Italy rugby players strike over World Cup pay plan

Italy's Rugby World Cup preparations got off on the wrong foot on Monday when players refused to take part in the first training session in a row over pay. The Italian rugby federation said it had "taken note" of the players' decision "to neither take part in training nor wear federation kit before a financial agreement is found over participation in summer training and the World Cup". Forty players had gathered at Niederdorf/Villabassa, close to the northern town o