Italian 6Nations Squad

[munross]

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Italy's South African coach Nick Mallett on Monday named a 30-man squad for a final training camp ahead of the Six Nations tournament in February and March.

Mallett has shaken things up following the disappointing November internationals in which his team lost all three home tests against Australia, Argentina and Pacific Islanders.

He has brought in six Italy-based uncapped players while leaving out experienced Metro Racing prop Andrea Lo Cicero.

Third-rower Simone Favaro (Rovigo), lock Jean-Francois Montauriol (Venezia), winger Andrea Bacchetti (Rovigo), full-back Tommaso Benvenuti (Treviso), centre Gilberto Pavan (Overmach Parma) and fly-half Giulio Rubini (Overmach Parma) will get the chance to train with their country's finest including Stade Francais pair Sergio Parisse and Mauro Bergamasco.

Welcomed back to the fold are also prop Martin Castrogiovanni of Leicester Tigers and Toulon lock Santiago Dellape who were both injured at the end of last year and missed the November internationals.

The training camp will take place on the outskirts of Rome from January 25-29 before Mallett reduces the group to 24 players ahead of the beginning of tournament preparation on February 1.

Italy begin their Six Nations campaign against England at Twickenham on February 7.

They finished bottom of the pile last season for the seventh time in 10 years despite Andrea Marcato's last gasp drop goal giving them a morale-boosting victory over Scotland in their final match.

Squad:

Forwards (16):

Matias Aguero (Saracens/ENG), Mauro Bergamasco (Stade Francais/FRA), Marco Bortolami (Gloucester/ENG), Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester/ENG), Carlo Antonio Del Fava (Ulster/IRL), Santiago Dellape (Toulon/FRA), Simone Favaro (Rovigo), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Calvisano), Jean-Francois Montauriol (Venezia), Carlos Nieto (Gloucester/ENG), Fabio Ongaro (Saracens/ENG), Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais/FRA), Salvatore Perugini (Toulouse/FRA), Tommaso Reato (Rovigo), Josh Sole (Viadana), Alessandro Zanni (Calvisano)

Backs (14):

Andrea Bacchetti (Rovigo), Tommaso Benvenuti (Treviso), Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Francais/FRA), Gonzalo Canale (Clermont/FRA), Pablo Canavosio (Viadana), Gonzalo Garcia (Calvisano), Andrea Marcato (Treviso), Andrea Masi (Biarritz/FRA), Luke McLean (Calvisano), Gilberto Pavan (Overmach Parma), Matteo Pratichetti (Calvisano), Kaine Robertson (Viadana), Giulio Rubini (Overmach Parma), Giulio Toniolatti (Capitolina Roma).[/b]

Sapa-AFP - Rugbyweek.com

Very surprised that Mallet didn't pick Lo Cicero for the 6Nations

 

[shazbooger]

Its funny (funny weird, not funny haha) when you see the names listed down there. They have some seriously impressive talent in certain positions. God help us when they sort out a decent 9-10 combination.

 

[Nidhogg]

To all italians, I have a few question:

Who the hell are:

Matias Aguero
Simone Favaro
Jean-Francois Montauriol
Tommaso Reato
Alessandro Zanni

Andrea Bacchetti
Tommaso Benvenuti
Gonzalo Garcia
Luke McLean
Gilberto Pavan
Giulio Rubini
Giulio Toniolatti

Because I've honestly never heard of them in my life

 

[munross]

When last did you watch Italian rugby because Matias Aguero, Tommaso Reato, Alessandro Zanni, Gonzalo Garcia, Luke McLean have all been around for a while now (I know cause of my roster editing )

but yeah all the others are all very new uncapped players

 

[Nidhogg]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Intercept King JdV @ Jan 21 2009, 08:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

When last did you watch Italian rugby because Matias Aguero, Tommaso Reato, Alessandro Zanni, Gonzalo Garcia, Luke McLean have all been around for a while now (I know cause of my roster editing )

but yeah all the others are all very new uncapped players[/b]

I've seen some of them appear in Rugby 08, but I can't remember having ever seen any of them play in the flesh, so I have no idea what they are really like.

 

[Fa'atau82]

Perhaps Mick Mallett doesn't rate France D2. Just a thought.

 

[munross]

Yeah maybe true, can't think why Andrea Lo Cicero plays for a D2 team?maybe its because he's nearing retirement...??

 

[munross]

Found this too:

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Metro Racing prop Andrea Lo Cicero blasted Italian rugby bosses after he was ommitted from a 30-man squad named on Monday for a pre-Six Nations training camp.

South African coach Nick Mallett brought in six Italy-based uncapped players while leaving out the experienced 32-year-old Sicilian.

Lo Cicero is the only Italian player to have played in the Six Nations from Italy's first participation in 2000.

"After 11 years in the national team and 10 playing in the Six Nations, I would have expected at least a phone call," he moaned.

"Instead, I got nothing and I've been left out of the squad without even an explanation.

"I feel hurt and now I want to talk to the (Italian Rugby) president (Giancarlo) Dondi.

"I found out from journalists and not from someone from the federation that I'd been left out of the squad and I'm disgusted.

"I've given 11 years to the national team and I expected different treatment because I thought I'd built up a certain rapport.

"I love the national team and I would play for free.

"And given that I've been left out for technical reasons I just can't understand why neither team manager (Carlo) Checchinato nor anyone from the management side has come to see me play at Racing, who are top of the league (the French second division).

