Tommaso Allan

Tommaso Allan (born 26 April 1993), commonly known as Tommy Allan,[1] is an Italian rugby player who can play fly-half, centre or fullback, and currently plays for Benetton and the Italy national team.[2] Besides Italy and Scotland, Allan has spent several years in England and some time in South Africa.

Tommaso Allan
Allan during a Six Nations event, March 2018
Date of birth (1993-04-26) 26 April 1993
Place of birthVicenza, Italy
Height184 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight91 kg (201 lb; 14 st 5 lb)
SchoolRoyal Grammar School
Notable relative(s)John Allan (uncle)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly-half
Current team Benetton Treviso
Youth career
2000−2005 Petrarca
2009−2011 Wasps
2012−2013 Western Province
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013–2016 Perpignan 44 (150)
2016– Benetton Treviso 75 (472)
Correct as of 26 September 2019
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012–2013 Scotland U20 16 (89)
2013– Italy 54 (310)
Correct as of 26 September 2019

Life

Allan hails from a rugby family; his Scottish father William Allan and his Italian mother Paola Berlato both played in Italy, while his uncle John Allan earned 9 caps for Scotland and 13 for South Africa.[3] Through his father he was eligible to represent Scotland, but chose to play for Italy at senior level. He went to school in Culham, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom.

Rugby career

Youth career

Allan was part of the London Wasps Academy in 2011 before captaining the RGS High Wycombe rugby side. He won the Under-19 Provincial Championship while playing for Western Province in South Africa and at the end of his contract there, he joined Perpignan.

Perpignan

Allan signed for french Top 14 side Perpignan shortly before the 2013–14 season. Allan made his debut for Perpignan on 8 September 2013 against Racing Métro at Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir in the french department of Hauts-de-Seine just outside the capital, Paris. Perpignan lost 19–16,[4] with Allan kicking one conversion (56th minute) and kicking three penalties (3rd minute, 26th minute, 68th minute).

Because of Allan's end-of-year performances, he was called up to the national team. Allan played a total of eight games in the Top 14 and four in the Heineken Cup in his debut season for Perpignan, scoring a total of 27 points in 12 appearances for the side. Unfortunately Perpignan were relegated to the Pro D2 after finishing 13th out of the 14 teams.

In the 2014–15 Pro D2 season, Allan cemented a firm position on the number 10 role for Perpignan. Playing eighteen games, scoring three tries, fourteen penalty goals, scoring a total of 81 points and helping Perpignan to reach promotional play-offs.

Benetton

Allan returned to his home region of Veneto, Italy, signing for Benetton Treviso before the 2016–17 Pro12 season.

International career

On 9 October 2013 Allan was named in the Italian 35-man training squad for the 2013 end-of-year rugby union tests,[5] which led to the Scottish Rugby Union seeking clarity on Allan's intentions for his future.[6] Despite Allan playing for Scotland at Under 17, Under 18 and Under 20 age groups, he was named in Jacques Brunel's final squad.[7] He made his debut coming off the bench to score against Australia.

Allan started the first three of Italy's 2014 Six Nations matches against Wales, France and Scotland.[8]

On 24 August 2015, he was named in the final 31-man squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.[9] and on 18 August 2019, he was named in the final 31-man squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.[10]

References
  1. "Tommy Allan: 'Unusual' Italy fly-half charts voyage of discovery". BBC Sport. 28 August 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  2. "Player profile – Benetton". BenettonRugby.it. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  3. Tommaso Allan SRU Profile Archived 21 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Racing Métro – Perpignan". Top 14 (in French). 8 September 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  5. "Italy call-up Scotland U-20 fly-half". ESPN. 9 October 2013.
  6. "Scotland seek clarity on Tommaso Allan after Italy call-up". BBC Sport. 9 October 2013.
  7. "Italia, geldenhuys rientra in gruppo in vista dei cariparma test match". Italian Rugby Federation (in Italian). 19 October 2013.
  8. "Scotland leave it late to beat Italy in Rome with Weir drop goal". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  9. Rugby World Cup, Scelti i 31 Azzurri per Inghilterra 2015
  10. https://federugby.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13753:italrugby-conor-oshea-annuncia-i-31-giocatori-convocati-per-il-mondiale&catid=252:slide&Itemid=811
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