Marzio Innocenti
Encyclopedia
Marzio Innocenti is a former Italian rugby union
player and a current coach
. He played as a flanker
and a number 8.
playing for Petrarca, team with which he won four league titles (the last one as the captain
of the side).
He made his international debut for Italy
in 1981 in the FIRA Trophy (a predecessor of the present-day European Nations Cup
) in a 23-0 win against Western Germany proceeding to win a total of 42 caps (20 as a captain) until his international retirement in 1988. He was the captain of Italy in the 1987 World Cup
in which he played all the three games Italy was involved in and scored one of his two international tries.
and started a practice as an otorhinolaryngologist, Innocenti started his coaching career by being part of Bertrand Fourcade
's staff at the 1991 Rugby World Cup
and at the same time being in charge of the Italian "A" team
alongside Massimo Mascioletti
and Stefano Romagnoli. In 1991, after the World Cup, he took charge of CUS Padova, that he led until 1996 when the club, after having won its third promotion under Innocenti's guide, was admitted for the first and only time in its history to Serie A1
, the highest tier of Italian rugby.
During his tenure, Innocenti unearthed such talents as internationals Nicola Mazzucato
and Gianluca Faliva
.
In 1996 he left the coaching role to become the club's Director of Rugby.
In 2000 he was elected to the board of the Federazione Italiana Rugby
(FIR), role in which he was confirmed in 2004 after having been defeated by Giancarlo Dondi in his bid for presidency of the same organization.
In 2005 Innocenti accepted to return to coaching for Valsugana Rugby, in Padua, leading the club to an immediate promotion. In 2008 he took charge of Rugby Riviera, in Mira
, also being promoted at the first attempt to Serie A
, the national second tier league.
In 2009 Marzio Innocenti made his debut as a first division (Super 10
) coach with Casino di Venezia
. The team, though, didn't perform as expected, and Innocenti was sacked at the end of October. In November he was re-hired by Rugby Riviera.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player and a current coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
. He played as a flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
and a number 8.
Playing career
He grew up playing for Livorno but spent most of his career in PaduaPadua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
playing for Petrarca, team with which he won four league titles (the last one as the captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
of the side).
He made his international debut for Italy
Italy national rugby union team
The Italy national rugby union team represent the nation of Italy in the sport of rugby union. The team is also known as the Azzurri . Italy have been playing international rugby since the late 1920s, and since 2000 compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland,...
in 1981 in the FIRA Trophy (a predecessor of the present-day European Nations Cup
European Nations Cup (rugby union)
The European Nations Cup is the European Championship for tier 2 and tier 3 rugby union nations. The Championship is split into 7 divisions with 5 or 6 teams in each. The divisions play on a two-year cycle with the teams playing each other both home and away...
) in a 23-0 win against Western Germany proceeding to win a total of 42 caps (20 as a captain) until his international retirement in 1988. He was the captain of Italy in the 1987 World Cup
1987 Rugby World Cup
The 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby World Cup. New Zealand and Australia agreed to co-host the first ever tournament with New Zealand hosting seventeen pool stage matches, two quarter-finals and the final with Australia being the junior partner hosting seven pool matches, two...
in which he played all the three games Italy was involved in and scored one of his two international tries.
Coaching career
After his retirement and after having obtained a degree in medicine at the Padua UniversityUniversity of Padua
The University of Padua is a premier Italian university located in the city of Padua, Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 as a school of law and was one of the most prominent universities in early modern Europe. It is among the earliest universities of the world and the second...
and started a practice as an otorhinolaryngologist, Innocenti started his coaching career by being part of Bertrand Fourcade
Bertrand Fourcade
Bertrand Fourcade is a former French rugby union player, a current coach and a sports director. He played as a fullback....
's staff at the 1991 Rugby World Cup
1991 Rugby World Cup
The 1991 Rugby World Cup was the second edition of the Rugby World Cup, and was jointly hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France; at that time, the five European countries that participated in the Five Nations Championship making it the first Rugby World Cup to be staged in the...
and at the same time being in charge of the Italian "A" team
Italy A national rugby union team
The Italy A national rugby union team are the second national rugby union team in Italy after the national side. They compete every year in the IRB Nations Cup.-Fixtures:IRB Nations Cup 2010...
alongside Massimo Mascioletti
Massimo Mascioletti
Massimo Mascioletti is an Italian rugby union coach and a former player. He used to play as a wing and as a centre....
and Stefano Romagnoli. In 1991, after the World Cup, he took charge of CUS Padova, that he led until 1996 when the club, after having won its third promotion under Innocenti's guide, was admitted for the first and only time in its history to Serie A1
Super 10 (Italian premiership)
The withdrawal of Viadana and Benetton Treviso from the league has been compounded by club mergers. Rugby Viadana, Gran Parma and Colorno have merged to form GranDucato Rugby. Overmach Parma and Noceto have merged to form Crociati, both new clubs to be based in Parma. These changes created 2...
, the highest tier of Italian rugby.
During his tenure, Innocenti unearthed such talents as internationals Nicola Mazzucato
Nicola Mazzucato
Nicola Mazzucato is a former Italian rugby union footballer and a current coach. He played as a wing.Mazzucato first played at CUS Padova Rugby, from 1994/95 to 1998/99, moving then to Benetton Rugby Treviso, where he stayed from 1999/2000 to 2002/03. He spent two seasons at Rugby Calvisano,...
and Gianluca Faliva
Gianluca Faliva
Gianluca Faliva is a retired Italian rugby union player. He played as a loosehead prop forward.-Amateur career:...
.
In 1996 he left the coaching role to become the club's Director of Rugby.
In 2000 he was elected to the board of the Federazione Italiana Rugby
Federazione Italiana Rugby
The Italian Rugby Federation is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in Italy.On 25 July 1911 a "Propaganda Committee" was formed to promote the sport of rugby union in Italy...
(FIR), role in which he was confirmed in 2004 after having been defeated by Giancarlo Dondi in his bid for presidency of the same organization.
In 2005 Innocenti accepted to return to coaching for Valsugana Rugby, in Padua, leading the club to an immediate promotion. In 2008 he took charge of Rugby Riviera, in Mira
Mira, Italy
Mira is a comune in the province of Venice, Veneto, Italy.It is crossed by SR11 Regional road. The main attraction are the Villa Foscari, designed by Andrea Palladio, and the Villa Widmann-Foscari....
, also being promoted at the first attempt to Serie A
Serie A (rugby union)
Serie A is the name of the second tier of the Italian Rugby Union championship. Until the creation of the Super 10 in a 2002 restructuring exercise, it was the name of the top tier....
, the national second tier league.
In 2009 Marzio Innocenti made his debut as a first division (Super 10
Super 10 (Italian premiership)
The withdrawal of Viadana and Benetton Treviso from the league has been compounded by club mergers. Rugby Viadana, Gran Parma and Colorno have merged to form GranDucato Rugby. Overmach Parma and Noceto have merged to form Crociati, both new clubs to be based in Parma. These changes created 2...
) coach with Casino di Venezia
Venezia Mestre Rugby
Venezia Mestre Rugby FC are an Italian rugby union club. They are based in Venice in Veneto. They were formed in 1986 following the merger of two clubs Venezia Rugby Football Club and Rugby Mestre...
. The team, though, didn't perform as expected, and Innocenti was sacked at the end of October. In November he was re-hired by Rugby Riviera.