Stephen Varney: The teenager born in Wales, now playing for Italy

Saturday will be a special day for one Stephen Lorenzo Varney.

The 19-year-old was born in Pembrokeshire and grew up in the hamlet of Rhoshill, a few miles south of Cardigan in deepest west Wales.

But though he was raised in a passionate Welsh community and is a Welsh speaker, he will line up for his first international start for Italy against the land of his birth at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday.

"It will be emotional but that's natural because I grew up in Wales," said Varney.

"I made the decision myself and have no regrets. I chose to play for Italy so that's where my loyalties lie now.

"I have got to think of the game like any other. I just want to do my best and make my family proud.

"All my family in Wales and Italy will be watching. I rang my parents to tell them after training I was starting and they were super proud along with my grandparents.

"They are just gutted they can't see me play as it so close to home as well because they travel anywhere to watch me play."

Time will tell whether Varney will prove to be the one that got away for Wales. So how has this unique story happened?

Varney's fascinating tale originates in World War Two with his Italian roots on his mother Valeria's side, with both Stephen's grandparents born in Italy.

His great-grandfather Carlo Fusconi was in the Italian army when he was captured by the British Army in North Africa and brought to the prisoner of war camp in Henllan near Newcastle Emlyn.

He stayed after the war to work on the farms where he was joined by his wife Anita and daughter Adriana who came over from a town called Cesena in Emilia Romagna.

Stephen's grandfather Luigi Callegari came from a small town in the mountains called Bedonia and arrived in Wales separately with his cousins to find work.

Luigi met Stephen's grandmother Adriana in Cardigan when they were in their 20s and they got married.

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After playing for Italy at under-18 and under-20 level, Stephen has nailed his colours to the mast.

"I first joined up with Italian sides at the start of 2019 which was the Under-18s Six Nations festival played at Hartpury College," said Varney.

"We played Wales, Scotland and France. I feel like I was all-in then with Italy.

"The Italian Federation have been loyal and respected me and have been good throughout my time with them.

"Growing up in Wales you are around everyone that speaks Welsh, especially my area which is a very Welsh community.

"Every kid growing up wanted to play for Wales but I have always been proud of my Italian roots."

Stephen Varney studied at Hartpury College and became a member of the Gloucester RFC Academy

Varney has always embraced his Italian background.

"I have grown up in an Italian culture," said Varney.

"My mum used to make sure we were part of that and go up to my grandparents and eat Italian food. It's always been a part of my life.

"I have already seen quite a lot of Italy. Before I played with the under-18s we came over quite often to see family in the north of Italy and I have a lot of cousins there.

"My Italian when I came over with the under-18s was horrendous. It was not as good as it is now but I still have a lot to learn.

"Growing up my grandparents spoke Italian to me but I did not really click with it. I am getting better now. It's a tough, complicated language to learn and there are so many different ways of saying stuff.

"I am fluent Welsh but I have not spoken it for three years. Italian is starting to replace it. A lot of the boys speak English but I want to speak Italian and I need to learn."

Varney's rugby pedigree comes from his father, former Neath flanker Adrian.

"He has been a massive influence on my development," said Varney.

"Ever since I was young he has encouraged me to play any kind of sport and has helped me with my skills growing up.

Adrian Varney in action for Neath against Swansea in 1993

Varney junior has enjoyed a meteoric rise into the Gloucester and Italian senior set-ups.

The Ysgol y Preseli and Crymych RFC junior product was enticed to Hartpury College in Gloucester and was offered a place with the Gloucester RFC Academy.

He came to the attention of the Italian Rugby Federation who have forged a close association with Hartpury and Gloucester in recent times, with Varney facing club colleague and fellow teenager Louis Rees-Zammit on Saturday.

Varney scored two tries for Italy Under-18s against Wales and produced a man-of-match performance in the under-20s' historic victory over Wales in Colwyn Bay in January 2020.

His first experience of senior international rugby was inauspicious after he tested positive for Covid-19 and was forced to self-isolate for 10 days in the Italian camp.

"That was not a great experience but I did not have any symptoms luckily," said Varney.

"The worst thing was being stuck in the rooms for 10 days. I had a watt bike and dumbbells so I kept myself busy. It was tough and I struggled when I came out, mentally and physically.

"I struggled in the first training session back and I did not feel fit but that was expected."

Varney earned his senior debut as a replacement against Scotland a fortnight ago and again came off the bench against France last weekend.

When Varney came on in Paris, Welsh referee Nigel Owens spoke to him in the Welsh language.

"There was a tweet about it the night before and I think he probably looked at that," said Varney.

"I sort of expected him to speak Welsh because he spoke Welsh to me before the game. I saw it coming. I responded once in Welsh but did not speak back to him after that."

Now Varney will be hoping it is Italian voices celebrating most loudly on Saturday night in Llanelli.

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