Angelo Esposito out of World Cup

Italian winger Angelo Esposito has been ruled out of the Rugby World Cup and has been replaced by a back-rower with the surprisingly excluded Simone Favaro now set to play in the tournament. Favaro had initially been excluded because of ‘injury’, but competed in Canada with Glasgow Warriors on Saturday and impressed with his tackling and work around the breakdown. Having proven his full fitness, he has now been included increasing Italy’s back row stocks to six rather than five.

Italy are to compete in Pool D facing Canada, France, Ireland and Romania. The Italians are looking to reach the Quarter Finals for the first time in history after having won two and lost two matches at each of the three most recent World Cups.

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), Joshua Furno (Newcastle), Marco Fuser (Benetton Treviso), Quintin Geldenhuys (Zebre), Mauro Bergamasco (Zebre), Simone Favaro (Glasgow Warriors), 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), Leonardo Sarto (Zebre), Giovanbattista Venditti (Zebre), Andrea Masi (Wasps), Luke McLean (Sale)