Latest news with #Menoncello
Extra.ie
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Extra.ie
Munster need a plan to deal with deadly 'Brexoncello' in all-important URC final
There is a decidedly nervy feeling around Munster ahead of Friday night's win or bust clash with Treviso in Cork. The province are sitting in the precarious position of eighth place in the URC standings ahead of the 18th and final round of the regular season. The hosts simply must prevail at Musgrave Park to guarantee their passage to the playoffs as well as Champions Cup rugby next season. No pressure, lads. A slip-up on Leeside could have catastrophic consequences for the entire operation. And it's not ideal that one of the competitions in-form teams are paying a visit either. Tommaso Menoncello. Pic:Bennetton – or Treviso, if you want to give the Italians their traditional title – will arrive in Rebel country in buoyant form on the back of an emphatic 33-7 win against Glasgow at Stadio Monigo last weekend. The Scots are the latest in a long line of big scalps this season. A list which includes the Sharks, Ulster, Edinburgh, Cardiff and the Lions. In January, they downed Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle in a European thriller on Italian soil. And a big reason for Treviso's recent success has been their stellar international midfield of Juan Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello or 'Brexoncello' as they have become known. Munster have their own dynamic duo of Alex Nankivell and Tom Farrell, the quietly excellent centres who have been arguably the province's strongest performers during a fairly middling campaign. But Brex and Menoncello are arguably the best midfield in the URC. Many observers believe they are the best centre combination in Europe at the moment. Was there a more influential or threatening midfield in the Six Nations? Juan Ignacio Brex. Pic:Irish fans will remember how the pair terrorised an out-of-sorts national team on the final day of the Six Nations in Rome a few months ago. Menoncello, in particular, was mesmeric during the Azzurri's first-half purple patch at Stadio Olimpico. And Munster are going to have their hands full containing this brilliantly balanced duo in Friday night's make-or-break league encounter. There is 10 years separating Brex, the 32-year-old Argentine-born centre, and Menoncello, the dashing young star who was named the Six Nations Player of the Year the Tournament in 2024 following a breakthrough tournament. There is a real ying and yang to this partnership. All iconic centre pairings have a nice blend of pace, power and skill. Think Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith or Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy or Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel. Juan Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello during Italy's Six Nations match against Ireland earlier this year. Pic: Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Brexoncello is another strong partnership. Brex brings a subtly with his short passing game and laser-sharp vision, while Menoncello has electric pace and deft footwork. They have combined to devastating effect on several occasions, for club and country.'He is fantastic to play with,' Menoncello recently said about his fellow midfielder. 'He is a genius with his little passes, he is famous for them and it is very difficult to defend.' Brex, meanwhile, knew that Menoncello was a special player from the moment he laid eyes on a raw 18-year-old rookie who turned up at training with the Treviso senior team as injury cover one afternoon. 'Everyone just said 'wow'. He was like he is now. We realised he can do super things, he has superpowers. It was really exciting.' They have quickly become an institution at Test level, starting the last 15 of Italy 16 games en bloc. They have been consistently hailed as a market-leading centre combo. 'Since I arrived at Benetton at the top level, he was always the first to teach me,' Menoncello noted recently. 'To now be feared by other teams as a partnership makes me very proud and happy. Obviously, having him at both club and international level creates an even stronger link, which we can bring into Six Nations and Italy matches. Current Treviso head coach and former Italy captain Marco Bortolami. Pic:'As well as helping me, this connection with Nacho helps the whole team, because we are a bit unpredictable together and we know each other very well. We understand each other just with a glance.' Indeed, current Treviso head coach and former Italy captain Marco Bortolami believes that Menoncello has only scratched the surface on his vast potential. 'Tommaso is a dominant ball carrier, but he needs to explore his full potential, such as moving the ball, becoming a playmaker when needed. That way he can become a complete and more dangerous player. If an opponent knows that when he has the ball in his hands he makes contact, that's one thing. But if he knows that he can do three different things, that's another thing altogether.' Treviso have been achieving great things as well. They reached the Champions Cup knockout stages for the first time this season, going down 39-37 to Castres in a last-16 thriller at Stade Pierre Fabre. They are on the cusp of the URC knockout stages, too. A win on Munster soil would guarantee their place in the last eight. The long-term issue for the club is whether they will be able to hold onto their prized midfield assets in the years ahead. Unlike Ireland, Italy have no restrictions on selecting overseas-based players, with the likes of Ange Capuozzo (Toulouse), Monty Ioane (Lyon), Paolo Garbisi (Toulon), Dino Lamb (Harlequins) and Ross Vintcent (Exeter Chiefs) plying their trade in foreign leagues. And it appears that a number of big clubs are eying up Brex and Menoncello. The latter has been heavily linked with La Rochelle in recent months. Menoncello's contract expires at the end of next season and O'Gara is apparently keen to add the explosive Italian to his ranks in the meanwhile, is reportedly on the way to Toulon this summer and there has been further speculation that the big-spending Top14 side also want to secure Menoncello's services. Those reports in France forced Treviso to release a strongly-worded statement last week, with the club stating that rumours that their young start would be heading for France as 'completely unfounded.''Menoncello, like all other players currently under contract, is bound to the club and he will continue to wear the green and white jersey in the 2025-26 season,' the club stated in no uncertain terms. Time will tell if Brexoncello remain on the books at Treviso next term. For now, the pair will be fully focused on causing more havoc in Cork. And that's a big worry for Munster's URC and European qualifications ambitions.
