Conor O'Shea names 34-man Italy training squad
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Italy coach Conor O'Shea has named a 34-man training squad that come together in Rome on 21 January in preparation for the 2018 6 Nations.
The Azzurri meet for the first time in less than two months following their match against South Africa in November 2017 triptych, to prepare for their opening 6 Nations match against England in February.
O'Shea has included flanker RC Maxime Manda, second rower George Biagi and flyhalf Tommaso Allan, who were all ruled out of the November tests through injury.
22-year-old Jake Polledri has earned his first call up following some impressive performances with Gloucester, while the two uncapped Benetton props in Marco Riccioni and Cherif Traorè were also included in the three-day training camp.
Props
Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)
Andrea LOVOTTI (Zebre Rugby Club, 20 caps)*
Tiziano PASQUALI (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)
Nicola QUAGLIO (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)*
Hookers
Luca BIGI (Benetton Rugby, 6 caps)
Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Stade Toulousain, 89 caps)
Oliviero FABIANI (Zebre Rugby Club, 4 caps)
Locks
George BIAGI (Zebre Rugby Club, 19 caps)
Dean BUDD (Benetton Rugby, 6 caps)
Marco FUSER (Benetton Rugby, 27 caps)*
Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 3 caps)*
Alessandro ZANNI (Benetton Rugby, 99 caps)
Loose forwards
Renato GIAMMARIOLI (Zebre Rugby Club, 1 cap)*
Giovanni LICATA (Fiamme Oro Rugby, 3 caps)*
Maxime Mata MBANDA’ (Zebre Rugby Club, 11 caps)*
Sebastian NEGRI DA OLEGGIO (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)
Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais, 129 caps) – capitano
Jake POLLEDRI (Gloucester Rugby, esordiente)
Abraham STEYN (Benetton Rugby, 17 caps)
Scrumhalves
Edoardo GORI (Benetton Rugby, 65 caps)*
Tito TEBALDI (Benetton Rugby, 23 caps)
Marcello VIOLI (Zebre Rugby Club, 8 caps)*
Flyhalves
Tommaso ALLAN (Benetton Rugby, 33 caps)
Carlo CANNA (Zebre Rugby Club, 25 caps)
Ian MCKINLEY (Benetton Rugby, 3 caps)
Centres & Outside backs
Mattia BELLINI (Zebre Rugby Club, 8 caps)*
Tommaso BENVENUTI (Benetton Rugby, 45 caps)*
Giulio BISEGNI (Zebre Rugby Club, 7 caps)
Tommaso BONI (Zebre Rugby Club, 8 caps)*
Tommaso CASTELLO (Zebre Rugby Club, 5 caps)
Jayden HAYWARD (Benetton Rugby, 3 caps)
Matteo MINOZZI (Zebre Rugby Club, 3 caps)*
Edoardo PADOVANI (Zebre Rugby Club, 14 caps)*
Leonardo SARTO (Glasgow Warriors, 34 caps)*
Apprentice players
Marco RICCIONI (Benetton Rugby, esordiente)* - pilone
Cherif TRAORE (Benetton Rugby, esordiente)* - pilone
Unavaliable players: Michele CAMPAGNARO (Exeter Chiefs)*, Angelo ESPOSITO (Benetton Rugby)*, Ornel GEGA (Benetton Rugby), Federico ZANI (Benetton Rugby)
