Errichiello delighted at scooping Italy's top Women's Summer Series honour

Captain Elena Errichiello was delighted at being named Italy’s Six Nations Women’s Summer Series MVP.

The No. 8 was a constant source of inspiration for her team, none more so than when she scored her team’s opening try in their thrilling 28-24 win over Wales.

The 22-year-old was playing in her second Women’s Summer Series after the inaugural event in her native Italy last year and was appreciative to those who had selected her for the honour.

She said: “It's been a pleasure because I’ve put a lot of work into this Six Nations, and I appreciate that my team chose me as our MVP. It feels good to be recognised and I’m grateful for it.”

Having won all three of their Women’s Summer Series games in 2024, Italy started off with two defeats at the Centre of Sporting Excellence in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly.

The first game saw Errichiello’s charges downed by a dominant France 46-5 before losing to England 36-20 on Matchday 2, despite holding a 15-0 lead at half time.

However, Italy bounced back in their final outing to beat Wales in arguably the competition’s most exciting game and Errichiello thinks that win was a sign of how far the side has the come.

“I'm very proud of my team because we didn't see a lot of each other before the Six Nations,” she continued.

“We had to work a lot to perform, and we gave better and better performances from the first to the last game. I think that was because we grew a lot as a group, as a team, and I'm proud of it. For me as captain, it is important that the team is a unit, and they showed they were.”

This has been the second incarnation of the Women’s Summer Series, a tournament designed to give U20s players the opportunity to play more competitive rugby to help with their development.

And Errichiello credited the standard of play during the competition and felt the Women’s Summer Series offered young players a brilliant platform to showcase their abilities.

She added: “It's a great opportunity because the senior team is watching us. Last year some of our team was very good and now they are in the seniors. That’s very cool and it gives us all hope.

“The standard has definitely developed from last year having played in that tournament which is cool because it shows every nation is working with the junior team which is important. And it shows that if the under 18s and 20s work hard and get better, they can make the senior team."