Livewire full-back Matteo Minozzi enjoyed a breakthrough NatWest 6 Nations and has now been nominated for the 2018 Player of the Championship award.
It was a record-breaking campaign for Minozzi, who only made his international debut in November and was handed his first start in the Championship opener against England.
Vote for the 2018 NatWest 6 Nations Player of the Championship
In that encounter in Rome, he impressed with his quick feet and threat under the high ball, and he only improved from there.
The 21-year-old continued to shine throughout, scoring his first Test try against Ireland in Round Two, proving quick enough to cross in the corner when put into space.
He followed that up with a late score in the defeat to France in Marseille, pouncing after a length-of-the-field counter-attack.
And he was at it again when he grabbed Italy’s first try away to Wales in Cardiff when he danced past Liam Williams and Gareth Davies to reach over for the score.
On the final weekend, Minozzi scored his fourth try in as many games, becoming the first Italian ever to score in four consecutive Championship matches when he was fastest to Tommaso Allan’s clever grubber through against Scotland.
