Aironi

Aironi Rugby (Italian pronunciation: [aiˈroni], "herons") was an Italian professional rugby union team competing in the Pro12 and the Heineken Cup, representing the Italian regions of Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. It lost its status as a regional side at the end of the 2011–12 season, as the Italian Rugby Federation revoked its licence for financial reasons.^[3] They were replaced by Zebre from the 2012–13 season.^[4]

Aironi

Founded	2010
Disbanded	2012; 13 years ago (2012)
Location	Lombardy & Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Ground(s)	Stadio Luigi Zaffanella, Viadana (Capacity: 6,000)
Coach(es)	Rowland Phillips (Head Coach)[1] Andrea Moretti (Forwards) Antonio Zanichelli (Backs) Andrew Scotney (Backs)[2]
Captain(s)	Quintin Geldenhuys
League(s)	Pro12
2011–12	12th
Team kit

Home ground

The team played in Viadana at Stadio Luigi Zaffanella. It was expected that Reggio Emilia's Stadio Giglio would be used for larger games but no games required its near 30,000 capacity.

Kit

The team's primary kit was all black with a silver stripe. Their alternative kit was white with a silver stripe. In the Heineken Cup the players wore an all green kit.^[5] Their kit was supplied by Adidas.^[6]

Member clubs

The formation of the team was made possible by the co-operation of eight existing rugby clubs Rugby Viadana 54%, Colorno 15%, Gran Parma Rugby 10%, Rugby Parma 10%, Noceto 5%, Reggio Emilia 2%, Modena 2% and Mantova 2%.^[7] Gran Parma, Rugby Viadana and Colorno have merged as a result of the formation of Aironi to form GranDucato Rugby Parma.^[8] Rugby Parma and Noceto have merged to form Crociati (Crusaders) Rugby Parma.^[9][10] These mergers were essential as the Super 10 (now Top12) division would have attracted far less sponsorship.

History

After several failed attempts, there was doubt that a deal for Italian entry into the Celtic League would be completed in time for the 2010–11 season, with the Scots delaying support for entry until changes were made to the Celtic League management structure. In February 2010 it was announced that the planned expansion of the Celtic League was to be put on hold. The reasons were the insistence by existing members that the Italian teams could be ejected after three years. Also the financial demands the league placed on the Italians could not be met. The existing teams said this was to cover the need to have larger squads to cover the extra fixtures and additional travel expenses.^[11] Agreement was reached in early March 2010 to allow Italian teams entry to the Celtic League in time for the 2010–11 season.^[12] The clubs would also be guaranteed places annually into the Heineken Cup that had previously been awarded to the two top teams in the National Championship of Excellence.

Italy had failed to make an impact in the Six Nations Championship tournament since joining 10 years earlier. This was largely blamed on the fact their best players did not have a competitive enough domestic tournament or were forced to play abroad. The fact that the Six Nations decider in 2009 between Wales and Ireland featured 42 Celtic League players out of 44 in their squads supported this notion.^[13] Most Italian players played in France's Top 14. In order to ensure the new teams delivered players for the national side the Federazione Italiana Rugby put incentives in place for the new teams. The successful franchises would receive financial support from the FIR to recruit national team players at the time playing abroad and fresh home-grown talent. Signing one of Italy's top players, most of whom play abroad, would net clubs €50,000, while other lesser players, mostly plying their trade in the Italian Super 10 series (Italy's top flight league at the time), would scoop €30,000 and €20,000 bonuses.^[14]

It was proposed initially that Aironi would join along with a new team Praetorians Roma,^[15] but Benetton Treviso were nominated instead of Roma. Treviso and Duchi Nord-Ovest could not agree to form one club to represent the Veneto region and lost out in the first round of bidding despite the region being the traditional home of Italian rugby.^[16] However Roma failed to satisfy the evaluators of their financial muscle and Treviso were nominated in their stead.^[17] This was boosted by Treviso's defeat of USA Perpignan in the Heineken Cup. Roma were to be based at the Stadio Flaminio in Rome, where Six Nations matches had been staged.