BBC News
07-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Tommaso Menoncello: Benetton deny centre close to Toulon deal
Menoncello scored two tries for Italy in this season's Six Nations, crossing against France and England, and was nominated for the tournament's individual accolade once again, losing out to France wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey. His contract with Treviso expires at the end of next season and he has been open in his desire to test himself in the Top 14. La Rochelle, coached by Ireland legend Ronan O'Gara, have also been linked with Menoncello. However, Toulon have reportedly already secured the services of Juan Ignacio Brex,, external Menoncello's midfield foil for both club and country, for the start of next season. Toulon, who signed 42-year-old former All Black centre Ma'a Nonu as a medical joker in February, could also offer Menoncello the chance to work with ex-France international Mathieu Bastareaud, who is team manager at the club. Benetton reached the knockout stages of the Champions Cup for the first time this season and are on course to make the United Rugby Championship play-off for a second successive campaign.
BBC News
09-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
England score seven tries in convincing win over Italy
England (21) 47Tries: Willis, Freeman, Sleightholme (2), M Smith, T Curry, Earl Cons: F Smith (6) Italy (17) 24Tries: Capuozzo, Vintcent, Menoncello Con: P Garbisi (3) Pen: P Garbisi England are best placed to take advantage of any final-day slip-up by Six Nations leaders France after they moved up to second in the Six Nations table with a seven-try victory over Italy at Allianz Ollie Sleightholme crossed twice in an ultimately comfortable victory, but the hosts were made to sweat early on with Italy scoring two superb tries to stay within four points at two scores in two minutes early in the second half, from replacement Marcus Smith and flanker Tom Curry, broke the visitors' resistance and allowed England to see out the match in unusual comfort after a series of home Menoncello's angled run repaired some of the damage, but was never going to switch the course of the crowd indulged in long, loud renditions of Swing Low Sweet Chariot and generous applause for excellent visiting full-back Ange Capuozzo, before Ben Earl charged on the final play to cap England will be without centre Ollie Lawrence for their final-round trip to Cardiff after he was carried off with a serious-looking knee injury, which could also affect his chances of joining this summer's British and Irish Lions tour. England: Daly, Freeman, Lawrence, Dingwall, Sleightholme; F Smith, Mitchell; Genge, George, Stuart, Itoje (capt), Chessum, T Curry, Earl, T Cowan-Dickie, Baxter, Heyes, T Hill, Cunningham-South, B Curry, Van Poortvliet, M SmithItaly: Capuozzo, Ioane, Brex, Menoncello, Gallagher; P Garbisi, Varney; Fischetti, Nicotera, Riccioni, N Cannone, Ruzza, Negri, Lamaro (capt) VintcentReplacements: Lucchesi, Spagnolo, Ferrari, Favretto, Zuliani, L Cannone, Page-Relo, Allan More to follow.
