Italy name preliminary World Cup squad

Jacques Brunel has named a 34-man squad to take part in Italy’s final training camp from August 16-23 in Turin. Alberto de Marchi, Paul Derbyshire, and Enrico Bacchin are the latest cuts from the squad, with three more to come following a two-match series with Scotland on August 22 and 29.

For loosehead prop de Marchi it is a considerable fall from grace after making a big impression in the 2014 Six Nations. He has since started only three tests, and after making little impact at Sale Sharks in the Aviva Premiership last season, he was released to return home to Benetton Treviso. Veterans Matías Agüero and Michele Rizzo will instead contest the no1 jersey.

Back row Derbyshire, Italian-born with an English father, was part of the 2011 World Cup squad but has struggled with injury since, starting only one match and missing both the 2014 November tours and 2015 Six Nations. Bacchin is a promising midfielder who made his debut in February against Scotland but has missed out with more experienced players preferred.

Also absent from the squad are injured trio George Biagi, Simone Favaro, and Kelly Haimona. Second row Biagi and flanker Favaro have been suffering with ankle and shoulder injuries, respectively, but reports in the Italian press have suggested that a disgreement with the team management may have affected their involvement more so than physical problems.

New Zealand-born flyhalf Haimona had been expected to play a major role for the Azzurri, but a broken arm suffered during the Six Nations has not healed properly and his spot in the squad has been given to uncapped Fiamme Oro pivot Carlo Canna. The only other uncapped player in the group is Calvisano scrumhalf Marcello Violi, with he and Canna the only representatives of the Italian domestic league – the Campionato Nazionale Eccellenza.

Four players of Argentine origin are included – Agüero, Martín Castrogiovanni, Gonzalo García, and captain Sergio Parisse. Canadian age-grade international Robert Barbieri, born in Toronto, is also present.

With Favaro out, Mauro Bergamasco is now set to appear in a record-tying fifth World Cup, with only Samoa’s Brian Lima having previously achieved that distinction. Bergamasco is one of four players boasting more than 100 caps in the squad, the others being Castrogiovanni, Parisse, and former captain Marco Bortolami.

Italy’s World Cup preparations conclude in Cardiff with a final match against Wales on September 5. Their opening Pool D match is against France at Twickenham on September 19, after which they face Canada, Ireland, and Romania.

FORWARDS
Matías Agüero (Zebre), Martín Castrogiovanni (Toulon), Dario Chistolini (Zebre), Lorenzo Cittadini (Wasps), Michele Rizzo (Leicester), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Leicester), Davide Giazzon (Benetton Treviso), Andrea Manici (Zebre), Valerio Bernabo (Zebre), Marco Bortolami (Zebre), Joshua Furno (Newcastle), Marco Fuser (Benetton Treviso), Quintin Geldenhuys (Zebre), Robert Barbieri (Leicester), Mauro Bergamasco (Zebre), Francesco Minto (Benetton Treviso), Sergio Parisse (capt., Stade Français), Samuela Vunisa (Zebre), Alessandro Zanni (Benetton Treviso)

BACKS
Edoardo Gori (Benetton Treviso), Guglielmo Palazzani (Zebre), Marcello Violi (Calvisano), Tommaso Allan (Perpignan), Carlo Canna (Fiamme Oro), Gonzalo García (Zebre), Luca Morisi (Benetton Treviso), Tommaso Benvenuti (Bristol), Michele Campagnaro (Benetton Treviso), Angelo Esposito (Benetton Treviso), Leonardo Sarto (Zebre), Giovanbattista Venditti (Zebre), Michele Visentin (Zebre), Andrea Masi (Wasps), Luke McLean (Sale)