Benvenuto: Italian club sides will be appearing at Murrayfield in the Magners League from next season.
From next season there will be four nations represented in the Magners League after the announcement that two Italian club sides will join the competition. Benetton Treviso and Aironi Rugby will take their place alongside the sides from Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
The three existing member countries voted unanimously to invite Treviso and Aironi to join the Celtic League setup for the next four years. The decision was taken after a year-long consultancy period where both sporting and financial considerations were scrutinised.
The sides will play Edinburgh and Glasgow, along with the eight other member clubs, on a home and away basis during the league stage of the competition. The playoffs and Grand Final will remain in place in future competitions.
"This is another massive step forward for the Magners League and follows the decision to go to a top four Play-Off system to determine our champion team,” said David Jordan, director of Celtic Rugby.
"As well as providing more fixtures for the teams already involved this will also bring both a major cash injection into the competition and greater exposure across Europe.
"The implementation of the Plays-Offs and the Magners League Grand Final this season has already seen a marked improvement in the competitiveness of the League and the arrival of two Italian teams will provide another boost to the competition.
"Operationally it will present new challenges, as well as opportunities, but by introducing Italy into the Celtic fold it will also dramatically broaden the appeal of our product.
"It is anticipated that the Italian super clubs will be largely made up of Italian internationals of full, A and under 20 levels, with a sprinkling of top class overseas players set to provide further extra strength and spice to the tournament.".
The move was welcomed by the President of Federazione Italiana Rugby (FIR).
"I am very pleased that, after months of intense negotiations, an agreement that will see two Italian teams join the Magners League at the start of next season has been reached,” said Giancarlo Dondi.
"I would like to thank the Board of Celtic Rugby, in particular President John Hussey and Director David Jordan, for the support given in recent months.
"At the same time, I would like to thank Amerino Zatta, the President of Benetton Treviso, and Silvano Melegari, President of Aironi Rugby, who supported me throughout the negotiation period.
"I am sure that the Magners League will bring benefits to all Italian rugby and will have a positive impact on the competitiveness of our national team."
