Rugby traveler Allan back home and dreaming of another World Cup
After more than a decade of rugby wandering, Tommaso Allan is back in his homeland and determined to make the most of however long he has left in his career.
Over the years, he has had spells playing in South Africa, France and England, as well as in his native Italy, while his 91 caps for the Azzurri have taken him around the world.
Now he has returned to the country of his birth by signing for Zebre Parma which means yet more border-hopping through being part of the multi-nation URC.
He is hoping the move will help him achieve his dream of playing in a fourth World Cup with a trip to Australia on the horizon in just under a year’s time.
At 33, the utility back is intent on enjoying whatever the future holds.
“It’s a different feeling knowing you are kind of nearing the end of your career a little bit,” he says.
“I don’t know how many more years I have got in me, if it's three, four, one.
“I am just trying to enjoy it as much as possible. It’s good. I like it.
“It’s nice to have a leadership role and to try and bring the experiences I have had around the world to these players.
“There are a lot of youngsters here at Zebre and I try to help them as much as possible.
“At the same time, I think there are things I can still improve on in my game.
“I am in my early 30s now and I feel it a little bit more in my body, that’s for sure. But it’s still enjoyable. I still have fun and I think I still have a few years left in my body.”
Reflecting on his career, he added: “I would never have imagined this job would have taken me to so many different countries and that I would play for so many years.
“I think this is my 14th season. I have played a lot of games for the national team which I never thought was possible when I was a youngster.
“I try to think of myself when I was 15, 16, having big aspirations. I am sure the Tommy of 15 years old would be quite proud of what I have achieved and hopefully I can achieve a little bit more as well before I finish.”
Allan was born in Vicenza in northern Italy but relocated to England with his family when he was eight.
“I moved there at quite a young age and I didn’t really know how to speak English. I spoke Italian,” he recalls.
“That’s where my rugby grew. We found the local rugby club where I was living, I started playing for them and I never really stopped after that.”
That club was Henley RFC, with Allan going on to earn a place in the Wasps Academy before heading to South Africa and joining Western Province.
“There’s a big family link to South Africa,” he explains.
“My dad was born in Glasgow but moved to Durban when he was four or five years old. He did all his schooling and university there. My uncle played for the Springboks as well.
“I went there quite a few times when I was little. I went to the old high school my dad went to for a summer to play rugby.
“Then I was fortunate enough to go to the Western Province Academy when I finished school in England.
“I spent two years there and it was incredible. It helped me so much become the player I am.
“Althought it was an age-grade competition, it was pretty much full professional rugby. It was intense, but I enjoyed it and knew it was something I wanted to do.”
Allan then spent three years in France with Perpignan before a five year stint back home with Benetton Rugby, followed by a couple of seasons in England with Harlequins.
Then came a second stint in the Catalan city of Perpignan ahead of the move to Zebre this summer.
“Travelling the world and experiencing different types of rugby has helped me develop a lot,” he says.
“I have tried to take as many things as I can from different cultures and different styles of play.
“Moving around and putting myself in tough situations and different environments and having to adapt has helped my rugby enormously.”
On the international front, Allan represented Scotland at U17s, U18s and U20s but then opted to throw his lot in with Italy at Test level.
The goal kicking ace has gone on to rack up 552 points during his 90-plus appearances at flyhalf and fullback for the Azzurri, becoming his country’s highest points scorer in both the Six Nations and the World Cup.
Now he has his sights set on heading Down Under next year for another global gathering.
“That’s the plan,” he confirms.
“A big part of the decision in moving back to Italy was to give it a real crack.
“The thought was that being closer to the national team would give me a big shot at getting there.
“It would be my fourth World Cup if I end up going.
“I want to get there and then after that we will see.”
The versatile Allan has figured at both 10 and 15 for Zebre so far this season, with the next assignment being this Friday’s clash with Connacht Rugby in Galway.
As for how he has settled in at his new club, he says: “It’s been good.
“I’ve been getting used to life back in Italy with the family.
“There are a lot of young players in the group that are very eager to learn and have really good potential.”
The move has seen him getting a first taste of the URC.
“There are a lot of different styles of rugby,” he says.
“You go up against Irish teams that are very structured with very good skills in attack.
“You go against teams in Scotland that are very quick. You go against teams in South Africa where there is a lot of physicality and set-piece involved.
“So you need to adapt your game to different types of opposition.”
Looking at Allan’s wandering career, he has certainly continued the diverse rugby tradition within his family.
Both his father - born in Glasgow and raised in South Africa - and his Italian mother played the sport in Italy, while his uncle, John Allan, won nine caps at hooker for Scotland and 13 for the Springboks.
“It’s very mixed. I’ve kept that trend going. I have got a Turkish wife,” said father-of-two Tommy.
“There are a lot of mixtures, we can say.”
FRIDAY
Connacht Rugby v Zebre Parma
Dexcom Stadium, Galway – KO 7.45pm IRE & UK/8.45pm ITA & SA
Referee: Hanru van Rooyen (SARU, 3rd league game)
AR 1: Jack MacNeice (IRFU) AR 2: Sam Holt (IRFU)
TMO: Egon Seconds (SARU)
Live on: TG4, Sky Italia, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
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