A roamin' trio of NZ loosies wearing Italian blue

By CHRIS RATTUE

It's from rugby's strange-but-true file - Italy's three loose forwards against Waikato this afternoon are all New Zealanders.

Northlander Matt Phillips, Wellington-born Aaron Persico, and Scott Palmer - formerly of Auckland Marist - will start their third match together on this short tour.

Persico was the first to wear the Italian colours, making his debut in 2000 against Scotland in Rome.

The 25-year-old starred in the latest Six Nations, and has signed with Leeds for two years.

Persico and 28-year-old Phillips, his Viadana clubmate, were on Italy's tour to New Zealand last year.

Palmer, 25, was called up by Italian coach John Kirwan shortly after qualifying and played against Argentina and Australia in Italy late last year.

Palmer can thank Fabio Ongaro, his Treviso clubmate and the Italian hooker in today's match, for his rise to international rugby.

Ongaro was among Italian youngsters who spent time with Marist four years ago, and he and Palmer became mates.

Palmer, an Auckland junior representative, sent his CV to Italy and ended up with a second division club, before moving to Benetton Treviso who won the club title under former All Black Craig Green this year.

Palmer says the presence of the New Zealand trio hardly raises a comment among the Italian team.

"There's not many overseas players who do four or five years straight in Italy.

"The guys respect that. We speak the language. We've done the apprenticeship. Matt and Aaron had really good Six Nations."

Palmer played in four of the Six Nations games as a replacement, but missed the win over Wales in Rome.

Phillips and Persico started every match alongside Andrea De Rossi.

"I sure wish I had got on against Wales, even for two minutes," says Palmer.

"Playing in the Six Nations has been amazing. You feel all the history and tradition.

"It was incredible, playing at Twickenham. We thought we had got a good reception, but compared to when England ran out ... a few of the boys got the shakes."

It has been part of an unexpected rugby journey for Palmer, who boarded at Hato Paora College near Feilding before returning to Auckland - where his mother lives - and studying sports management at Massey University.

His mother, Gwen Tepania, and other relatives and friends will be at Waikato Stadium today. His father Allan - who still lives in Manawatu - watched the Bay of Plenty and Taranaki games.

"Until beating Taranaki on Wednesday, the players weren't very happy," says Palmer.

"The first game against Southland was a bit of a disaster for us. We weren't prepared 100 per cent mentally or physically. We had only been in the country two days."

Meanwhile, New Zealand rowing great Rob Waddell remains in the Waikato training squad preparing for the match against North Harbour on July 12.

Coach Ian Foster said: "We brought him in because he showed amazing improvements in club rugby ... in terms of being an NPC player we think he's not quite there yet. But I'm certainly not saying he won't get there."

Waikato: Loki Crichton, Matt Priscott, Derek Maisey, Keith Lowen, David Johnston, David Hill, Rhys Duggan, Liam Messam, Scott Couch, Steven Bates, Chresten Davis, Keith Robinson (capt), Deacon Manu, Scott Linklater, David Briggs. Res: Jamie Muir, Michael Collins, Sean Hohneck, Daniel Alofa; Isaac Boss, Haden Hireme, Todd Miller.

Italy: Massimo Ravazzolo, Apenisa Vodo, Andrea Masi, Cristian Stoica, Denis Dallan, Ramiro Pez, Alessandro Troncon (capt), Matthew Phillips, Aaron Persico, Scott Palmer, Marco Bortolami, Cristian Bezzi, Salvatore Perugini, Fabio Ongaro, Andrea Lo Cicero. Res: Carlo Festuccia, Martin Castrogiovanni, Santiago Dellape, Andrea Benatti; Matteo Mazzantini, Vincenzo Zullo, Giovanni Raineri.

Referee: Steve Walsh

Kickoff: 3.05pm.