Simple life suits Campagnaro

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By Rob Cole
7/4/2016

There may only be two countries represented in the European Rugby Champions Cup quarter-finals, but Exeter Chiefs centre Michele Campagnaro will be flying the flag for Italy.

Campagnaro is one of a 'magnificent seven' Italians vying for European glory this weekend as the Chiefs travel to Coventry to take-on Wasps at the Ricoh Arena. His countryman Andrea Masi has returned to the fold at the Ricoh Arena after recovering from the snapped achilles injury that ruled him out of the Rugby World Cup.

And Campagnaro cannot wait to lock horns with the 2012 Player of the Six Nations, he said: "Masi is a very, very good, consistent player. He's good in attack, strong in the tackle and very consistent. He's a good person as well, he had a big injury which was really bad for him, so I'm happy he's back and I hope to play against him.

"It would be a dream for myself and the other boys to get to a European final and the Premiership final. But for now, we are just thinking about the next game against Wasps, we have to do the simple stuff well and the results will keep coming.

"Wasps have a great backs division, especially if the weather and conditions are good. They have probably produced the best rugby across the backline in the Premiership this season. They play a high-tempo game, but we do as well, and we have beaten them at the Ricoh Arena already this season."

The Italy duo could be joined on the Ricoh turf by international team-mates Lorenzo Cittadini and Carlo Festuccia. Samuela Vunisa will be hoping to pack down for Saracens against domestic rivals Northampton Saints and setup a semi-final clash against his fellow Italy stars, while Leonardo Ghiraldini could pack down against his international skipper and Stade Francais talisman Sergio Parisse.

Martin Castrogiovanni has already joined an exclusive club of just two Italian European champions, when he won Champions Cup glory with RC Toulon in 2014. But he will be hoping to upset his old club and win a second personal triumph when he packs down for Racing 92 this weekend.

Campangaro is dreaming of bringing the Champions Cup back to Sandy Park, after settling into Devon life.

He said: "Firstly, I'm hoping I get selected for the team next week. I'm really excited for my first European quarter-final. I've come for a club where we didn't win a lot, so to be here is a dream. I hope that dream will go on until the Champions Cup final.

"Something about my game has got better since coming to Exeter. When I arrived, I was confused about a lot of things, but the coaches like Rob Baxter and Ali Hepher have given me a lot of good technical advice. They've allowed me to trust in myself and do the easy things well, 100 percent of the time.

"I hope to keep going and improving, and I'm really enjoying myself. The important thing is that it's a good club, I can enjoy my rugby and my life, I'm really happy here."