There is increasing excitement within the Federazione Italiana Rugby League following qualification by the Italians for their first Rugby League World Cup, set to take place in 2013.

FIRL officials expect that to have a significant spin off for the domestic game which will see a further rise in profile for the sport. Indeed, several new clubs will be taking the field in friendly fixtures during the summer as a result.

Recently completed was the first player training camp, supervised by Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Assistant Coach and Azzurri Technical Advisor, Paul Broadbent and held in Cremona in the north west of the country.

The two-day camp, at the San Zeno sports centre, signalled the launch of the earliest Italian rugby league season in the modern era, with monthly get togethers now scheduled until the six-team Serie A kicks off in May.

Broadbent worked closely with FIRL’s Italy-based staff and national team head coach Carlo Napolitano to begin  assessing and improving the best domestic players.

"I am very proud of the work done,” he enthused. “There were a lot of new faces and above all many young players with whom we will be able to work and base the national side of the future on.”

“The experience was very positive and is extremely encouraging for the development of rugby league in Italy,” Broadbent continued.

Cremona city council has invited FIRL to hold an international event there next year as they are the 2013 European city of sport.

Phase Three of the Rugby European Federation Technical Strategy, which will provide coach educators, will take place in Italy in early June, just after the opening round of the season.

Three clubs in the North East - Ercole Monselice RL, Grifons Padova and Mastini XIII Treviso – and a similar number in the North West - XIII del Duomo, XIII del Ducato and Parma RL will go head to head, leading to a finals day in Piacenza on 7th July.

The following week will see a state of origin style clash between the regions which will be preceded by an under-18s tournament, with the aim of selecting an Italian Junior team to take on Germany.

The full national side’s next fixture, as they begin their World Cup build up, will be in Belgrade on 9th June.