Following Italy’s hard-fought Autumn Nations Series victory against Georgia at Stadio Luigi Ferraris, rugby star Tommaso Menoncello met his fellow centre Remo Zanatta – 70 years after Mr Zanatta had made his debut for Italy.
The FIR (Italian Rugby Federation) had long planned on presenting Mr Zanatta with his cap, but couldn’t locate him when efforts were first made to award ‘lost caps’ to players just over a decade ago. At 93, years of age, he is the oldest living Italian international rugby player.
In a remarkable twist of fate, it transpired that Mr Zanatta – who had a distinguished playing career throughout the 1950s, and played his club rugby for Roma and CUS Genova – lived less than half a mile from Stadio Luigi Ferraris. Andrea Duodo, the new FIR president, presented Mr Zanatta with his brand-new cap (blue, of course, with a golden tassel and embroidered with the number 141).
When informed of the development, Menoncello, the reigning Guinness Men’s Player of the Championship and one of the hottest properties in world rugby, insisted on meeting the gentleman himself after the match.
Delighted to meet a former player in whose midfield footsteps he has followed, Menoncello made sure Mr Zanatta left with his match jersey to accompany the cap that had so long eluded him.
