Italy name World Cup training group

Italy head coach Jacques Brunel has named a 50-man training squad to prepare for the upcoming World Cup this September. The squad is separated into two groups, a primary selection of 40 players and 10 who have been designated as reserves. There are few surprises, with all but three of the players who took part in the Six Nations present. Antonio Pavanello has retired, Giulio Bisegni injured, leaving veteran flyhalf Luciano Orquera the only one left out.

Six uncapped players have been included – loosehead prop Andrea Lovotti, scrumhalves Marcello Violi and Alberto Lucchese, flyhalf Carlo Canna, centre Tommaso Boni, and outside back Simone Ragusi. Canna, Boni, and Violi are the only three to come from the Italian domestic Super 10 league, with the vast majority hailing from the two Pro 12 sides Zebre and Benetton Treviso. The trio have all signed Pro 12 contracts for next season.

Notable recalls include hooker Tommaso D’Apice, second rows Leandro Cedaro and Valerio Bernabo, and midfielders Gonzalo García and Alberto Sgarbi. Aside from Orquera, there is no room in the squad for injured Gonzalo Canale, nor out-of-form Cardiff Blues back row Manoa Vosawai. Wasps hooker Carlo Festuccia is reportedly in discussions to join the group despite having previously announced his retirement from test rugby, while Zebre utility back Tommaso Iannone is another who could yet be added.

The presence of several players born in the Americas is also noteworthy. Cedaro, García, Matías Agüero, Martín Castrogiovanni, and of course long-time captain Sergio Parisse all hail from Argentina. Robert Barbieri is a native of Toronto and a former Canadian junior international. His brother Mike, a prop, was capped twice for Canada in 2006.

The Azzurri are in Pool D in the World Cup, where they are grouped with France, Ireland, Canada, and Romania. Their tournament kicks off against neighbours France on September 19 at Twickenham.

FORWARDS
Matías Agüero (Zebre), Martín Castrogiovanni (Toulon), Dario Chistolini (Zebre), Lorenzo Cittadini (Wasps), Alberto de Marchi (Sale), *Andrea de Marchi (Zebre), *Andrea Lovotti (Zebre), Michele Rizzo (Leicester), *Tommaso D’Apice (Zebre), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Leiceter), Davide Giazzon (Benetton Treviso), Andrea Manici (Zebre), Valerio Bernabo (Zebre), George Biagi (Zebre), Marco Bortolami (Zebre), *Leandro Cedaro (La Rochelle), Joshua Furno (Newcastle), Marco Fuser (Benetton Treviso), Quintin Geldenhuys (Zebre), Robert Barbieri (Leicester), Marco Barbini (Benetton Treviso), Mauro Bergamasco (Zebre), *Paul Derbyshire (Benetton Treviso), Simone Favaro (Benetton Treviso), Francesco Minto (Benetton Treviso), Sergio Parisse (capt., Stade Francais), Samuela Vunisa (Zebre), Alessandro Zanni (Benetton Treviso).

BACKS
Edoardo Gori (Benetton Treviso), *Alberto Lucchese (Benetton Treviso), Guglielmo Palazzani (Zebre), Marcello Violi (Calvisano), Tommaso Allan (Perpignan), *Carlo Canna (Fiamme Oro), Kelly Haimona (Zebre), Enrico Bacchin (Benetton Treviso), Tommaso Benvenuti (Bristol), *Tommaso Boni (Mogliano), Michele Campagnaro (Benetton Treviso), Gonzalo García (Zebre), Luca Morisi (Benetton Treviso), *Alberto Sgarbi (Benetton Treviso), Angelo Esposito (Benetton Treviso), Simone Ragusi (Benetton Treviso), Leonardo Sarto (Zebre), *Giulio Toniolatti (Zebre), Giovanbattista Venditti (Zebre), Michele Visentin (Zebre), Andrea Masi (Wasps), Luke McLean (Sale).

*reserve group

HEAD COACH: Jacques Brunel