Mallett announces youthful squad
Italy coach Nick Mallett has named an inexperienced 24-man squad for the June tour to South Africa and Argentina, it was announced on Monday.
Italy coach Nick Mallett has named an inexperienced 24-man squad for the June tour to South Africa and Argentina, it was announced on Monday.
The Azzurri will face the World Cup-winning Springboks in Cape Town on June 21 before flying out to face Argentina in Cordoba a week later.
However, South African Mallett has left out such star names as captain Sergio Parisse, former skipper Marco Bortolami and Mauro and Mirco Bergamasco for the daunting Test matches.
Other names not on the touring list were injured Leicester prop Martin Castrogiovanni and fellow front-rowers Andrea Lo Cicero and Salvatore Perugini with Mallett handing opportunities to several youngsters.
“It's an extremely difficult tour, there's no point denying it, but our objectives are nevertheless very clear,” said Mallett, who has appointed Leonardo Ghiraldini as tour captain.
“We have to do without at least eight or nine first-choice players who are either injured or still involved with their clubs so we will take advantage of this international window to experiment.
“We will evaluate some young players and give them the opportunity to test themselves against two of the best sides in the world.
“If, when we return to Rome, we have found one or two players who can hack it on the international stage in the Italy jersey, particularly in the backs, we can consider the tour a success.”
Italy squad for South Africa and Argentina Tests:
Forwards: Matias Aguero (Saracens), Roberto Barbieri (Treviso), Lorenzo Cittadini (Calvisano), Salvatore Costanzo (Treviso), Carlo Antonio Del Fava (Ulster), Santiago Dellape (Biarritz), Jaco Erasmus (Viadana), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Calvisano), Carlos Nieto (Gloucester), Fabio Ongaro (Saracens), Tommaso Reato (Rovigo), Josh Sole (Viadana), Alessandro Zanni (Calvisano).
Backs: Pablo Canavosio (Castres), Gonzalo Garcia (Calvisano), Andrea Marcato (Treviso), Andrea Masi (Biarritz), Luke McLean (Calvisano), Ludovico Maria Nitoglia (Calvisano), Enrico Patrizio (Padova), Riccardo Pavan (Overmach Parma), Simon Picone (Treviso), Matteo Pratichetti (Calvisano), Kaine Robertson (Viadana).