Top 14: why will the Italian Alessandro Ortombina be able to play with the USAP in Paris?

For purists, seeing Alessandro Ortombina on a Top 14 match sheet is surprising. For what ? Because the 22-year-old Italian does not have Jiff status (Players from training channels). In fact, he only arrived in France in 2023, and he will have to wait until the end of the 2025-2026 season to obtain it. But above all, until today, he was not included in the USAP Top 14 squad, which can have up to 13 non-Jiffs.

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Seilala Lam, Ignacio Ruiz, Kieran Brookes, Nemo Roelofse, Marvin Orie, Sootala Fa'aso'o, Max Hicks, Jake McIntyre, Jerónimo de la Fuente, Apisai Naqalevu, Ali Crossdale and Tavite Veredamu are the 12 non-Jiff players in the USAP. So there was one last place left. And the Catalan leaders chose to use him with Alessandro Ortombina (1.94 m, 110 kg). Versatile second and third line, the native of Peschiera del Garda – near Verona in Italy – had two good matches in the European Cup and is being rewarded.

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Does this have an impact for a potential medical wildcard or additional player? The answer is no. The club explains that this does not prevent them from taking a 14th non-Jiff into the squad. The reason? The presence of Jefferson-Lee Joseph in the list of the French 7-a-side team for its “Objective 2028” for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. A new point of settlement that the USAP has been able to use to strengthen its workforce in the short term.

Saturday in Paris (4:30 p.m.), Alessandro Ortombina will play his first Top 14 match. He will be a substitute, with the number 18 on his back.