Rugby
Italy Six Nations squad named
2013-01-10 14:21
Rome - Flank Paul Derbyshire, centre
Gonzalo Garcia and fullback Paolo Buso have been recalled to the Italy
squad for their first two Six Nations championship games against France
and Scotland next month.
Coach Jacques Brunel has otherwise stuck
with the squad which beat Tonga in November before spirited displays in
defeats by New Zealand and Australia.
Derbyshire won the last of
his 16 caps under former coach Nick Mallett in October 2011, the same
month Garcia last wore the Azzurri colours.
Zebre's Buso, 26, has only played 40 minutes for Italy at the 2008 Six Nations.
Winger and place kicker Mirco Bergamacso is missing through long-term injury along with former captain Marco Bortolami.
Italy, who finished fifth in last year's Six Nations after beating
bottom side Scotland, host Brunel's French compatriots at Rome's Stadio
Olimpico on Feb.3 before heading to Murrayfield to face the Scots the
following Saturday.
SquadBacks: Tommaso Benvenuti, Tobias Botes, Kristopher Burton, Paolo Buso, Gonzalo Canale, Gonzalo Garcia, Edoardo Gori, Tommaso Iannone, Andrea Masi, Luke McLean, Luciano Orquera, Alberto Sgarbi, Giovanbattista Venditti
Forwards: Roberto Barbieri, Martin Castrogiovanni, Lorenzo Cittadini, Alberto De Marchi, Paul Derbyshire, Simone Favaro, Joshua Furno, Quintin Geldenhuys, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Davide Giazzon, Andrea Lo Cicero, Francesco Minto, Sergio Parisse, Antonio Pavanello, Michele Rizzo, Ratu Manoa Vosawai, Alessandro Zanni