2010–11 Debut Season

Aironi had a very difficult debut season. They initially struggled to compete in the Celtic League. Their coach, Franco Bernini, was sacked in November after a run of disappointing losses.^[18] They suffered a number of heavy defeats but often when they did lose (particularly at home) they did so by a single score. This is evidenced by the 8 Losing Bonus points received in 22 games.^[19] They finally registered their first win against French team Biarritz in December in the Heineken Cup. This was a massive shock as Biarritz had contested the previous year's final.^[20] Their first Celtic League win came at home against Connacht on 26 March, which they won 25–13.^[21] They finished bottom of the league in 12th.

Squad

Player Position Union Previous club Luigi Ferraro Hooker Italy Viadana Fabio Ongaro Hooker Italy Saracens[22] Roberto Santamaria Hooker Italy Viadana Matías Agüero Prop Italy Saracens Alberto de Marchi Prop Italy Parma Andrea de Marchi Prop Italy Rovigo[23] Ulises Gamboa Prop Italy Rugby Roma Olimpic Luigi Milani Prop Italy Parma Salvatore Perugini Prop Italy Bayonne[24] Luca Redolfini Prop Italy Viadana Plinio Sciamanna Prop Italy Viadana Fabio Staibano Prop Italy Castres[25] George Biagi Lock Italy I Cavalieri Marco Bortolami Lock Italy Gloucester[26] Carlo Del Fava Lock Italy Viadana Joshua Furno Lock Italy Viadana Quintin Geldenhuys (c) Lock Italy Viadana Vickus Liebenberg Lock South Africa Brive Andrea Benatti Flanker Italy Viadana Aldo Birchall Flanker Italy Viadana Nicola Cattina Flanker Italy GRAN Parma Simone Favaro Flanker Italy Parma Gareth Krause Flanker South Africa Viadana Jaco Erasmus Number 8 Italy Viadana Josh Sole Number 8 Italy Viadana Nick Williams Number 8 New Zealand Munster[27]

Player Position Union Previous club Giorgio Bronzini Scrum-half Italy GRAN Parma Pablo Canavosio Scrum-half Italy Viadana Tito Tebaldi Scrum-half Italy GRAN Parma[28] Michael Wilson Scrum-half Italy Viadana Riccardo Bocchino Fly-half Italy Rovigo James Marshall Fly-half New Zealand Tasman Ludovic Mercier Fly-half France Petrarca[29] Alberto Benettin Centre Italy Petrarca Dylan des Fountain Centre South Africa Stormers Gilberto Pavan Centre Italy Parma Gabriel Pizarro* Centre Argentina Rovigo[30] Matteo Pratichetti Centre Italy Viadana Rodd Penney Centre New Zealand Saracens Roberto Quartaroli Centre Italy Parma Horacio San Martín Centre Argentina Pampas XV Giovanbattista Venditti Centre Italy GRAN Parma[31] Danwel Demas Wing South Africa Cheetahs[32] Julien Laharrague Wing France Montauban[33][34] Kaine Robertson Wing Italy Viadana[35] Giulio Rubini Wing Italy Parma Giulio Toniolatti Wing Italy Rugby Roma Olimpic Paolo Buso Fullback Italy Rugby Roma Olimpic

• Players in bold capped internationally.
• Players with the symbol * are qualified to play for Italy on residency or dual nationality so not counted as a Non-Italian player in squad.
• Notes:
  • Players in Italic joined in the winter.

Magners League

	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	Try bonus	Losing bonus	Pts
1	Munster	22	19	0	3	496	327	+169	44	22	5	2	83
2	Leinster	22	15	1	6	495	336	+159	50	25	5	3	70
3	Ulster	22	15	1	6	480	418	+62	44	35	3	2	67
4	Ospreys	22	12	1	9	553	418	+135	56	29	6	7	63
5	Scarlets	22	12	1	9	503	453	+50	49	43	5	7	62
6	Cardiff Blues	22	13	1	8	479	392	+87	37	33	3	3	60
7	Newport Gwent Dragons	22	10	1	11	444	462	−18	47	49	3	4	49
8	Edinburgh	22	9	0	13	421	460	−39	39	44	2	5	43
9	Connacht	22	7	1	14	394	459	−65	32	44	3	6	39
10	Benetton Treviso	22	9	0	13	374	502	−128	29	58	0	2	38
11	Glasgow Warriors	22	6	1	15	401	543	−142	33	48	1	6	33
12	Aironi	22	1	0	21	247	517	−270	21	52	0	8	12
Correct as of 7 May 2011