"No-one ever telephoned me, not even when I was injured to find out how I was."[/b]

www.rugbyweek.com

That is very harsh on Lo Cicero!has played 11 years for his county and this is the thanks he gets, all I can say is that Mallet and his coaching staff are a bunch of ***** for doing that

 

[danit]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nidhogg @ Jan 21 2009, 07:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

To all italians, I have a few question:

Who the hell are:

Matias Aguero[/b]

kiddin' me? actually one on the best prop in the premiership, playing for Saracens, argentinian born

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Simone Favaro[/b]

a 20 years old flanker, a real shining talent, playing for Rovigo

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Jean-Francois Montauriol[/b]

former player of Stade Toulousaine, actually playing an excellent season in Venice, italian heritage (his mother is italian), really not international level I think he won't be in the restricted 24 players group

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Tommaso Reato[/b]

Rovigo lock, 24 years old, 6 caps for Italy

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Alessandro Zanni[/b]

one of the best italian backrow, imo he should be a starter before Josh Sole, 24 yrs and 26 caps

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Andrea Bacchetti[/b]

Rovigo winger, young (20) and talented player, he's playing very well actually, he deserves an opportunity with the national team

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Tommaso Benvenuti[/b]

a real surprise, a very very young player (17) form the national academy and Treviso, never played in Super10 yet, guess NM picked him just to check him personally, for sure he won't be retained in the final squad

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Gonzalo Garcia[/b]

center, playing for Calvisano, argentinian born, impressed in last summer tour vs Southafrica but played less than average the autumn tests, not a player for the international level imo

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Luke McLean[/b]

fullback, playing for Calvisano, australian born - italian mother, 21 years old, had already been selected for junior australian national team

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Gilberto Pavan ... Giulio Rubini ... Giulio Toniolatti[/b]

3 talented youngsters - , Pavan is 22, center playing for Parma, Rubini 21 halfback playing in Parma too, Toniolatti is a scrumhalf not anymore so young (25) but he's playing a pretty good season in Rome

 

[Nidhogg]

Thanks for your explanation!

I now realize I actually did know Zanni and Aguero, but otherwise it's seems a like a very young team, which can only be good. Here's to hoping Mallet leaves out players like McLean and Sole, and plays real italians in their position, unless they are streets ahead of their italian counterparts, which, going by your post, I can't imagine.

 

[stormmaster1]

So 9 and 10 then? Given that the pack can go toe to toe with any in the 6nations on its day, if they get a pair of half backs with any sort of control then they got a real chance of upsetting a few sides. A try scoring pacey winger would be useful too.

 

[Prestwick]

Nick Mallet has mooted the possibility of Mauro Bergamasco playing at nine as a last resort of sorts.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7856519.stm

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"I think you need more physicality at scrum-half. I'm not sure we'll introduce Mauro in the Six Nations, but we've been working with him on it."[/b]

He's opted for physical scrum-half who also dabbles in being an incompetent jerk at number nine.

So, thats Mike Phillips' days numbered then! Then again, we already knew that!

 

[An Tarbh]

yeah read about this earlier, could make Mallet look like a complete gimp if he tries it and fails spectacularly.

 

[Prestwick]

Could the man be talking a little tongue in cheek, he name dropped another out and out scum-half but then went off on a tangent about Bergamasco?

He couldn't honestly be thinking about starting with in for the Six Nations?

 

[danit]

it's just a joke...

 

[danit]

a few changes in the squad Mallet picked today

props
Martin CASTROGIOVANNI (Leicester Tigers, 54 caps)
Carlos NIETO (Gloucester RFC, 31 caps)
Salvatore PERUGINI (Stade Toulousain, 55 caps)
Ignacio ROUYET (Viadana, 2 caps)

hookers
Carlo FESTUCCIA (Racing Metro Paris, 45 caps)
Fabio ONGARO (Saracens, 59 caps)

locks
Marco BORTOLAMI (Gloucester RFC, 70 caps)
Carlo Antonio DEL FAVA (Ulster Branch, 33 caps)
Santiago DELLAPE’ (Toulon RC, 52 caps)
Tommaso REATO (Rovigo, 6 caps)

backrow
Mauro BERGAMASCO (Stade Francais, 65 caps)
Simone FAVARO (Rovigo, uncapped)
Jean Francois MONTAURIOL (Venezia, uncapped)
Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais, 57 caps)
Josh SOLE (Viadana, 33 caps)
Alessandro ZANNI (Calvisano, 26 caps)

scrumhalf
Pablo CANAVOSIO (Viadana, 22 caps)
Giulio TONIOLATTI (Capitolina Roma, 1 cap)

flyhalf
Andrea MARCATO (Treviso, 12 caps)

backs
Andrea BACCHETTI (Rovigo, uncapped, wing)
Gilberto PAVAN (O. Parma, uncapped, centre/wing)
Mirco BERGAMASCO (Stade Francais, 56 caps, centre/wing)
Gonzalo CANALE (Clermont Auvergne, 42 caps, centre)
Gonzalo GARCIA (Calvisano, 5 caps, centre)
Andrea MASI (Biarritz Olympique, 44 caps, centre/fullback)
Luke MCLEAN (Calvisano, 3 caps, fullback)
Matteo PRATICHETTI (Calvisano, 12 caps, centre/wing)
Roberto QUARTAROLI (O. Parma, uncapped, centre)
Kaine ROBERTSON (Viadana, 35 caps, wing)
Giulio RUBINI (O. Parma, uncapped, fullback)

group will be reduced to 24 players on feb. 3rd

 

[Prestwick]

You see, I've seen Canavosio play and he is a very good scrum half. A kind of Italian Danny Care without the tendency to take about twelve steps before passing.

Oh, also, my Italy vs France tickets arrived today. A weekend of Sun, Italian wine/beer and Rugby await me at the lush Stadio Flaminio...