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Zebre captain Tommaso Castello has officially been ruled out of Rugby World Cup 2019. The 18-time capped Italian center suffered a fractured fibula while playing against England in the Six Nations Championship and will be unable to complete his recovery in time to participate in the warm-up phase or the tournament itself.
Italy are to play in Pool B of RWC 2019 where they will take-on Canada, Namibia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Castello had been expected to feature heavily in the campaign but will now need to be replaced.
Castello was one of five centers involved in Italy’s preliminary roster for RWC 2019. The others are Giulio Bisegni (Zebre), Michelle Campagnaro (Harlequins, UK), Luca Morisi (Benetton), and Marco Zanon (Benetton).
Of them Campagnaro, and Morisi have more caps than Castello with 42, and 25 respectively. Zanon has made just one prior test match appearance. It came earlier this year in a mid-field combination with Morisi against France.
Castello also played in the Six Nations Championship. The injury which has ultimately seen him unfit for RWC 2019 was picked-up in Italy’s match against England. In that match Campagnaro, and Morisi were the starting centers.
Italy is yet to name a replacement on the roster for Castello. Among the options is Argentine Juan Ignacio Brex. Earlier this month Brex qualified for Italy by using the Olympic loop hole. Having done so he is no longer eligible for his native Argentina.
Brex graduated from Los Pumitas u20s initially to the Pampas XV in the Vodacom Cup, and then to Los Pumas 7’s and the Argentina XV. Having missed out on a contract with Los Jaguares he moved to Italy to firstly play for Viadana in 2015. He subsequently move dot Pro 14 side Benetton Treviso.
