SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Italy’s head coach, Gonzalo Quesada, has selected two players for their next two-match series against South Africa.
The Italian team has officially started preparing for their first game against the Springboks on Saturday, July 5, at Loftus Versfeld.
This is the Azzurri’s second match in Africa after they beat Namibia 73-6 last weekend.
The team arrived in Johannesburg on Saturday, June 28, where they will have their first training camp.
Coach Gonzalo Quesada will lead the team in practice on Monday, June 30, Tuesday, July 1, and Thursday, July 3.
Later this week, we will find out the day the Azzurri will head to Pretoria and which team will play against the Springboks there.
Since they are facing the current World Champions, the Italian Rugby coaching staff has invited Pietro Ceccarelli, a prop who has 34 caps, to join the team.
Additionally, centre Damiano Mazza from Zebre might make his debut as he gets his first call-up to the senior national team.
Both players have arrived at Italy’s training center and will practice regularly with their teammates.
Forwards: Pietro Ceccarelli (Perpignan), Simone Ferrari (Benetton), Danilo Fischetti (Zebre), Muhamed Hasa(Zebre), Mirco Spagnolo (Benetton), Tommaso Di Bartolomeo (Zebre), Pablo Dimcheff (Colomiers), Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Français), Matteo Canali (Zebre), Niccolò Cannone (Benetton), Riccardo Favretto (Benetton), Andrea Zambonin (Zebre), Lorenzo Cannone (Benetton), Alessandro Izekor (Benetton), Sebastian Negri (Benetton), David Odiase (Oyonnax), Ross Vintcent (Exeter Chiefs), Manuel Zuliani (Benetton).
Backs: Alessandro Fusco (Zebre), Alessandro Garbisi (Benetton), Stephen Varney (Vannes), Giacomo Da Re (Zebre), Giovanni Montemauri (Zebre), Giulio Bertaccini (Valorugby Emilia), Damiano Mazza (Zebre), Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton), Marco Zanon (Benetton), Mirko Belloni (Rovigo Delta), Simone Gesi (Zebre), Louis Lynach (Benetton), Paolo Odogwu (Benetton), Jacopo Trulla (Zebre).
