Malta to face Italy in Rugby League international

Italy and Malta will meet in a rugby league international friendly next month in Italy, 100km outside of Venice near Udine, in Bagnaria Arsa.

Malta were originally scheduled to play away to the Netherlands in early October, however a lack of player availability in Malta left the MRL with no option but to withdraw from the fixture at Nieuwegein.

The Federazione Italiana Rugby League (FIRL) and the Malta Rugby League (MRL) have agreed to the fixture on September 28 as part of a home and away series over 2024 and 2025.

Italy have appeared at the last three Rugby League World Cup’s and both teams are ranked inside the top 15 of the international rugby league world rankings.

The hosts head into the match on the back of two wins from their last three outings, including a 38-12 win over Malta in Sydney last October, but this September’s Medieval Shield clash will be the first meeting between the two nations in Europe.

Paolo Iollo, FIRL Vice president, said: “We are very happy to restart at an international level. In particular, the match against Malta will be a great opportunity to establish a relationship with a nearby Federation and with which we hope we can plan common goals and an overall partnership.”

Salvatore Pezzano, FIRL Manager of National Teams, added: “We wanted to restart, and thanks to Malta’s availability, we were able to do it swiftly and professionally. For us, it will be an opportunity to restart and return to play with the many guys who love rugby league and have made themselves available for this restart.”

The match will feature as the first in charge for new Italy head coach Gioele Celerino, but equally, the Maltese are excited about the clash between the neighbouring Mediterranean nations, Malta head coach Philip Humphrey said: “To be able to play Italy is an exciting prospect and will be a fantastic experience for everybody in our organisation. We’re really looking forward to the experience and hope for an entertaining match in Udine.”

Jean-Pierre Zarb, MRL president added: “Playing against Italy in Europe is a big moment for us. They have a strong reputation, numerous World Cup appearances, but now is an opportunity for our squad to step up and show what Malta can do against our Mediterranean neighbours on the Italian’s own soil. We’re here to make our mark and we’’ give it everything for our country.”

Zarb also thanked the Netherlands for their understanding in the MRL’s withdrawal from the October 5 clash against the Dutch.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank the NRLB for their patience when the MRL were forced to withdraw from fulfilling the fixture, and we look forward to agreeing on a new fixture date for 2025”.