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Italy name six uncapped players in a 33-strong Six Nations squad

13 Jan 2022

(Photo by PA)

Former All Blacks full-back Kieran Crowley has named a 33-strong Italy squad for his first Guinness Six Nations in charge of the Azzurri, a selection that includes six uncapped players. Having been in charge for five seasons at Benetton, it is no surprise that the Kiwi has leaned heavily on that franchise as his old club provides 23 players.

Of the other ten, six hail from Zebre, the other Italian franchise, with just four players included who currently ply their trade with clubs outside the country – Top 14 trio Pietro Ceccarelli (Brive), Paolo Garbisi (Montpellier) and Federico Mori (Bordeaux), and Stephen Varney from Gloucester in the Gallagher Premiership.

Looking at the newcomers, an intriguing pick is Crowley’s fellow countryman Toa Halafihi. The 28-year-old New Zealander back row came through the ranks at Taranaki before a one-season stay was followed by a switch to Benetton where he has gone on to qualify for Italy under the residency rules and has impressed this season with his defence.

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It was rumoured last month that veteran Sergio Parisse could be in long for one last hurrah as he had just returned at Toulon after injury. Having been denied a World Cup send-off versus the All Blacks due to the October 2019 match getting cancelled due to a typhoon, the 38-year-old recently revealed he had been talking with Crowley about a possible return but that has not materialised.

Italy suffered defeats to the All Blacks and Argentina in the opening Autumn Nations series matches but they signed off with a win over Uruguay and Crowley now wants to build on that success in a Six Nations that gets underway with a February 6 trip to France that will be followed by the February 13 visit by England to Rome.

The legendary Parisse is back fit at Toulon and has held talks with new Italy boss Crowley 😲#Italy #SixNations #Toulon
https://t.co/zSSp2mWc5p
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 14, 2021

“Let’s start again from the victory against Uruguay,” said Crowley. “We have five important matches ahead of us in a tournament that represents a moment of the season that all rugby professionals and fans look forward to with great interest.

“We will continue our path of strengthening the team identity by trying to improve the mechanisms in our game, especially in the first part of the Verona camp which will be fundamental in preparation for the debut at the Six Nations against France.”

ITALY SIX NATIONS SQUAD 2022
PROP (6)
Pietro CECCARELLI (Brive, 17 caps)
Danilo FISCHETTI (Zebre Parma, 15 caps)
Ivan NEMER (Benetton Rugby, 3 caps)
Tiziano PASQUALI (Benetton Rugby, 21 caps)
Cherif TRAORE (Benetton Rugby, 12 caps)
Giosuè ZILOCCHI (Zebre Parma, 15 caps)

HOOKER (3)
Epalahame FAIVA (Benetton Rugby, 1 cap)
Gianmarco LUCCHESI (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)
Giacomo NICOTERA (Benetton Rugby, uncapped)

SECOND ROW (4)
Niccolò CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 15 caps)
Marco FUSER (Newcastle Falcons, 36 caps)
Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 25 caps)
David SISI (Zebre Parma, 18 caps)

BACK ROW (6)
Toa HALAFIHI (Benetton Rugby, uncapped)
Michele LAMARO (Benetton Rugby, 10 caps) – captain
Sebastian NEGRI (Benetton Rugby, 36 caps)
Giovanni PETTINELLI (Benetton Rugby, 1 cap)
Braam STEYN (Benetton Rugby, 46 caps)
Manuel ZULIANI (Benetton Rugby, uncapped)

SCRUM-HALF (3)
Callum BRALEY (Benetton Rugby, 12 caps)
Alessandro FUSCO (Fiamme Oro Rugby/Zebre Parma, 2 caps)
Stephen VARNEY (Gloucester Rugby, 9 caps)

OUT-HALF (3)
Giacomo DA RE (FEMI-CZ Rovigo/Benetton Rugby, uncaped)
Paolo GARBISI (Montpellier, 13 caps)
Leonardo MARIN (Benetton Rugby, uncapped)

CENTRE (3)
Juan Ignacio BREX (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)
Luca MORISI (Benetton Rugby, 36 caps)
Marco ZANON (Benetton Rugby, 7 caps)

