Massimo was heart and soul of Azzurri

THE death of Massimo Cuttitta earlier this week of Covid-related issues at the age of just 54 was not only very sad in human terms but also a poignant reminder of the quality of player Italy once possessed.

- BRENDAN GALLAGHER

Cuttitta, below, a delightful old school rugby fanatic, was a class prop and one of half a dozen or more players Italy possessed in the early and mid-1990s who could hold their own in any company. Indeed a couple were genuinely world-class, ie they would have been contenders for a hypothetical World XV of their era.

Older brother, wing Marcello, was certainly in that category, a brilliant operator in his pomp in the early 1990s while Diego Dominguez was a little genius and to this day one of the greatest goalkickers the game has seen. Paolo Vaccari on the opposite wing to Cuttitta was a terrific player in his own right, Allesandro Troncon a pugnacious battler at scrum-half, and Massimo Giovanelli a warrior at flanker.

Meanwhile, in the front row, the formidable Franco Properzi Curti always reminded me of French minder Gerald Cholley. He was not a man to pick an argument with, or indeed a fight and would be much in demand among Europe’s top clubs these days.

There were others who also drew the attention. The dashing Ivan Francescato, a centre by inclination who nonetheless often played scrum-half or wing, back five tyro Carlo Checcinato and a dazzling young dasher Massimo Ravazzolo who suffered badly with injury and eventually flattered to deceive. I remember Ravazzolo once upstaging a star-studded England Colts team including Lawrence Dallaglio at Grange Road for Italy U19.