MONTECARLO
Ange Capuozzo, 23, was awarded last night in Montecarlo as the best revelation of the year in the world at the World Rugby Awards gala (Oval Oscar) hosted by Prince Ranieri.
Edo Padovani (Venetian under Benetton, stunned from the field on Saturday due to a blow to the cheekbone in the collision with Le Roux) did not get the recognition yesterday in the room among the candidates for the best goal of 2022.
The one that everyone has in their eyes, started by Padovani in the final in Cardiff (21-22 victory for Italy) by picking up a fly ball and unloading it right on Capuozzo who, 80 meters of sprint and decalage later, served him up with a spectacular assist sending it to goal. The award went to Rodrigo Fernandez who gave his Chile the historic first qualification for the World Cup in France.
Capuozzo who thanked the president Innocenti, his family and the entire Azzurra team in three languages, recalled when he first proposed to the Italy staff, 18 years old, because he was “Moroso” (in love) with Italy and of his grandparents’ culture. Two goals with the Under 20s, 5 already with Italy including the brace that kills Australia in Florence.
Capuozzo was born in the Italian Grenoble of the first emigration to France, in the city of Stendhal and the Rosso e Nero, of the glove-making artisans like his grandfather and in the cult place for Azzurro rugby: the final in February 1997 Fira between Coste’s Italy with its champions Giovannelli, Dominguez and the unforgettable Francescato against the France of Villepreux fresh from the grand slam of the then 5 Nations. The triumph that opens the doors to the tournament and changes Azzurro’s destiny forever.
Capuozzo was born two years later, in 1999, but he was already a fan of Italy at the age of 8 when he went to see Berbizier’s Azzurri play the World Cup in France. And two players of that era, idols of a child, he wanted to remember: the Frenchman Vincent Clerc and the Paduan Mirco Bergamasco and seeing his old-fashioned “decalage”, his elusive run, you also understand why.
He said of Padovani’s try that he preferred “Totally!”, even though he didn’t make it because “In rugby the best thing is to win collectively. It was a magical moment for the whole group, and tonight is the most important moment of my life”.