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Canale sure mix and match can bring results

Friday 23 September 2011, 12:31PM

By Rugby World Cup 2011

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Gonzalo Canale is happy to switch positions for club and country
Gonzalo Canale is happy to switch positions for club and country Credit: Rugby World Cup 2011

NELSON

Gonzalo Canale is one of several players who is happy to play a different position in Italy's back line than he does for his club.

Canales, who made his Rugby World Cup debut in 2003 as a full back, eventually settled at outside centre for his country but plays inside centre for Clermont Auvergne, with whom he won the French championship in 2010.

With Italy in need of two more wins against USA and Ireland to have any chance of reaching the quarter-finals, Canale feels that switching between inside and outside centre will not damage the team's chances.

"For Italy I am used to playing outside centre and enjoy it," Canale said. "Plus the squad is used to me playing there.

"When I arrived in France six years ago I was an outside centre, but then two or three years ago I began to play inside centre and I have played there ever since."

Mixing roles

Canale is not alone in playing a different role for club and country. Andrea Masi, the Six Nations man of the tournament, began it at wing but finished playing full back.

His Italy and Racing Metro teammate Mirco Bergamasco plays on the wing for the Azzurri and in the centre for his Parisian club.

Then there is Tommaso Benvenuti, who marked his first appearance in the centre for Italy with two tries against Russia after he had won his previous nine caps on the wing.

It is yet another example of Italy's backs being comfortable to mix and match their positions for the benefit of the team.

"No one likes playing in an unfamiliar role, but sometimes you have to do this," Canale said.
"Someone like Masi, who has played every position in the back line, says he is a centre and prefers to play there rather than anywhere else.

USA threat

"But he can play well in the centre, or on the wing or full back. I think he's best behind us at full back."

Italy's confidence is high after they ran in nine tries to secure a much-needed bonus-point win against Russia.

Now they need a similar result against USA on Tuesday to set themselves up for a realistic chance of toppling Ireland in their final group match to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.

"Physically the United States are well prepared and as a team they have improved over a number of years," Canale said. "A lot of their players can open up a match.

"We know all about (Paul) Emerick and (Takudzwa) Ngwenya. They didn't do as well as they had hoped against Russia and we have to be wary of them."