Italy a magnet to Kiwis

By MICHAEL BROWN


Many kiwis living abroad often talk about moving home for lifestyle reasons - the backyard, barbecues and beaches mentality. But, for a handful of Kiwis playing professional rugby in Italy, the lifestyle of siesta and style is pleasant, pleasurable and plenty good enough to stay.

Italians are renowned as passionate and emotional people who place a high importance on living the right way - good food, good wine, good clothes and good friends are paramount.

It's something Italy coach John Kirwan seems to have mastered after spending half his life there. He shrugs it off, in a Continental way of course, and uses a borrowed cliché, "when in Rome, do as the Romans do", but it's true - it's sink or swim.

Aaron Persico and Paul Griffen, typical Kiwi boys at heart, decided to swim, and the Italian internationals who turned out against their native New Zealand earlier this morning are now powering along at both ends of the pool.

"The first three months were really hard," Persico admits in his distinctive Kiwi twang. "A lot of people told me what it would be like, but I didn't really understand a lot about Italian culture and didn't really know what it would be like. I was very homesick at first, but you have to throw yourself into it." While it might seem strange to most Kiwis used to a nine-to-five existence, siestas are an important component of Italian life, and an important part of a player's training regime. A typical day for Persico unfolds with training, lunch, siesta, training and then socialising with his friends.

The 26-year-old, who qualifies for Italy by virtue of his Italian grandparents, had been a training-and-then-TV kind of guy.

He had to leave that behind to a certain extent to fit in and thinks nothing now of meeting his friends most nights of the week to share a pizza or coffee or "meet girls". He's also now learning French six hours a week after joining French club Agen this season after four years with Viadana in Italy and one with Leeds in the English Premiership.

His lifestyle is a stark contrast with New Zealand's professional rugby players who have had to battle boredom and a lack of anything in their lives other than rugby. The implication is that too many go from training to the couch to watch videos or play Playstation and that their decision-making skills are impaired on the field. Establishing a culture of learning and development for All Blacks and other top players is something Henry is keen to address. The current management has introduced a leadership group in the hope of producing more well-rounded players.

Griffen readily admits he's become a "well-rounded" individual through his time in Italy and that the contrast in lifestyles couldn't be more stark.

Once on the fringe of Canterbury selection, the dreadlocked 29-year-old gladly turned his back on boilermaking and welding to move to Italy five years ago. From playing NPC third division rugby for the West Coast as a schoolboy to making an international debut against world champions England, being a standout player in this year's Six Nations championship, Griffen said he never thought a decision to move to Italy with wife Karla would pay such dividends.

While the standard of rugby is not nearly as high as in New Zealand, and both Persico and Griffen compare it to something between second and third division level, no expense is spared to create the right environment for the players. Griffen has spent the past four years playing for Calvisano, an hour's drive from Milan, and enjoys some of the best facilities around. While the town is home to only 4000 people, a local businessman pumps money into the club, which is something of a hobby for him.

It's a similar story at Treviso, a town 30 minutes from Venice, who are financed by Benetton and are one of the top sides in the country.

Gone are the days for Griffen of getting up at 5am to train (now it's the cries of his seven-week-old son Jackson), then working 10 hours a day before training again. That's been replaced by a lifestyle in which almost everything is taken care of for him, including a house, car, return ticket to New Zealand each year and household bills.

"As a foreigner, you always have to be seen to be making a difference at training or during a game, so that brings some pressure," Griffen says. "But that mentality is changing and Italian players are taking on more of that now after realising they can make a life out of playing rugby."


Calvisano made an impression in this year's Heineken Cup, playing England's Bath and Leicester and French giants Biarritz.

Griffen's big break came when veteran Italian halfback Alessandro Troncon was injured out of this year's Six Nations. The nuggety New Zealander impressed with a mix of sharp clearing and running, combined with some tough defence. It prompted Italian Rugby Federation president Giancarlo Dondi to say he was the only player worthy of a place in the national team following their 10-44 loss to Wales in Cardiff.

Griffen is one of about 20 Kiwis playing in Italy, but he says it was a huge struggle for him and Karla in the first few months to adjust and they seriously considered packing it in and returning home again.

"You have to be patient, really patient," he says. "It's not for everyone, but I'm now having a great time and want to stay as long as I can. Over here you can play a lot longer and I'm sure Frank Bunce could still be playing if he wanted to."