Federico Mori

Federico Mori’s uncle, Fabrizio Mori, was world champion over 400 metres hurdles. Federico chose a sport where his own top speed matters rather less, and was capped by Italy at twenty.

Centre and wing at Bayonne, 1.88m and 108kg, born in Cecina, in the Tuscan province of Livorno, on 13 October 2000.

He trained at the Livorno club from eight to fifteen, then moved to the Granducato Livorno franchise, and played in two national finals before he turned eighteen.

Two national finals before eighteen is a fast start in a country whose age-grade system produces far fewer professionals than France’s, and it moved him quickly.

His first professional season, in 2019, was with Calvisano, and the Zebre took him into their Pro14 squad almost immediately. Italy selected him in October 2020 and he came off the bench against Ireland on the 23rd of that month, in his second season as a professional.

Bordeaux-Bègles signed him on two years in July 2021. When that ended in 2023 he moved to Bayonne on a three-year contract.

Italy have kept him in the picture without making him a fixture: he was in the 46-man group assembled to prepare for the 2023 World Cup and was called up again for the 2024 Six Nations.

A centre who can play on the wing, capped at twenty and still only 25, with five seasons of Top 14 and Pro14 rugby behind him. That is a substantial grounding, and the question the next two years answer is whether he becomes a first-choice Italy midfielder or stays the man they call up.