4 September 2010 19:30

(1 BP) Munster	33–17	Aironi
	Report

Musgrave Park Attendance: 8,426 Referee: Graham Knox

11 September 2010 19:05

(1 BP) Aironi	15–22	Ulster
	Report

Stadio Luigi Zaffanella Attendance: 4,453 Referee: Stefano Penne

17 September 2010 20:05

(1 BP) Scarlets	49–10	Aironi
	Report

Parc y Scarlets Attendance: 6,123 Referee: John Lacey

25 September 2010 18:30

(1 BP) Ospreys	38–6	Aironi
	Report

Liberty Stadium Attendance: 7,289 Referee: Andy Macpherson

2 October 2010 19:05

(1 BP) Aironi	9–10	Edinburgh
	Report

Stadio Zaffanella Attendance: 4,053

23 October 2010 18:30

Newport Gwent Dragons	36–5	Aironi
	Report

Rodney Parade Attendance: 5,033 Referee: Andrew McMenemy

29 October 2010 19:05

Aironi	3–20	Cardiff Blues
	Report

Stadio Zaffanella Attendance: 2,900 Referee: Graham Knox

5 November 2010 19:30

Glasgow Warriors	33–8	Aironi
	Report

Firhill Stadium Attendance: 2,078

27 November 2010 19:05

Aironi	17–34	Scarlets (1 BP)
	Report

Stadio Zaffanella Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Andy MacPherson

3 December 2010 19:00

Connacht	P – P	Aironi

Sportsground

24 December 2010 14:30

Benetton Treviso	15–10	Aironi
	Report

Stadio di Monigo Attendance: 3,500 Referee: Carlo Damasco

2010–11 Heineken Cup pool stage – Pool 4

Team	P	W	D	L	Tries for	Tries against	Try diff	Points for	Points against	Points diff	TB	LB	Pts
Biarritz (4)	6	4	0	2	16	9	+7	140	86	+55	4	2	22
Ulster (8)	6	5	0	1	15	8	+7	145	93	+52	2	0	22
Bath	6	2	0	4	20	8	+12	147	108	+39	3	3	14
Aironi	6	1	0	5	4	30	−26	65	211	−146	0	0	4

8 October 2010 19:30

Ulster	30–6	Aironi
Try: Trimble 21' m Humphreys 44' m Danielli 60' c Pienaar 67' c Con: Pienaar (0/2) Humphreys (2/2) Pen: Pienaar (2/3) 2', 39'	Report	Pen: Mercier (2/3) 5', 17'

Ravenhill, Belfast Attendance: 7,777 Referee: Chris White (England)

16 October 2010 14:30

Aironi	6–22	Bath
Pen: Mercier (2/2) 21', 54'	Report	Try: Biggs 12' m Carraro 23' m Abendanon 36' c Watson 67' m Con: Barkley (1/4)

Stadio Luigi Zaffanella, Viadana Attendance: 4,000 Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)

11 December 2010 14:30

Aironi	28–27	Biarritz Olympique
Try: Marshall 38' m Toniolatti 48' c Pratichetti 63' c Con: Tebaldi (2/3) Pen: Tebaldi (2) 3', 31' Drop: J. Laharrague 78'	Report	Try: Terrain 7' m Ngwenya 16' c Balshaw 42' m Gimenez 58' c Con: Yachvili (2/4) Pen: Yachvili 73'

Stadio Luigi Zaffanella Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)

17 December 2010 19:00

Biarritz Olympique	34–3	Aironi
Try: Bosch 10' c Penalty try 22' c Ngwenya 46' c August 56' c Con: Yachvili (4/4) Pen: Yachvili (2/2) 2', 16'	Report	Pen: Bocchino (1/2) 60'

