Rugby union in Italy

Rugby union in Italy is governed by the Italian Rugby Federation.

Rugby was introduced into Italy in the early 1900s. It is also known as pallovale or palla ovale ("oval ball") within Italy. Two Italian professional teams (Benetton Treviso and Zebre Parma) compete in United Rugby Championship (URC), a league that also includes sides from Ireland, Scotland, South Africa and Wales. As URC teams, the two professional teams take part in EPCR elite continental competitions annually, either in the European Rugby Champions Cup or the second tier European Rugby Challenge Cup. The Top12 is the main purely national club competition.

Internationally, Italy competes in all three formats (men's, men's under-20 and women's) of the Six Nations Championship, the cross-continental Nations Championship and the women's comparator, the WXV, and both the men's Rugby World Cup and the women's version. It also takes part in various sevens competition for both sexes as well as competitions for underage teams.

Italy is classified as a 'tier one' nation by World Rugby (formerly the International Rugby Board).