BACK THREE (5)
Pierre BRUNO (Zebre Parma, 1 cap)
Montanna IOANE (Benetton Rugby, 9 caps)
Tommaso MENONCELLO (Benetton Rugby, uncapped)
Federico MORI (Bordeaux, 11 caps)
Edoardo PADOVANI (Benetton Rugby, 30 caps)

Not considered because of injury: Riccardo Favretto (Benetton Rugby) Simone Ferrari (Benetton Rugby), Johan Meyer (Zebre Parma), Matteo Nocera (Fiamme Oro Rugby/Zebre Parma) Jake Polledri (Gloucester), Marco Riccioni (Saracens)

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Comments on RugbyPass

LE 4 minutes ago

Six Nations column: Maud's Tours, family reunion, and a solid start

I thought you were very unlucky not to get player of the match against Italy it was an excellent performance where you were involved in all the good things England were doing. Didn’t realise you had taken on the lineout calls but that only adds to my opinion that you should have been PotM.

Keep up the good work Rosie

1 Go to comments

J Marc 6 minutes ago

Andy Farrell answers burning Owen Farrell Lions question

Average is a kind understatement….

But if Farrell father is seeking for a player who will not be tired in july, it's the good choice…

4 Go to comments

J Marc 9 minutes ago

Andy Farrell answers burning Owen Farrell Lions question

Courtney Lawes is doing a good job for Brive, but yes it's ProD2.

4 Go to comments

BC 16 minutes ago

How centurion Sara Barattin helped propel Italy to new heights

It’s fascinating how all 6N teams think they are really improving. It is making for some great matches. Barattin has been a great servant and role model through thick and thin during her career.

2 Go to comments

BC 23 minutes ago

How John Mitchell is giving Red Roses a purpose in 2025

Yes, I’ve read those plaudits too and along with many others who have also commented on various sites cannot understand it. She played ok but seems to have become the darling of the media perhaps because she is a good player who would be picked in most teams but is down the pecking order for the Red Roses. Sing would be much easier to shut down than EK due to her lesser speed. My understudy for EK is Helena Rowland, very talented and as quick as Dow, and after that Dow herself. Perhaps though Rowland will have nailed down another starting position by RWC. She can play 12, 13 and 15 with equal aplomb and would do so at 10 given a run of matches. I cannot see the logic for breaking up the best back 3 in the world to accommodate a good kicker but lesser all round player. I can understand having to make a tough choice between MacDonald and Breach but EK’s potency would be much reduced if put out on the wing. Still we are all entitled to our opinion and we can agree to differ. I just want the very best as I see it for the Red Roses and although Sing wouldn’t let them down there are better options. I have faith in Mitchell now (after being a sceptic) to make the right calls.

3 Go to comments

MS 36 minutes ago

Andy Farrell answers burning Owen Farrell Lions question

I can understand negotiations for Kinghorn, White, and Ribbans. All three are playing very, very well at the current time. Kinghorn has been a leading contended for some time now; Ribbans looks as powerful as he’s ever been; while on the evidence of the most recent Six Nations, White benches behind JGP at Scrumhalf.

However, noone in their right mind should be considering Kyle Sinckler, Courtney Lawes, nor Owen Farrell. Sinckler looks unfit and can barely move around the field with any great urgency. He would be a liability on tour to Australia. Lawes is clearly ‘enjoying life’ in ProD2, and his rugby looks every bit second tier level now.

As for Farrell, not only has he been plagued by poor form and injury since moving to Racing, even the much vaunted ‘kicking record’ has long since been debunked as a USP with a percentage that simply does not stand up to scrutiny. That leaves only the intangible (desperate…) claim he would add ‘leadership’, which in a Lions squad resplendent with talent and international caps is I’m afraid, much like Farrell, a complete non-starter.

Willis is the elephant in the room…a leader and standout option for one of the best club teams in the World. Yet still a relative unknown at Test Match level. I could well see him being included on the tour - and it would prove quite the headache for the RFU if he delivers. But Back Row is so competitive across all three positions, and with genuine World Class talent there too. I’m just not sure the Lions need him.