Parc des Sports Aguiléra Attendance: 6,816 Referee: Andrew Small (England)

15 January 2011 14:30

Bath	55–16	Aironi
Try: Biggs (2) 9' m, 27' c Watson (2) 20' c, 77' c Banahan (4) 29' c, 53' c, 58' c, 70' m Con: Barkley (6/8) Pen: Barkley (1/1) 2'	Report	Try: Sole 36' c Con: Marshall (1/1) Pen: Marshall (3/3) 4', 14', 49'

The Recreation Ground Attendance: 10,000 Referee: Neil Paterson (Scotland)

22 January 2011 14:30

Aironi	6–43	Ulster
Pen: Tebaldi 37' Drop: Marshall 26'	Report	Try: Trimble 23' c Wannenburg (2) 41' c, 46' c Penalty try 57' c Henry 67' c Danielli 78' m Con: Humphreys (5/6) Pen: Humphreys (1/2) 3'

Stadio Luigi Zaffanella Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)

2011–12 Final Season

Aironi transfers 2011–12
Pos	Out	In
PR	Ulyses Gamboa (released – joined Edinburgh)
HK	Luigi Ferraro (joined Rugby Calvisano)	Carlo Festuccia (from Racing-Métro) Tommaso D'Apice (from Roma)
LK	Vickus Liebenberg (joined Aix-en-Provence)
FL	Aldo Birchall (joined Rugby Calvisano) Gareth Krause (retired – but then joined Border Bulldogs in 2012)	Frans Viljoen (from Cheetahs) Filippo Ferrarini (from Crociati)
N8	Jaco Erasmus (joined Rugby Calvisano)
SH	Pablo Canavosio (joined Rugby Calvisano) Mickey Wilson (released – joined Rovigo)	Tyson Keats (from Hurricanes)
FH	Riccardo Bocchino (released – joined Cavalieri Prato) James Marshall (released – joined Tasman)	Luciano Orquera (from Brive) Naas Oliver (from Cheetahs)
CE	Dylan des Fountain (joined Lions) Horacio San Martin (released – Périgueux)	Andrea Masi (from Racing-Métro)
WG	Danwel Demas (joined Boland) Julien Laharrague (released – joined Lourdes) Giulio Rubini (released – joined Crociati)	Sinoti Sinoti (from Hawkes Bay)
FB		Ruggero Trevisan (from Crociati Parma Rugby FC)
Coach

Aironi again struggled in the Pro12 league and finished last. However they did record four victories, including a notable home win over defending champions Munster^[36] and eventual Heineken Cup Semi-finalists Edinburgh.^[37][38] In a very tough Heineken Cup group they failed to record any win, or even a losing bonus point. In March Aironi announced they were in financial difficulty. The FIR decided to withdraw their licence for the upcoming season, the death knell for Aironi.

Viadana, the primary club behind Aironi applied to take the vacant place in the Pro12 but this was rejected by the FIR.^[39] In June 2012 it was announced that the new franchise would be known as Zebre, which would be based in Parma and be built around Italian players.^[40]

Pro12 Table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TF	TA	TB	LB	Pts	Qualification[a]
1	Leinster (F)	22	18	1	3	568	326	+242	48	28	5	2	81	Play-off place
2	Ospreys (C)	22	16	1	5	491	337	+154	44	22	2	3	71
3	Munster (SF)	22	14	1	7	489	367	+122	45	27	5	4	67
4	Glasgow Warriors (SF)	22	13	4	5	445	321	+124	34	23	2	3	65
5	Scarlets	22	12	2	8	446	373	+73	43	30	5	5	62
6	Ulster	22	12	0	10	474	424	+50	53	41	5	3	56
7	Cardiff Blues	22	10	0	12	446	460	−14	43	45	5	5	50
8	Connacht	22	7	1	14	321	433	−112	27	36	0	7	37
9	Newport Gwent Dragons	22	7	1	14	370	474	−104	27	41	1	5	36
10	Benetton Treviso	22	7	0	15	419	558	−139	41	57	3	5	36
11	Edinburgh	22	6	1	15	454	588	−134	42	65	2	4	32
12	Aironi	22	4	0	18	289	551	−262	22	54	1	5	22

