Zebre vs Dragons: Heartbreak in the Final Minute23:22 – Tommy Allen Signs for Zebre25:33 – Zebre's Season Review & Departures27:49 – Italy Women Beat Scotland 41-1431:14 – South Africa Fixtures & End of Season

Another week, another painful one for Italian rugby fans. We break down Benetton's 15-45 home defeat to Munster including a bittersweet milestone for Seb Negri on his 100th cap and relive Zebre's heartbreaking 30-31 loss away at Edinburgh, where they were arguably robbed by one of the worst penalty reversals you'll ever see.We talk about what went wrong, what (little) went right and what to expect in the final home games of the season.00:00 Intro & Welcome00:20 Season Check-in: Where Are We?02:02 Benetton vs Munster Recap03:51 Seb Negri's 100th Cap10:31 Zebre vs Edinburgh Recap17:45 Try of the Season – The 46th Minute Wonder Try21:15 What Made Coach Mad This Week24:35 Any Other Business26:27 Outro & Sign Off

Both Italian sides are out of Europe EPRC Challenge Cup and the Spritz and Scrums crew are not taking it well. This week, the three Benetton fans process the heartbreak of a 41-point home defeat that still wasn't enough, a referee decision that still stings, a Bilbao fund that never was, and a hangover-induced £100 bet that didn't pay off. They also cover Zebre's flat performance against Dragons, the Italians who shone in Exeter's run, the coaching change that could transform next season, and the worrying state of Benetton's defense heading into the summer. 00:00 Intro00:38 Benetton vs Exeter19:50 Looking Ahead 26:39 Italians at Exeter29:49 Zebre vs Dragons 38:00 Completely Unjustified Hope