Rugby, Capuozzo, Italian pride: it’s the world revelation of the year

Ange Capuozzo, a “giant” of 177 centimeters and 71 kilos, is the “Breakthroug Player of the Year”, the “world revelation of the year”. The proclamation comes at the World Rugby Awards, in the Gala evening organized by the international federation held at the Salon des Etoilles in Montecarlo, at the end of a 2022 for the blue to be framed. The 23-year-old full-back, at the behest of a panel made up of great exes – from Richie McCaw to Thierry Dusatoir – beat the competition from Englishman Henry Arundell, 20-year-old full-back from London Irish and Irish Mack Hansen, 24-year-old winger from Connacht and Dan Sheehan, 24-year-old Leinster hooker, also nominated.

Unforgettable year

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Merit of what was done with the shirts of Grenoble, in ProD2 and Toulouse, in the Top 14, his French clubs, at the end of last season and at the beginning of the current one. But thanks, above all, to what he did in the national team. The “scugnizzo” – Neapolitan paternal great-grandparents – made his debut not before March 12, when Italy, in Rome against Scotland, ringed the thirty-sixth consecutive defeat (in seven years) in the Six Nations. Ange, that day, who came on as a substitute 6′ into the second half for Pierre Bruno, scored two top-quality tries. And the following week, in Cardiff, with his unforgettable serpentine that led to the decisive goal by Edo Padovani 2′ from the end, he propitiated the historic success against Wales. Today he has seven caps: the others arrived in the June-July summer tests against Portugal, Romania, Georgia and, in the just finished November triptych, against Australia and South Africa. And five tries, also considering the brace against the Wallabies, fundamental for the first Italian success in direct matches and the one (another jewel) on Saturday in Genoa against the Springboks.

“For all the movement”

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It may be a coincidence: but the national team, since he’s been around, has changed pace and attitude. “There are no suitable words to describe the emotion I’m feeling right now – he commented -: it’s a great honor to receive this recognition which comes following the results achieved with the blue shirt. If I was first included in the shortlist of nominations and then chosen as revelation of the year, the credit also goes to all the people who supported me: staff, teammates and family. I share this award with the whole Italian rugby movement, which in recent weeks has made its support for the national team felt strongly and decisively”. The award was presented to Capuozzo by the president of World Rugby, Sir Bill Beaumont, in the presence of the president of Fir Marzio Innocenti, the Team Manager Giovanbattista Venditti, Padovani himself – candidate for the goal of the year – and the Italian representatives at the ‘International Rugby Players Association, Leonardo Ghiraldini and Giada Franco.