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international women
Michela Sillari is now perhaps one of the four Italy players to reach a century of appearances, but despite being part of the Azzurri since 2012, the centre-back has no plans to slow down.
The 33-year-old was in triple figures when she wore her famous 13 shirt in the Italian final WXV Global Series match against USA Eagles in Nashville and offers a quick “let’s see” when asked if she’ll be back in blue at the Guinness Women’s Six Nations.
Sillari’s modesty comes not from thoughts of international retirement, but from her belief that she still has a lot to build on combined with a constant need to prove herself to those responsible for her selection.
“I still don’t take my choice for a team or a team for granted,” Sillari said RugbyPass. “I’m always going to try to improve. That’s something I’ve tried to do all these years, to work on all aspects of my performance.
“I’ve learned a lot, but probably the most important lesson is to not let defeats get to you too much and not forget all the work you’ve put in to get there. You don’t have to get distracted, you just keep going to the finish line.”
If form and fitness allow, the Italian national team without Parma would be a strange sight, such is her importance to the team.
Sillari made her debut as a substitute against England in 2012, and she believes that she will finish in the quarterfinals Rugby World Cup 2021 (host 2022) and second place in the women’s competition in 2018. Six Nations as its international highlights.
Since her debut, Sillari has scored 342 points, four of which came when she marked her century with converted tries from Francesca Sgorbini and Beatrice Rigoni, although Italy failed to mark the occasion with victory as the Eagles triumphed 54-24.
She had learned earlier on Wednesday that she would be reaching the milestone, along with new Gloucester Hartpury cutie Vittoria Vecchini who turned 50. There were quiet celebrations afterwards, but there was no way the Azzurri team were going to quietly miss the announcement when the news broke.
“It was very emotional, especially when they played the video with other players that I started playing with early in my career and that I haven’t heard from or seen for a while,” Sillari said.
“It was wonderful to hear their messages. Two days after the test, sitting at the table and watching the video with my teammates was very emotional. Hearing from my parents and sister, it was even more emotional.”
Sillari, who spent the season in England and helped Aylesford Bulls win the 2017 Women’s Premiership, lined up alongside Sara Mannini in the centers in Nashville.
Mannini is now following Sillari’s path by joining Harlequins in the JAECOO Premiership Women’s Rugby, after being able to watch and learn from her up close.
“Michela is a great player and person,” Mannini said RugbyPass. “She comes in as a quiet person, but she always does a tremendous job for the team and always has the right word at the right time.
“It’s not hard to tell how great she is in this sport because she always showed it on the court. She will always be a great role model for me.”
Italy started their WXV Global Series campaign in strong form, with a 55-21 win at home to Japan. Yet a week later, South Africa arrived and showed their triumph on Women’s Rugby World Cup it wasn’t a one-off as he walked away with a 41-29 win.
The second part of the tournament followed with tests against the USA in Dallas and Nashville, where the home team triumphed on both occasions.
The tour was the first since head coach Plinio Sciamanna was given a permanent job, and it was also the first tour for newly appointed captain Vittorio Ostuni Minnuzi.
Sciamanna included seven uncapped players in his squad, a reflection that the likes of Sillari and other experienced players won’t be around forever.
“Vittoria has grown into the role because she’s not used to talking and she’s been doing that since the first match,” Sillari said. “The last two matches were difficult, but she led well.
“Plinio and staff didn’t try to start over. They tried to build on what we were doing before, and it had a bit of a transitional feel.”
For now, the Italian players will return to their clubs, which in Sillari’s case is the Italian champions Valsugana Padova.
Italy will be back in action in early April when their Women’s Six Nations campaign begins France at home where Sillari’s experience will be important against a team that has had its own problems this fall.
“We’ve learned a lot of lessons and I hope we’re able to show that we can apply them in the Six Nations,” Silari said.
“We are a team that is in the process of bringing in new players and asking them to take over from experienced players. It has allowed the staff to see the girls up close and how they can build their experience.”
