A look at Italy’s plan for Springboks
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: It is a fairly young squad that will try to overcome the Springboks when Italy visit South Africa in July.
Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada has included seven uncapped players in his 33-man squad, including the Zebre-bound former Italy U20 captain David Odiase.
The flanker is no stranger to South African shores in the blue of Italy, having led Italy at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Cape Town in 2023.
Prop Muhamed Hasa, hookers Tommaso Di Bartolomeo and Pablo Dimcheff, lock Matteo Canali, flyhalf Giovanni Montemauri and fullback Mirko Belloni are the fellow uncapped players in the squad.
Aside from the uncapped players, the Italian features seven players with less than 10 Test caps, including Paolo Odogwu.
The Benetton star, 28, will be looking to add to his six caps when the Azzurri face Namibia next month after a string of injuries, chiefly a ruptured Achilles in December 2023, has robbed him of the opportunity of impressing Kieran Crowley’s successor.
“The management of the athletes on one side – and the desire to give opportunities to some young players – are the two fundamental aspects that we have taken into account, together with the technical staff, in choosing the squad for the next summer tour,” Quesada said.
“There are players who have had very high minutes in the last two seasons: we have taken into account their recovery and how to best manage the group. This is also an important opportunity for some athletes to compete at this level, as well as a reward for the commitment shown during the season with their performances.
“The staff in the next tour will have the opportunity to work with a group made up of a mix of young and experienced athletes.
“Next season will be very important, the last before the World Cup, because we aim to have a general idea of who we can involve towards the World Cup 2027 and try to increase the depth of the squad we have available.”
Italy squad
Forwards:
Danilo Fischetti, Muhamed Hasa, Marco Riccioni, Mirco Spagnolo, Joshua Zilocchi, Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Pablo Dimcheff, Giacomo Nicotera, Matteo Canali, Niccolò Cannone, Riccardo Favretto, Andrea Zambonin, Lorenzo Cannone, Alessandro Izekor, Sebastian Negri, David Odiase, Ross Vintcent, Manuel Zuliani
Backs:
Alessandro Fusco, Alessandro Garbisi, Stephen Varney, Giacomo Da Re, Giovanni Montemauri, Giulio Bertaccini, Leonardo Marin, Tommaso Menoncello, Federico Mori, Marco Zanon, Mirko Belloni, Simone Gesi, Monty Ioane, Paolo Odogwu, Jacopo Trulla.
