New Zealander Kieran Crowley will take over as Italy head coach in July on a three-year deal that will incorporate the 2023 World Cup, the Italian Rugby Federation announced on Wednesday. Crowley, who was a member of New Zealand's 1987 World Cup-winning squad, coached Canada for eight years before taking charge at Italian Pro-14 club Benetton Treviso. The federation said current coach Franco Smith will move into a new role as head of high performance when 59-year-old Crowley takes over on July 1. He will be assisted in his coaching team by Andrea Moretti, Marius Goosen, Corrado Pilat and Giovanni Sanguin. Crowley said: "I am honoured that the FIR (Italian federation) has given me the opportunity to lead Italy to the next World Cup. "In the five years with Benetton (Treviso) Rugby, I have been able to get to know and understand the country and its rugby culture, a knowledge that I can't wait to deepen in this role." Italy have become the perennial whipping boys of the Six Nations, with their last victory in the tournament stretching back to 2015. bur/gj/bsp