Updated to match(es) played on 5 May 2012. Source: RaboDirect PRO12
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:^[41]

1. number of matches won;
2. the difference between points for and points against;
3. the number of tries scored;
4. the most points scored;
5. the difference between tries for and tries against;
6. the fewest red cards received;
7. the fewest yellow cards received.
   (C) Champions; (F) Lost in the final; (SF) Lost in the semi-finals
   Notes:

1. Qualification for the Heineken Cup is based on each country's allocation, i.e. three highest-ranked Irish teams, three highest-ranked Welsh teams, both Italian teams and both Scottish teams. Because Leinster won the 2012 Heineken Cup Final, Ireland earned an extra Heineken Cup place, which will go to Connacht. Aironi were denied a licence for the 2012–13 season due to financial issues; the newly established Zebre side replaced Aironi in the Pro12 and Heineken Cup.

Squad 2011–12 – Final Season

^[42] Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union Tommaso D'Apice Hooker Italy Antonio Denti Hooker Italy Davide Giazzon** Hooker Italy Fabio Ongaro Hooker Italy Roberto Santamaria Hooker Italy Matías Agüero Prop Italy Alberto de Marchi Prop Italy Andrea de Marchi Prop Italy Salvatore Perugini Prop Italy Luca Redolfini Prop Italy Lorenzo Romano Prop Italy Fabio Staibano Prop Italy George Biagi Lock Italy Marco Bortolami Lock Italy Filippo Cazzola** Lock Italy Carlo Del Fava Lock Italy Joshua Furno Lock Italy Quintin Geldenhuys (c) Lock Italy Andrea Benatti Flanker Italy Mauro Bergamasco Flanker Italy Nicola Cattina Flanker Italy Simone Favaro Flanker Italy Filippo Ferrarini Flanker Italy Frans Viljoen Flanker South Africa Josh Sole Number 8 Italy Nick Williams Number 8 New Zealand

Player Position Union Giorgio Bronzini Scrum-half Italy Tyson Keats Scrum-half New Zealand Tito Tebaldi Scrum-half Italy Naas Olivier Fly-half South Africa Luciano Orquera Fly-half Italy Alberto Benettin Centre Italy Gilberto Pavan Centre Italy Gabriel Pizarro Centre Italy Matteo Pratichetti Centre Italy Roberto Quartaroli Centre Italy Riccardo Pavan** Wing Italy Kaine Robertson Wing Italy Sinoti Sinoti Wing Samoa Giulio Toniolatti Wing Italy Giovanbattista Venditti Wing Italy Paolo Buso Fullback Italy Andrea Masi Fullback Italy Ruggero Trevisan Fullback Italy

**World Cup Cover

Transfers

Players Out 2012–2013

• Alberto de Marchi to Benetton Treviso
• Giulio Toniolatti to Benetton Treviso
• Carlo Del Fava to Newcastle^[43]
• Lorenzo Romano to Saracens^[44]
• Fabio Staibano to Wasps^[45]
• George Biagi to Bristol^[46][47]
• Joshua Furno to Narbonne^[48]
• Nick Williams to Ulster
• Frans Viljoen to Free State Cheetahs
• Matías Agüero to Zebre^[49]
• Andrea de Marchi to Zebre
• Salvatore Perugini to Zebre
• Tommaso D'Apice to Gloucester^[50]
• Antonio Denti to Zebre
• Marco Bortolami to Zebre
• Quintin Geldenhuys to Zebre
• Nicola Cattina to Zebre
• Filippo Ferrarini to Zebre
• Tito Tebaldi to Zebre
• Luciano Orquera to Zebre
• Gilberto Pavan to Zebre
• Matteo Pratichetti to Zebre
• Roberto Quartaroli to Zebre
• Giovanbattista Venditti to Zebre
• Alberto Benettin to Zebre
• Paolo Buso to Zebre
• Ruggero Trevisan to Zebre
• Naas Olivier to Pumas