Bath star among 8 rookies named in 39-man Italy squad

Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada has announced a preliminary squad of 39 players for a training camp in L’Aquila from 19 to 22 June ahead of their 2024 summer tour.

This will be Italy’s first overseas tour since 2018. Out of the 39 athletes listed, 33 will attend the camp. The training in L’Aquila marks a return to the city for the first time since 2015 and an open training session for the public has been scheduled for 21 June.

The squad includes eight debutants, with five receiving their first call-up: Zebre Parma prop Muhamed Hasa, hooker Giampietro Ribaldi, Castres hooker Loris Zarantonello, Oyonnax flanker David Odiase and Bath full-back Matt Gallagher.

Damian de Allende talks about the plaudits heaped on him by his teammates

Damian de Allende talks about the plaudits heaped on him by his teammates

Gallagher previously played for Saracens and Munster and is moving to URC side Benetton next season.

Giulio Marini, previously unable to join due to injury, is also included. Also returning to the squad are François Mey, Giovanni Montemauri and Jacopo Trulla – with the latter rejoining after two years out.

Injured players Federico Mori, Lorenzo Pani and Dino Lamb are unavailable.

“We have chosen a quality, strong and very balanced squad for this Summer Tour,” said Quesada. “We know the value of our opponents, especially when they play at home: they won’t be easy games.

“This tour comes at the end of a very long season that still sees Benetton Rugby involved in the playoffs in the URC and the TOP14 with Capuozzo and Paolo Garbisi protagonists with their clubs. The squad available will reflect the same principle as the Six Nations where some young players will be included within a proven and experienced group – as in the recent past have been for example Vintcent, Izekor or Lynagh – with the dual objective of being seen for the present and for the future.

“It will be a great opportunity for this group to live an important collective experience – the second of this new cycle – from a human and technical point of view and which is part of the growth path we have set ourselves. I am confident that everyone in the group will use the context to develop our character, strengthen our team identity and improve our rugby specifically in areas where we know we can do even better.”

The team will depart for Auckland on 22 June. Italy will play test matches against Samoa in Apia, Tonga in Nuku’Alofa, and Japan in Sapporo on 5, 12, and 21 July, respectively.

PROPS:
Simone Ferrari – Benetton Rugby
Danilo Fischetti – Zebre Parma
Muhamed Hasa – Zebre Parma
Marco Riccioni – Saracens
Mirco Spagnolo – Benetton Rugby
Giosuè Zilocchi – Benetton Rugby

HOOKERS:
Gianmarco Lucchesi – Benetton Rugby
Giacomo Nicotera – Benetton Rugby
Giampiero Ribaldi – Zebre Parma
Loriz Zarantonello – Castres

LOCKS:
Niccolò Cannone – Benetton Rugby
Riccardo Favretto – Benetton Rugby
Edoardo Iachizzi – Benetton Rugby
Federico Ruzza – Benetton Rugby
Andrea Zambonin – Zebre Parma

BACK ROW:
Lorenzo Cannone – Benetton Rugby
Alessandro Izekor – Benetton Rugby
Michele Lamaro – Benetton Rugby
Giulio Marini – Mogliano Veneto Rugby
Sebastian Negri – Benetton Rugby
David Odiase – Oyonnax
Ross Vintcent – Exeter
Manuel Zuliani – Benetton Rugby

SCRUMHALFS:
Alessandro Garbisi – Benetton Rugby
Martin Page-Relo – Lione
Stephen Varney – Gloucester

FLY-HALFS:
Paolo Garbisi – Toulon
Leonardo Marin – Benetton Rugby
Giovanni Montemauri – Zebre Parma

CENTRES
Juan Ignacio Brex – Benetton Rugby
Tommaso Menoncello – Benetton Rugby
François Mey – Clermont
Marco Zanon – Benetton Rugby

BACK THREE:
Ange Capuozzo – Stade Toulousain
Matt Gallagher – Bath Rugby
Simone Gesi – Zebre Parma
Monty Ioane – Lione
Louis Lynagh – Harlequins
Jacopo Trulla – Zebre Parma