Celtic League to open doors to Italian teams

The Celtic League, which currently involves teams from Scotland, Wales and Ireland, plans to open its doors to two Italian clubs from the 2010/11 season, the league's governing body announced on Thursday.

The move has been agreed in principle but remains subject to whichever sides the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) puts forward meeting certain conditions, the Celtic Rugby Board announced Thursday.

The Italian teams will be based in two venues in Milan, Rome and Treviso. The conditions they will have to meet regard the standard of their stadiums, their finances and their ability to generate television revenues.

The FIR is keen to get teams into the Celtic League as a way of driving up playing standards among Italian players. The national team's failure to win a match in this season's Six Nations has increased concern over this issue.

Board chairman John Hussey said the Italians would have to demonstrate that their inclusion would not lead to a lowering of the level of play.

"The Celtic League is one of the top professional rugby union tournaments in the world," he said. "That quality is demonstrated by the fact that in the deciding Six Nations match between Wales and Ireland no less than 42 out of the 44 players who took part play their rugby in our league.

"Four of this season's European Cup quarter-finalists are Celtic League teams. It's essential that any changes to the structure of this great competition maintain the highest standards."

FIR president Giancarlo Dondi said this was an important move for rugby in Italy.

"I don't think the decision taken by the Celtic League Board can in any way represent a point of arrival but on the contrary it's a point of departure for all of Italian rugby," he said.

"Now it (Italian rugby) has to demonstrate it has the strength and the unity of necessary intent to do well week in, week out in a big international competition.

"I'm sure that Italy can be a reliable partner and an intellectual advantage for the Celtic League and I have no doubt that nothing but good will come of our entry.

"Ten years after our entry into the Six Nations and new and great opportunity to continue our process of development has been offered to us."