The Italian rugby union side played its first match in 1929, and a few years later became one of the founder members of the rugby organisation now known as Rugby Europe. Throughout its history, the team has often been viewed as the "best of the rest", as they are often capable of beating most tier 2 sides, but have regularly failed to consistently challenge the dominance of the tier 1 teams.
Nonetheless, Italy have gained plenty of fans and lots of respect, and boast an admirable rugby heritage. In 2000, after some strong showings in the late-1990s, Italy joined the Five Nations, making it the Six Nations. Since they joined, Italy have claimed some big scalps, most notably French, Irish, and Scottish, but have also had to endure winless runs. They have appeared at every Rugby World Cup since 1987 - 9 tournaments in total.
Many fans cite Italy as one of the most exciting teams to see at their home venue - the Stadio Olimpico is a suitably spectacular arena for such a passionate team, and the players themselves are instantly recognisable in their iconic blue shirts.
