All career-ending injuries are to be mourned but the last couple of weeks or so have been hard to digest for Italy fans and indeed those of us who simply enjoy watching brilliant players happy in their work.

Within the space of 10 days or so came the news that first full-back Matteo Minozzi was having to give second best to injury – an ACL that never came good – followed by another body blow with almost identical news regarding flanker Jake Polledri, above, who also had to contend with a serious shoulder injury as well as an ACL that caused serious nerve damage in his leg and foot.
Both, in...