4 Go to comments

CV 40 minutes ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Football always had ‘detached’ leagues. So do most other sports. Unions or federations never dictated who plays and how often like in NZ. Would be unheard of. You need independent clubs that really compete with each other in NZ but that would never happen because NZR would have to relinquish control over players. Rugby’s model is an exception in professional sport, not the rule.

SA in the 6N? Never. Most want promotion/relegation to the REC and many want to keep it as it is. Much better for the game here when countries can finally get into the 6N. It will lead to more investment in REC nations because they can finally get ahead. Tier 1 nations do very little to grow the game outside their countries.

SA should grow the game in Africa. Plenty of potential there.

95 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 2 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Touring NZ is a golden opportunity for every one of the French players that take the field to nail themselves into the squad. What better opportunity is there than to stand out for all the right reasons than a Test match in NZ? Any that manage to achieve that will only enhance the pool of talent available for ‘27.

95 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 2 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

NZR knew exactly when the Top14 final was when they signed the tour contract.

95 Go to comments

CN 2 hours ago

How centurion Sara Barattin helped propel Italy to new heights

Lovely, lovely player. At her peak she was dynamic and difficult and always played with a smile. You got the feeling that as well as her teammates the opposition also respected her.

2 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 2 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Partially correct. NZ needs to get on with being the lead in developing the Pacific 6N and monetising Japan - and developing their competitiveness. That will enable all the financial support you mention.

As for France, it’s not about “caring”, it’s about money and the club owners provide their money to drive their club agenda. Period. French rugby is a beast and your JIFF point is well made but SA is a beast also that’s now awake and England is a sleeping beast that is financially stricken. SA will make up a 7N and that will drive all 3 to new levels. The Irish, Scottish and welsh clubs are all union owned and will continue to struggle keeping up but the 7N revenue boost will help, as the SA involvement in the URC is doing currently.

EPL is entirely different, football has followed its own path in allowing the league to detach and is an extreme example of what happens when the clubs are allowed to call the shots across the board. Not a path that rugby will follow fortunately.

95 Go to comments

CN 2 hours ago

How John Mitchell is giving Red Roses a purpose in 2025

I’m not sure many agree with you on this one, Rugby Pass made her their player of the match last week and the comments on the BBC website, although mixed, were lauding her attributes. Her running lines are really good and incisive, very good passing range and her defence is better than ok. I do like her as an option and she would probably go to the RWC as a specialist FB and understudy. EK struggled against Canada at WXV because they doubled up on her every time and took away her space, why not give teams something different to defend?

3 Go to comments

DH 2 hours ago

Andy Farrell answers burning Owen Farrell Lions question

Kinghorn and Willis should join after the Top14 final. O Farrell has been average all year and RC92 wants rid of him, he has no pace and is too dominant a character (like Ford) without the skills to back it up. Take the two Finns and Blair Kinghorn and all will be good.

4 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 2 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Started well but wobbled when you mentioned Irish club money (it’s all union owned with state help) and lost it completely talking about offshore accounts.

That said, NZ have been phenomenally good at what they’ve done but it’s become a lot more difficult to be out in front and that isn’t going to change for them. They need to focus on the pacific 6N and monetise Japan but SA are the powerhouse and will stay that way when they monetise their certain involvement in a 7N comp, which will also boost English and French resources!

95 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 2 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

No I don’t. Point me to any discontent from the French about this? Sure the players have understandably said they’d love to go but that’s the sum total of it on the NH side. Everyone understands the decision making dynamic and the factors driving it. As you’ve already conceded above, NZR were also aware of exactly what was coming.

95 Go to comments

BC 2 hours ago

Morgane Bourgeois’ Women's Six Nations notebook: The first edition

Interesting comment from Pauline Bourdon that France would have lost that match at WXV1. Does that mean that France have recovered their mojo and are once again potential worldbeaters?

1 Go to comments

Ed the Duck 2 hours ago

'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

Cooperation would be an interesting description of that relationship, the power sits with the money and that’s the club owners.