Aironi president keen to keep PRO12 rugby at Luigi Zaffanella

Aironi president keen to keep PRO12 rugby at Luigi Zaffanella wrote:Aironi president Silvano Melegari has made a declaration of interest to the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) for Viadana to take Aironi's place in the RaboDirect PRO12 next season.

At the beginning of April the FIR announced that bottom-of-the-table Aironi wouldn't be competing in the league next year due to their financial problems.
But in the same statement the federation declared its intent to put forward another team to compete in Aironi's place.

Viadana won the Italian title back in 2002 and play their home matches in the same stadium as Aironi: the Stadio Luigi Zaffanella.

Melegari is also president of Viadana and this week he met the president of the FIR, Giancarlo Dondi, in Milan to discuss the possibility of keeping RaboDirect PRO12 alive in the area next season.

"I have sent a declaration of interest but I have not submitted an application," said Melegari.

"The declaration was in the name of Viadana but we are open to partners.

"Certainly there will be Colorno with us as they have been the only club to remain with Aironi right to the end.

"The other Parmesan teams pulled out earlier and have stayed out.

"When I met with president Dondi in Milan I outlined a project that centres on making cuts, lots of cuts, to how we've managed (Aironi) in the last two years.

"When the FIR revoked Aironi's license for me the team died.

"But we are working hard and I am sure that it (another team) will arrive.

"There's nothing to confirm but we're on the right path."

formerly known as Sam wrote:They need a team playing out of Rome, Milan or Turin. It needs to be a big city preferably one with a sporting university and a team with a half decent base level of support. Unless the Italians embrace these teams and make them their own they are always doomed for failure.