Italy 6 Nations roster named with Brex and Nemer

Argentines Juan Ignacio Brex and Ivan Nemer have been named on Italy’s roster for the 2022 Six Nations. The center and prop both made their test debuts for Italy in 2021. They may add to their respective 8 and 3 test caps in the upcoming European tournament.

Both players play their rugby for Benetton in the United Rugby Championship (URC). Kieran Crowley’s roster is Benetton-heavy; 22 of the 33 players play for the Treviso side. Zebre Parma is notably underrepresented.

Fly half Carlo Canna is notably absent. Crowley has opted for youth instead. His three fly halves are Giacomo de Re, Paolo Garbisi, and Leonardo Marin. Of them only Garbisi is capped. Teenager Leonardo Marin is expected to be in the team.

Six players were not considered die to injuries. They are Riccardo Favretto, Simone Ferrari, Matteo Nocera, Marco Riccioni, Johan Meyer, and Jake Polledri. Another non-selection is Sergio Parisse. The 38-year-old from La Plata, Argentina is expected to be added during the competition.

Michele Lamaro will captain the side at the age of 23 and with just 10 test caps to his name. None of the 33 players have 50 test caps. Hooker Giacomo Nicotera, flankers Toa Halafihi and Manuel Zuliani, fly halves Giacomo de Re and Leonardo Martin, and center Tommaso Menoncello are uncapped.

 

ROSTER – ITALY 2022 SIX NATIONS

PROP
Pietro Ceccarelli (Brive FR, 17 caps)
Danilo Fischetti (Zebre Parma, 15 caps)
Ivan Nemer (Benetton, 3 caps)
Tiziano Pasquali (Benetton, 21 caps)
Cherif Traore’ (Benetton, 12 caps)
Giosuè Zilocchi (Zebre Parma, 15 caps)

HOOKER
Epalahame Faiva (Benetton, 1 cap)
Gianmarco Lucchesi (Benetton, 8 caps)
Giacomo Nicotera (Benetton, uncapped)

SECOND-ROW
Niccolò Cannone (Benetton, 15 caps)
Marco Fuser (Newcastle Falcons UK, 36 caps)
Federico Ruzza (Benetton, 25 caps)
David Sisi (Zebre Parma, 18 caps)

BACK-ROW
Toa Halafihi (Benetton, uncapped)
Michele Lamaro (Benetton, 10 caps)
Sebastian Negri (Benetton, 36 caps)
Giovanni Pettinelli (Benetton, 1 cap)
Braam Steyn (Benetton, 46 caps)
Manuel Zuliani (Benetton, uncapped)

SCRUM HALF
Callum Braley (Benetton, 12 caps)
Alessandro Fusco (Fiamme Oro, 2 caps)
Stephen Varney (Gloucester UK, 9 caps)

FLY HALF
Giacomo de Re (FEMI-CZ Rovigo, uncapped)
Paolo Garbisi (Montpellier FR, 13 caps)
Leonardo Marin (Benetton, uncapped)

CENTER
Juan Ignacio Brex (Benetton, 8 caps)
Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton, uncapped)
Luca Morisi (Benetton, 36 caps)
Marco Zanon (Benetton, 7 caps)

BACK-THREE
Pierre Bruno (Zebre Parma, 1 cap)
Montanna Ioane (Benetton, 9 caps)
Federico Mori (Bordeaux FR, 11 caps)
Edoardo Padovani (Benetton, 30 caps)

 

FIXTURES – ITALY 2022 SIX NATIONS

Feb 06 – France vs Italy (Paris)
Feb 13 – Italy vs England (Rome)
Feb 27 – Ireland vs Italy (Dublin)
Mar 12 – Italy vs Scotland (Rome)
Mar 19 – Wales vs Italy (Cardiff)