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When the Azzurri, Italy’s national rugby team, arrive in Halifax in July for a Test match against Canada they’re sure to be brimming with confidence.

The fixture between the two sides at last year’s Rugby World Cup was Canada’s best result in Japan, but the final score was still 48-7.

“It will be obviously be one of the Tests that they feel they should win; Italy play in the Six Nations where they’re always the underdogs,” said Jack Hanratty of Rugby Nova Scotia. “When they arrive here, they’ll have pressure on them to play at a higher level.”

The game will be played the weekend of July 11, hopefully on the Wanderers Grounds, though that hasn’t been finalized.

“A full agreement has to be made with Rugby Canada and the partners of Sports Entertainment Atlantic,” Hanratty said. “Everybody has to dot some I’s and cross some T’s to get it done.”

Italy is in a state of transition. Its coach stepped down after the World Cup, and long-time captain Sergio Parisse, who has represented his nation more than 140 times and is the third most capped player worldwide, has been left out of the side for the upcoming Six Nations.

There is a chance Cooper Coats of Halifax could represent his country in his hometown.

“He might be with the sevens side at the Olympics,” said Hanratty, who also mentioned Patrick Parfrey of Newfoundland and Kyle Bailey of P.E.I. as possibilities for the team.

The Halifax fixture will be a full Test. Canada played the U.S. at the Wanderers Grounds in June of 2018 and Hanratty said there was never a question of whether Rugby Canada would come back, it was just a matter of when.

“I think the success of the last Test, against the USA — the players thoroughly enjoyed it, it was a fantastic atmosphere,” he said. “So when you’re bringing in one of the top nations in the world you want to play in front of a crowd that can intimidate but also bring confidence to a team that will have to play at its best possible level to win the game.”

Italy is currently ranked 13th in the world.

Rugby N.S. will host the Atlantic championships somewhere in the province the same weekend, so youth provincial players from throughout the region can watch an international match.