They will compete for the Trophy, which will be awarded for the first time on 3 February in Rome.

At a meeting held in Parma, attended by the managers of the Italian and French Rugby federations, the two federations together with the Département de l'Alpes Maritimes, have sanctioned the founding of the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy, as of 2007, in the year of the bicentenary of the birth of the Italian Hero of the Two Worlds, who was born in the city of Nice.

The Garibaldi Trophy will be awarded on the occasion of every test-match played between the two national teams of Italy and France, starting with the match on 3 February next, when the Pierre Berbizier's "blues" and Bernard Laporte's "coqs" will meet at Rome's Flaminio stadium in the first match of the 2007 Six Nations championship.

Diego Dominguez, the historic fly-half of the Italian team, with 983 points won in 74 matches, of Argentine origin, who then became the symbol of the Paris team of the Stade Francais, will act as testimonial for the Trophy.

The task of actually creating the 'Garibaldi Trophy' will be entrusted to Jean-Pierre Rives, captain of the French National team in the 1970s-1980s, who is now a sculptor.

Roma, 27 October 2006