IT
ENMoreno Molla lived it pitchside, mic in hand, doing live reaction. And when you ask him which was Italy’s finest win, he has no doubts: Australia, in Udine.
Not for the scoreline, not for the disallowed try, not for the nail-biting finish. But for what that match proved: this Italy has learned to win even when not everything clicks.
Why Italy v Australia in Udine matters so much
Because, according to Molla, it’s the proof that the Azzurri can win «at 85%»: a win that may not be pretty, but more important. A team that takes the game home despite a dubious try conceded and a flat spell is a team that’s growing up.
The five-level ladder
Molla describes it as his own personal rugby ladder: take part, be credible, be competitive, be strong, win. Until 6-7 years ago Italy just took part, aware it started 50 to 1. Then it became credible, then competitive. «Now we’re trying to become strong — he says — and when you’re really strong, then you win».
One detail that struck him: when Steve Tandy explained Wales’ growth using two or three concepts identical to those of his ladder, Molla thought «then we’re on the right track».
Winning at 85%
This is the shift in mentality. «When you’re not at 100% and you win, it means at that moment you’re on the right path»: that’s what the great teams do, because you can’t guarantee 100% every Sunday. Molla applies the same reasoning to Zebre: the day they turn one-point defeats — like those against Edinburgh and the Dragons — into wins, we’ll know something has clicked.
Awareness and unity
In Udine the crowd became a factor, but for Molla the team’s awareness weighed more: «We know what to do». Herman Fernandez, a guest on an earlier episode, had picked up on it too: he’s seen plenty of matches where the stadium lights up but the team doesn’t follow; here, instead, there was unity of purpose. Disallowed try, conceded lead, «a blow to the head» — and no panic: that was the game plan, and Italy won it.
«When you’re not at 100% and you win, it means at that moment you’re on the right path.»
What remains is the highest rung of the ladder, the one where you win consistently. It will take time. But the direction, Molla says, is the right one.
Read also: Italy’s revival according to Molla: the three right coaches · all DanPat Rugby videos
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