Italy Rugby

Italy's Traore calls out team mates over racist Christmas present

Front rower Cherif Traore wrote on Instagram that he received the unwanted present, inside a rubbish bag, during a Christmas dinner for Benetton Treviso players.

"Apart from finding it an offensive gesture, what hurt me the most was to see that most of my team mates who were present were laughing. As if it was all normal," he said.

"I haven't slept all night," the 28-year-old added.

Traore was born in Guinea but has lived in Italy since the age of 7.

He plays as a prop for the northern Treviso club and for the Italian national Rugby Union team.

Former Italy Rugby World Cup captain dies after contracting Covid-19

Cuttitta had been hospitalised in Rome with Covid-19 and died on Sunday following complications from the virus.

The former prop played for the Italy side who stunningly beat Scotland in their first Six Nations match in 2000.

He was the Azzurri captain 22 times in 69 appearances from 1990-2000, including at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, and went on to become a scrum coach for Scotland from 2009-15.

Born in Italy, Cuttitta and his twin brother Marcello Cuttitta – who also played for the national team – grew up in South Africa.