LIVESTREAM: Italy – Bolanzo Giants @Lazio Ducks, Sunday, March 4, 1p (7a EST)

AFI | American Football | 03/04/2018

The Lazio Ducks, an amalgamation of the two American football clubs in Rome, Italy – the Lazio Marines and Roma Grizzlies – kicks off its historic first season today playing host to 2017 Italian semifinalists, the Bolzano Giants in Rome Sunday March 4.

The head coach and director of football operations for the Lazio Ducks, the new football club in Rome, is Rome native Bart Iaccarino who has returned to his roots. The Ducks will feature All American QB Hans Fortune (Puget Sound University, Div. III) with Mike Gentili at RB. he Ducks have also bolstered the defense with the signing of University of Montana linebacker Herbert Gamboa who can play both outside linebacker and strong safety.

Iaccarino worked his magic in Spain guiding the Reus Imperials from the depths of the ranks in Spain up to the Spanish championship game in 2017.

Will the merger of the clubs in Rome produce the same kind of transformation in Italy?

Giants head coach Argeo Tisma has reassembled a Giants team that finished with a 7-3 record in 2017 reaching the semifinals where they lost to the Milano Rhinos. Having signed a new QB in Jon Brown (Glendale CC), Tisma has re-signed Mark Simone, the second leading receiver in Italy last year. He has also added safety Dejvion Steward (Tiffin University, NCAA, Div. II). New Italian players include CB Giuseppe Della Vecchia from the Milano Rhinos.

The Giants, with the only American football specific facility in Italy, have not missed the playoffs in Italy since 2010. They will no doubt be playoff contenders again this year.

In 2017, Bolzano defeated the Lazio Marines in a tough game 15-8, and downed the Roma Grizzlies 28-7. Today’s game may well be quite different.