🗓️ Date: Saturday 22 November 2025
🕐 Kick-off: 20:10 GMT
🏟️ Venue: Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa
📺 Broadcast: Live on TNT Sports (UK & IRE), Sky (IT), ESPN Sur (CHI) - more broadcast info here
🎟️ Tickets: Via FIR
🌅 A meeting of new horizons
This might not carry the centuries-old weight of Europe’s traditional rivalries, but Italy v Chile has a modern resonance all its own. It’s a clash between two Latin nations bound by spirit, song, and a love of rugby that’s still growing in both heartlands.
The historic first Test follows Chile’s Rugby World Cup 2027 qualification, with the fixture celebrating Genoa’s strong South American ties and rugby’s global growth.
For Italy, this is another step in their evolution under Gonzalo Quesada, who has brought discipline, tactical clarity and confidence to a young Azzurri squad. For Chile, it’s an historic return to Europe after their first-ever Rugby World Cup in 2023 - a campaign that, though winless, marked their arrival on the sport’s biggest stage and inspired a generation back home.
Los Cóndores’ qualification alone was a story of grit and emotion, a dramatic win over the USA sealing their World Cup debut and lighting up South American rugby. Now, facing Italy in Genova, they step into another arena where history can be made.
🧠 Tactical breakdown
Italy’s identity has sharpened in recent seasons: quick ruck speed, offloading ambition, and the structure to sustain it. With Tommaso Menoncello and Paolo Garbisi orchestrating the attack, the Azzurri are no longer outsiders but innovators — capable of unsettling more established nations through tempo and variety.
Quesada’s back row options - Lorenzo Cannone, Michele Lamaro, and Sebastian Negri - give Italy both physical edge and mobility, vital against a Chilean pack that punches well above its weight. Meanwhile, new players Enoch Opoku Gyamfi, Edoardo Todaro and Damiano Mazza will hope to continue their Test ambitions in this fixture.
For Chile, the heartbeat remains in their forwards. Players like Martín Sigren, the captain who led them into their first World Cup, and hooker Tomás Dussaillant, bring relentless work rate and pride. Their challenge will be adapting to Italy’s pace and width while maintaining the composure that made them such spirited competitors in France.
🌟 Player spotlights
🇮🇹 Italy:
Damiano Mazza: powerful Zebre centre with Italy U20 and A experience; strong ball-carrier
Edoardo Todaro: teenage winger lighting up the Prem with Northampton; versatile, elusive
Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi: towering 148kg Bath lock with explosive power; standout U20 level
🇨🇱 Chile:
Martín Sigren: talismanic flanker who has become the face of Chilean rugby’s rise.
Santiago Videla: reliable from the tee, composed under pressure, and a clever game manager.
Tomás Dussaillant: rugged hooker and emotional leader; the anchor of the Chilean pack.
🏟️ Genoa on matchday
A Test match in Genoa brings a different kind of magic. Stadio Luigi Ferraris, nestled in the heart of the city, offers an intimate, old-school atmosphere where the crowd feels right on top of the action. The steep stands will be alive with colour and noise as Italian fans welcome Chile to their first Quilter Nations Series appearance.
Expect a passionate crowd, with Chilean supporters adding rhythm and energy through drums, chants, and a sea of red. For the Azzurri faithful, it’s a chance to celebrate their team’s evolution and embrace a new rugby rivalry. When “Il Canto degli Italiani” meets “Himno Nacional de Chile,” the vibes will be palpable.