With less than a month to go until the URC gets underway, it's time to examine how the teams are shaping up for the new season. Today, we take a look at the four sides who make up the Scottish-Italian Shield - their new signings, opening fixtures and targets for the forthcoming campaign.
Benetton
Head coach: Marco Bortolami
Home ground: Stadio Monigo
URC 2021-22: 13th
Scottish-Italian Shield 2021-22: 3rd
New signings: Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Exeter Chiefs), Scott Scrafton (Hurricanes), Onisi Ratave (Fijian Drua), Marco Zanon (Pau), Marcus Watson (Wasps), Henry Stowers (Moana Pasifika)
Opening matches: Glasgow Warriors (h), Leinster (a), Scarlets (h)
Benetton headed into last season on the back of going from winless also-rans in the PRO14 in 2020-21 to Rainbow Cup champions. Under new coach Bortolami they achieved a 13th-place finish in the URC, picking up some impressive results along the way – Benetton opened the campaign by beating eventual champions the DHL Stormers and ended it with a huge 69-21 triumph over Cardiff. Progress will be the target this term and getting closer to that top eight.
Edinburgh
Head coach: Mike Blair
Home ground: DAM Health Stadium
URC 2021-22: Final Eight
Scottish-Italian Shield 2021-22: 1st
New Signings: Sam Skinner (Exeter Chiefs), Jamie Jack (Ampthill), Wes Goosen (Hurricanes), Nick Auterac (Northampton Saints)
Opening matches: Dragons (h), Vodacom Bulls (a), DHL Stormers (a)
Edinburgh beat Glasgow Warriors in Round 18 last season to top the Scottish-Italian Shield and claim the Heineken Champions Cup berth that came with that honour. It was a battle that went down to the wire and Blair will be determined to keep the capital club on top in Scotland while also hoping to be more comfortable in the play-off positions. Edinburgh were knocked out by the Stormers in the Final Eight last season but have made some eye-catching signings in the likes of Skinner and Goosen. They were one of only two European sides to win in South Africa and will have an early chance to repeat the feat as part of the first touring batch this time around.
Glasgow Warriors
Head coach: Franco Smith
Home ground: Scotstoun Stadium
URC 2021-22: Final Eight
Scottish-Italian Shield 2021-22: 2nd
New signings: JP du Preez (Sale Sharks), Sione Vailanu (Worcester Warriors), Huw Jones (Harlequins), Sintu Manjezi (Vodacom Bulls), Allan Dell (London Irish), Joel Hodgson (Newcastle Falcons), Lucio Sordoni (Mont-de-Marsan)
Opening matches: Benetton (a), Cardiff (h), Ospreys (a)
Glasgow head into the new season under the leadership of a new coach after Smith replaced Danny Wilson at the helm. Wilson departed Scotstoun after Glasgow suffered a 76-14 defeat to Leinster in the Final Eight. Smith’s appointment was only confirmed earlier this month, so it remains to be seen how quickly he can settle into his new role and get his ideas across. Warriors face Benetton first up and will be keen to avoid the drama of last season’s meeting in Treviso, when Leonardo Marin’s last-gasp penalty snatched a 19-18 victory for the home side.
Zebre Parma
Head coach: Fabio Roselli
Home ground: Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
URC 2021-22: 16th
Scottish-Italian Shield 2021-22: 4th
New signings: Guido Volpi (Doncaster Knights), Dennis Visser (Narbonne), Jacques du Toit (Bath), MJ Pelser (Emirates Lions), Jan Uys (Grenoble), Tiff Eden (Bristol Bears), Joey Caputo (Benetton), Franco Smith (Benetton), Kobus van Wyk (Unattached), Richard Kriel (Vodacom Bulls), Joshua Furno (Bourg-en-Bresse)
Opening matches: Leinster (h), Cell C Sharks (h), Munster (a)
Zebre Parma are looking to turn over a new leaf in 2022-23, having ended last season bottom of the overall table with only one win to their name. The rebrand that started last year with the addition of ‘Parma’ to the team’s name continues this term with a change of home colours to blue and yellow and a modified badge. Roselli is taking charge of his first pre-season after replacing Emiliano Bergamaschi in April and has a huge influx of new arrivals to assimilate as Zebre seek a new dawn.
