Bananas aren’t indigenous to Sicily, but Sale (the current European Challenge Cup holders) found a banana skin when they played Amatori Catania last year and only won by a single point.

Worcester came close to making the same mistake this year, but held on when the pumped-up Italian side refused to lie down and produced a spirited second half come-back which tested the Warriors to the limit.

Despite the 14-19 score line, the vocal local supporters went home in good spirits after gaining their first point of the competition.  More importantly for Sicilian rugby, it gave their club some positive publicity in a land where football is king and where many Catanians are unaware that their rugby club exists!  After all, Worcester had been billed in the local press as one of the top English teams and a potential European high-flier.

The Maria Goretti Stadium in Catania provides quite a contrast to Sixways, surrounded by urban sprawl and overshadowed by the local airport and its adjacent building sites.  It is a functional municipal stadium with tiered concrete seats and a 3 metre wire fence around the pitch.  There is no charge for admission, no programme, no club shop and, usually, no refreshments.  It is to the club’s great credit that, realising that there were away supporters present, they laid on both food and drink. (NB Only the first beer was free.)

We learned a little about the club’s history from an elderly Sicilian gentleman who had played for Catania in the 1950’s. He spoke perfect “Oxford” English having worked in England for 46 years and lived in Henley. He recalled that 50 years ago, opposition came from French North Africa, from Malta and from the crews of naval ships docking in Catania.  These days, the club has found it difficult because all their Italian league fixtures are in the North and they must make 9 flights to play such clubs as Treviso and Viadana.  Last year, things were so difficult that “they pawned the club silver” (metaphorically), but this year they have sponsorship from the national lottery and cash flow is no longer such a problem.

As kick-off approached, the sun shone from a cloudless sky and the thermometer registered a temperature in the 70’s. The Warriors’ travelling “barmy army” was in good voice and more than matched the few hundred Italian fans; Cecil Duckworth arrived sporting a straw panama and the English supporters wondered how the team would react to the high summer conditions and the bone-hard pitch.  Before the match began, Roger Jones made a presentation to the Catanian club of a WRFC shield and received a similar token in return. We were suitably impressed by Roger’s eloquence in Italian, even though its meaning remained elusive. Certainly, it was appreciated by the home crowd.

The match itself was a cliché: a “game of two halves”. For most of the first half, the Warriors had the upper hand and it looked as though 5 points were ours for the asking.  After some early pressure from Catania and a touch of “handbags” in the front row, Worcester put the pressure on.  Fourteen minutes into the game and we had our first try from a 5 metre scrum which provided the platform for some forward drives, resulting in a try for Tevita Taumoepeau.  This gave James Brown an easy conversion. 

Some good back play was followed by a scorching run from Uche Oduoza which nearly produced a try in the corner.  The Warriors were awarded a penalty in front of the posts for offside, but opted for a scrum.  After a quick release, Matt Powell fed Kai Horstmann who scored and James B converted once more.  14 – 0 before 30 minutes had elapsed.  However, Chris Fortey was receiving treatment for his shoulder and the Catanian No.6 was carried from the field with a knee injury.  This game was certainly no walk in the park as the Irish referee had foreseen when he warned the players before the game that any feet seen at the ruck (legitimately or otherwise) would lead to an instant penalty.

In the ten minutes before half-time the Warriors were forced to defend stubbornly as Catania pressed hard and Matt Powell made an amazing try-saving tackle after a good break by his opposing number.  This should have set the alarm bells ringing for what was to come.

After the break there was a period of expansive play by Worcester and some poor defensive handling by the opposition.  Mark Tucker crossed the line on the right, making it 19 – 0, but the conversion drifted wide in the stiffening breeze.  Two Catanian players were so vocal in their dissent over the awarding of the try that the referee awarded Worcester a full penalty on the half-way line at the re-start.  Ironically, this apparent good fortune was to prove a turning point and marked the beginning of the Italian resurgence.

Three Worcester backs allowed a speculative cross-kick from Nicholas Le Roux to bounce high (was the sun in their eyes?) and the Catanian winger de Jager intercepted for 7 easy points.  Suddenly, the opposition started to believe in themselves and they found another gear, while the Warriors looked, at times, as if they were playing in slow motion.

The next twenty minutes were disjointed and we made five replacements.  The watching supporters wondered whether Andy Gomarsall’s cherry and white boots would be a good omen. It seemed not when Chris Fortey once more received treatment for his shoulder and was replaced. However, his mantle was assumed by brother Lee and we were delighted to see him fit once again.

The final minutes of the game provided a bizarre sequence of events. The Warriors were awarded a penalty in front of the posts. Mindful of the bonus point, Shane Drahm was instructed to kick to the corner. The ball was secured from the line-out and Worcester drove well over the line.  Astonishingly, the ball was not grounded.  Then, after winning the ensuing 5 metre scrum, we allowed an Italian forward to pick the ball from out of the back of the scrum and gallop away to feed  de Jager who scored their second runaway try.  Initially, this looked like a case of blatant off-side but, later that night in the Irish bar in town, the TJ confirmed that the ball was deemed out because our back row was not bound in.

Suddenly, our 19 points looked assailable and Catania scented a famous victory.  However, one of their players was sin-binned and the Warriors hung on to win the day after a tense five minutes of injury time.

At the end of the game there was obvious disappointment amongst many of the Worcester supporters, both with the result and the quality of performance.  However, criticism was not needed: it was clear from the demeanour of the players and the dissatisfaction of John Brain that they were not pleased with their efforts. They were clearly reluctant to face the fans both at the end of the game and later in the evening even though they should have learned by now that the supporters are there to support. What we appreciate more than anything else after a match is a recognition of our existence by the team. If they have played well, we will cheer for them again; if they are disappointed, we will still show them our solidarity. On this occasion, although we had all hoped for high scoring result, it is important to remember that a win away from home is an achievement in any competition and that the Warriors now have another four points in their European campaign.

After the game there was an opportunity to mingle with the friendly home supporters and the Catanian team. It is doubtful that many fans will find their way to Sixways in January but, for those that come, we must ensure that the warmth of our welcome makes up for the cold of the weather.

As far as the non-match experience was concerned, the visit to Catania was a sociable one. The city is much bigger than many expected and is a mixture of historic sites, urban regeneration and horrendous traffic jams. In the distance looms the shrouded bulk of Etna which has threatened Catania’s existence throughout many centuries and still poses a real danger. Now designated a World Heritage Site, the city is trying to reinvent itself as a tourist destination and much restoration work is underway.

At the heart of the city is the cathedral square, surrounded by elaborately decorated baroque buildings which frame an obelisk mounted on an elephant. This exotic focal point, the emblem of Catania, is carved from lava and is incorporated into the Amatori Catania club badge.

At mid-day on Saturday, the café in the square was well-patronised by Warriors’ supporters who were attracting much curiosity from the native inhabitants. In the short time that we were there, a number of locals came to enquire about the match and our team. It seems that “Worchester Sauce” goes before us!  From what we have heard, the fraternising and proselytising went on long into the night on Friday and Saturday, thus ensuring that the best traditions of rugby tours were upheld even in such an unlikely setting as Sicily.

As our return flight took off on Sunday morning, Etna was gently steaming in the hot sunshine; the lava elephant was presiding over the hangovers of the remaining Warriors’ fans in the city square; the squad, looking like a Japanese martial arts team in their Kukri T-shirts, mused on the match that nearly got away; and the rest of us assembled our impressions of a memorable weekend.

Arrivederci e grazie, Amatori Catania! Welcome to Worcester next year!

 RT & LT