Perpignan forwards coach to join Italy

Perpignan forwards coach Giampiero De Carli will join Italy in the same capacity in time for next season, the Italian rugby federation (FIR) announced Monday.

The FIR hopes De Carli — a former prop who made 32 appearances for Italy — will be released by the Top 14 club in time for their summer tour.

“The FIR has reached agreement with Giampiero De Carli, who will join us for the 2014-2015 season,” the FIR announced in a statement.

His contract is due to start on July 1, however the statement added: “we will try to ask Perpignan to release him at the end of the 2013-2014 Top 14 season, in time to join us for the summer tour of the south Pacific.”

De Carli, 43, has already worked under the auspices of the Italian federation before joining Perpignan, where Italy coach Jacques Brunel was head coach prior to his Italy appointment, in 2012.

As a player, he was notable for scoring a try in Italy’s maiden Six Nations match, against Scotland, which the Italians won 34-20.

“I’m very happy to be starting this new challenge with the Italian national team alongside Jacques Brunel”, said De Carli.

Italy capped their three-match November series with a 19-14 defeat by Argentina on Saturday, having beaten Fiji (37-31) and lost heavily to Australia (50-20).