Youthful Emerging Italy side for the Nations Cup

Gianluca Guidi has named his 28-man Emerging Italy roster for the World Rugby Nations Cup. Included are just two players based outside Italy’s domestic Eccellenza in versatile prop Derrick Appiah and dynamic back row forward Sebastian Negri, the only senior international in the squad. Appiah will move to London Scottish following the tournament while Negri has opted to leave England for the Guinness Pro 12 and Benetton Treviso.

Italian age-grade captains Paolo Buonfiglio, Davide Fragnito, Maicol Azzolini, and Filippo Buscema are all included with almost all of the group having previously represented Italy at the World Rugby u20 Championship. Ezzellenza champions Calvisano contribute six players including grand final man-of-the-match Matteo Minozzi whose outstanding season has earned him a contract with Zebre in the Pro 12 next season where he will be joined by Azzolini and a pair of forwards in second row Leonard Krumov and flanker Renato Giammarioli.

FORWARDS
Derrick Appiah (Worcester Warriors, UK), Paolo Buonfiglio (Mogliano), George Iacob (Rovigo), Roberto Tenga (Fiamme Oro), Niccolò Zago (Petrarca Padova), Adriano Daniele (Lyons Piacenza), Engjel Makelara (Petrarca Padova), Davide Fragnito (Fiamme Oro), Leonard Krumov (Viadana), Samuele Ortis (Rovigo), Mirko Amenta (Fiamme Oro), Matteo Corazzi (Mogliano), Renato Giammarioli (Calvisano), Riccardo Michieletto (Petrarca Padova), Sebastian Negri (Hartpury, UK)

BACKS
Pietro Gregorio (Viadana), Simone Marinaro (Fiamme Oro), Maicol Azzolini (Fiamme Oro), Filippo Buscema (Fiamme Oro), Giacomo De Santis (Calvisano), Matteo Gabbianelli (Viadana), Enrico Lucchin (Calvisano), Gabriele Manganiello (Viadana), Andrea Bettin (Petrarca Padova), Pierre Bruno (Calvisano), Marco Susio (Calvisano), Leonardo Mantelli (Rovigo), Matteo Minozzi (Calvisano)