BBC News
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Superpowers & genius - Italy's 'Brexoncello' take aim at England
Men's Six Nations: England v ItalyDate: Sunday, 9 March Kick-off: 15:00 GMT Venue: Allianz Stadium, TwickenhamCoverage: Live audio commentary via the BBC Sport website and app Brexit, Brangelina, Barbieheimer. And Brexoncello?If only true cultural phenomena get a cut-and-shut shorthand, Italy's midfield is on to something Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello are a classic buddy-cop 32, born in Argentina, has come halfway around the world to put his wily hands and gainline nous at Italy's is a younger gun, born a decade later and brought up in the rugby heartland of Treviso. His battering-ram running and energy have scrambled the most organised of partnership has become something of a Treviso, their club side, posted a video of the pair lifting weights together, external, accompanied by a heart emoji and one word: 'Brexoncello'.Flip to January in Treviso's charity calendar for this year and there they are again, posing topless together with a rehomed dog., externalBut you still see it best on the days ago, 11 minutes into their meeting with France at the Stadio Olimpico, was a textbook example; Brex luring the defence on to him, slipping a pass and Menoncello rampaging through for a score from 40 metres out."He is fantastic to play with," Menoncello tells BBC Sport of Brex. "He is a genius with his little passes, he is famous for them and it is very difficult to defend.""He is younger, he is faster, he brings every physical part of the game," says Brex, repaying the compliments."Maybe I am more the playmaker, and he is more the creator and finisher. That is why we work together on the pitch, we have different characteristics." Menoncello, a promising footballer who played against Juventus' youth team before his sporting interests turned oval, used to watch Brex from the was 18 when he got a close-up view, having been called into Treviso's senior side as injury cover."'Nacho' was the first guy to bring me into the squad and he has always brought me under his wing," recalls his part, Brex remembers the impression the teenage Menoncello left on his new, older colleagues."Everyone just said 'wow'. He was like he is now. We realised he can do super things, he has superpowers. It was really exciting."They have been inseparable ever Menoncello recovered from a shoulder injury that kept him out of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, they have been the starting centre combination for 13 of Italy's subsequent 14 fill the same spots for their club, greasing their combination to a slick shine."We are together in training, in the dressing room, at backs sessions, in the gym," says Brex. "Maybe I spend more time with him than with my family! That's the truth!"That proximity is part of Italy's power. They have fewer players, but also fewer club patterns to and Menoncello are two of 16 Treviso players in Italy's Six Nations squad."I know him as a player and person much better than if I had to play with a guy from another club," says Brex."It is not the same feeling as playing with the person you meet every single day - that is a good part of our game."Brex and Menoncello see the same strength in another portmanteau midfield: 'Huwipulotu', otherwise known as Glasgow and Scotland first-choice centres Sione Tuipulotu and Huw broke out of the collective last year though, becoming only the second Italian to win the Six Nations player of the tournament award."I want to prove myself and prove to the world that I can be at that level and can further improve my game," he says."It is hard though. For sure, there is more attention on me, I see the teams defending me, watching me, expecting those runs." One columnist said Brex would have been a worthier winner of the individual award, external. They have both seen the article. Menoncello agrees with it. Brex doesn't ."It is all him," says Brex. "He deserves it 100%, he is the difference and I told him before the Six Nations that I will work for him so he can fight for it again."The award was recognition of a superb 2024 campaign by Italy, in which they beat both Wales and Scotland and drew with year has not been as good. Italy have played those same three teams in the opening three rounds, beating Wales, but suffering an away defeat by Scotland and a walloping at home to France."We want to change our picture," says Brex of the underdogs' standing among the Six Nations. "Maybe they respect us a little bit more, but not like we want, it still drives us."This weekend takes Brex and Menoncello to Twickenham, where they will be opposite an untested England centre combination of Fraser Dingwall and Ollie memorably describes Allianz Stadium as "the temple of rugby", but Italy are no longer a straightforward sacrifice for the and Menoncello played excellently in a narrow 27-24 defeat in Rome when the teams last they get ball on the front foot, they can cause damage once this might the final chance for prime Brexoncello to leave a lasting imprint on contract with Treviso runs out at the end of next season. He will likely leave for a club in France's Top 14 when it does. His partnership with Brex may well continue for Italy, but the day-to-day connection will be lost."If one day I don't play with him every day, it is OK," says Brex. "He has to grow, that's the truth. As long as he is happy, I am happy."If their one-two midfield punch lands right on Sunday, Brex, Menoncello and their Italy team-mates might all be very happy indeed.
