National Championship of Excellence

The National Championship of Excellence from 2010–11 season is the current name of the highest tier of the national rugby union competition in Italy

The first Italian championship took place in 1929 with 6 of the 16 teams that existed in Italy. Originally named Serie A since its origin until 1959–60 season, its name was changed in Eccellenza from 1960–61 until 1964–65, then Serie A again until 1985–86. In 1986–87 it was named Serie A1 and the second tier took the name as Serie A2. Since the season 1987–88 the Championship has gone into a play-off phase after a regular season, and the title is assigned through a final (several venues have hosted the final match, notably Padua, Bologna and Rome). Eventually since a major restructuring occurred in the season 2001–02 the Championship has been named Super 10; Serie A1 and A2 became respectively 2nd and 3rd division and still are. The competition runs from September to May. After a home-and-away season, the top four teams play a knock-out competition to decide the championship and the bottom team is relegated. The season-ending playoffs have one feature distinguishing them from rugby playoffs in most other countries—the semifinals are two-legged, with the winner determined by aggregate score.

The top leading title holder are Amatori Milano who have won 18 Championships (the first one in 1929, the most recent in 1996); Benetton Treviso, current title holder, follow with 15 (first in 1956 as Rugby Treviso); Rovigo (first title in 1951) and Petrarca (rugby union club from Padua that won their first title in 1970) won 11 titles each.

Apart from the aforementioned teams no one has won more than 5 titles. The team that wins the Championship wears the Scudetto on their jerseys during the next season, The clubs that hold at least 10 titles win the right to wear a golden star on their jerseys. Until season 2008–09 the Super 10 was operated by the L.I.R.E. (Lega Italiana Rugby d'Eccellenza, Italian Elite Rugby union League), but since its folding (in 2009), the Italian Rugby union Federation has taken over its organisation.

The leading Super 10 teams qualify to play against teams from the other leading rugby union nations in Europe in the European Challenge Cup. Aironi and Benetton Treviso will from the 2010/2011 compete in the Magners League, and take both Italian places in the Heineken Cup. These two teams are intended to concentrate the best domestic talent and help develop the quality of Italian players and therefore improve the national team players.