AHEAD OF THEIR Six Nations opener against defending champions Ireland, Italy have named a 30-man squad that includes four uncapped players.
Joe Schmidt’s side will be in Rome on 7 February to begin their bid to win a second consecutive title, but the Italians will be desperate to get off to a strong start after losing all five of their Six Nations games last year.
Head coach Jacques Brunel has selected 30 players for the clash with Ireland, as well as the fixture away to England a week later.
Giulio Bisegni, Michele Visentin, Simone Ragusi and Marcello Violi are the quartet who will hope to make their Test debuts next month, while graceful number eight Sergio Parisse has retained the captaincy.
22-year-old centre Bisegni and wing Visentin [23] both play their club rugby with Zebre in the Guinness Pro12, while utility back Ragusi is based out of Treviso. 21-year-old scrum-half Violi is the most surprising addition of the four, given that he is contracted to Cammi Calvisano in the Italian domestic league.
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Elsewhere, vastly experienced flanker Mauro Bergamasco and winger Giovambattista Venditti have been recalled to Brunel’s playing group after missing the November Tests.
Sergio Parisse has been in excellent form for Stade Français. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
The likes of Marco Bortolami, Martin Castrogiovanni and Andrea Masi provide further international wisdom, although La Rochelle’s Gonzalo Canala, Gonzalo Garcia of Zebre, Treviso’s Alberto Sgarbi, and Samuela Vunisa are all missing through injury.
3o-man Italy training squad for Six Nations:
Props: Matias Aguero (Zebre), Martin Castrogiovanni (Toulon), Dario Chistolini (Zebre), Alberto De Marchi (Sale Sharks)
Hookers: Leonardo Ghiraldini (Leicester Tigers), Andrea Manici (Zebre)
Locks: George Biagi (Zebre), Marco Bortolami (Zebre), Joshua Furno (Newcastle Falcons), Quintin Geldenhuys (Zebre)
Back rows: Robert Barbieri (Leicester Tigers), Mauro Bergamasco (Zebre), Simone Favaro (Treviso), Francesco Minto (Treviso), Sergio Parisse (Stade Français, captain), Alessandro Zanni (Treviso)
Half-backs: Edoardo Gori (Treviso), Guglielmo Palazzani (Zebre), Marcello Violi (Cammi Calvisano), Tommaso Allan (Perpignan), Kelly Haimona (Zebre)
These are the men Ireland will open their Six Nations title defence against
AHEAD OF THEIR Six Nations opener against defending champions Ireland, Italy have named a 30-man squad that includes four uncapped players.
Joe Schmidt’s side will be in Rome on 7 February to begin their bid to win a second consecutive title, but the Italians will be desperate to get off to a strong start after losing all five of their Six Nations games last year.
Head coach Jacques Brunel has selected 30 players for the clash with Ireland, as well as the fixture away to England a week later.
Giulio Bisegni, Michele Visentin, Simone Ragusi and Marcello Violi are the quartet who will hope to make their Test debuts next month, while graceful number eight Sergio Parisse has retained the captaincy.
22-year-old centre Bisegni and wing Visentin [23] both play their club rugby with Zebre in the Guinness Pro12, while utility back Ragusi is based out of Treviso. 21-year-old scrum-half Violi is the most surprising addition of the four, given that he is contracted to Cammi Calvisano in the Italian domestic league.
Elsewhere, vastly experienced flanker Mauro Bergamasco and winger Giovambattista Venditti have been recalled to Brunel’s playing group after missing the November Tests.
The likes of Marco Bortolami, Martin Castrogiovanni and Andrea Masi provide further international wisdom, although La Rochelle’s Gonzalo Canala, Gonzalo Garcia of Zebre, Treviso’s Alberto Sgarbi, and Samuela Vunisa are all missing through injury.
3o-man Italy training squad for Six Nations:
Props: Matias Aguero (Zebre), Martin Castrogiovanni (Toulon), Dario Chistolini (Zebre), Alberto De Marchi (Sale Sharks)
Hookers: Leonardo Ghiraldini (Leicester Tigers), Andrea Manici (Zebre)
Locks: George Biagi (Zebre), Marco Bortolami (Zebre), Joshua Furno (Newcastle Falcons), Quintin Geldenhuys (Zebre)
Back rows: Robert Barbieri (Leicester Tigers), Mauro Bergamasco (Zebre), Simone Favaro (Treviso), Francesco Minto (Treviso), Sergio Parisse (Stade Français, captain), Alessandro Zanni (Treviso)
Half-backs: Edoardo Gori (Treviso), Guglielmo Palazzani (Zebre), Marcello Violi (Cammi Calvisano), Tommaso Allan (Perpignan), Kelly Haimona (Zebre)
Centres: Giulio Bisegni (Zebre), Michele Campagnaro (Treviso), Luca Morisi (Treviso)
Back threes: Giovambattista Venditti (Zebre), Leonardo Sarto (Zebre), Luke McLean (Sale Sharks), Michele Visentin (Zebre), Andrea Masi (Wasps), Simone Ragusi (Treviso).
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Six Nations Fast Approaching First Test Italy Jacques Brunel