Anyone who saw Federico Mori’s debut try last week will not be surprised to hear that athleticism is rife in his family tree. Still only 18, Mori showed an unreal burst of pace after climbing off the bench for Zebre to leave both Mark Bennett and Duhan van der Merwe in his wake on the way to the try line. It was a memorable first appearance in the Guinness PRO14 and a reminder of where the Livorno youngster has come from. What a way to announce yourself to the #GuinnessPRO14 👏18-year-old (YES, 18) Federico Mori scored a worldie on debut for @ZebreRugby in Round 1 😱Star in the making?? 🌟 pic.twitter.com/2afhiR1by1— PRO14 RUGBY (@PRO14Official) October 1, 2019 UNCLE FAB Mori is the nephew of Fabrizio Mori. The Italian hurdler who shocked the world in claiming world championship gold in 1999 in Seville and then nearly repeated the feat two years later in Edmonton, only to be edged out by Felix Sanchez on the line. His time of 47.54 seconds that day in Canada remains a national Italian record. #atletica FABRIZIO! Vent’anni fa, il 27 agosto 1999, l’indimenticabile impresa d’oro di Fabrizio Mori nei 400 ostacoli ai Mondiali di #Siviglia @Coninews @ItaliaTeamit 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/A4BsyDEYdY— Atletica Italiana (@atleticaitalia) href=“https://twitter.com/atleticaitalia/status/1166234805488537600?refsrc=twsrc%5Etfw”>August 27, 2019 Fabrizio’s children are all promising athletes in their own right, eldest son Gabriele changed a football career to pursue one as a sprinter, while Massimo throws the javelin and Rachele the hammer. But Fabrizio’s brother’s son was more taken by rugby at a young age. Aged eight he first got a taste for it in Livorno, the coach told his family that the kid has talent. And Federico has never looked back. “I am in love with the spirit that reigns in the team,” he told RugbyMeet in an interview earlier this year. “I think it’s something that was transmitted to me by the family: sport was a constant presence, a positive force.” CLIMBING THE TREE The natural pace and power of his family tree is clear to see. Edinburgh felt the full force of it, and many more teams will do over the course of this season as the teenager, who only turns 19 next weekend, starts to get more game time. The World Cup is a great chance for him to earn his spurs, with the likes of Carlo Canna, Edoardo Padovani and Giulio Bisegni all with the Azzurri in Japan for at least two more weeks. A centre by trade, but capable of slotting anywhere across the backline, the No.23 shirt looks the best place for him to learn his trade at this level. But in the age-groups, Mori has already made an impression. Playing two years above his age, he was a key cog in the Under-20s Six Nations at the start of this year, crossing for a try in Italy’s impressive win over Scotland.
