McKinley named in Italy squad

Editor

Former Leinster and current Treviso number ten Ian McKinley has been named in Italy's training squad ahead of their June Tests.

McKinley, who lost his left eye back in 2010, has rebuilt his career in Italy and plays wearing specially approved goggles.

The Irishman has been named as one of three fly-halves in Conor O'Shea squad ahead of Italy's June matches against Scotland, Fiji and Australia.

O'Shea has selected 44 players, with Tiziano Pasquali, Federico Zani, Luca Bigi, Luhandre Luus, Dean Budd, Marco Lazzaroni, Giovanni Pettinelli and Matteo Minozzi the other uncapped players.

The group will be narrowed down to 31 players on May 9 following the end of the regular PRO12 season.

Italy training squad

Forwards: Pietro Ceccarelli (Zebre), Dario Chistolini (Zebre), Andrea Lovotti (Zebre), Simone Ferrari (Treviso), Sami Panico (Calvisano), Tiziano Pasquali (Treviso), Federico Zani (Treviso), Luca Bigi (Treviso), Tommaso D'apice (Zebre), Ornel Gega (Treviso), Luhandre Luus (Calvisano), Oliviero Fabiani (Zebre), George Fabio Biagi (Zebre), Dean Budd (Treviso), Joshua Furno (Zebre), Marco Fuser (Treviso), Federico Ruzza (Zebre), Andries Van Schalkwyk (Zebre), Robert Julian Barbieri (Treviso), Marco Lazzaroni (Treviso), Maxime Mbanda' (Zebre), Francesco Minto (Treviso), Sebastian Negri Da Oleggio (Hartbury RFC), Giovanni Pettinelli (Calvisano), Abraham Jurgen Steyn (Treviso)

Backs: Giorgio Bronzini (Treviso), Edoardo Gori (Treviso), Tito Tebaldi (Treviso), Marcello Violi (Zebre), Tommaso Allan (Treviso), Carlo Canna (Zebre), Ian McKinley (Treviso), Tommaso Benvenuti (Treviso), Tommaso Boni (Zebre), Michele Campagnaro (Exeter Chiefs), Tommaso Castello (Zebre), Mattia Bellini (Zebre), Giulio Bisegni (Zebre), Angelo Esposito (Treviso), Leonardo Sarto (Glasgow Warriors), Giovanbattista Venditti (Zebre), Matteo Minozzi (Calvisano), Edoardo Padovani (Zebre), Luca Sperandio (Treviso)