Italy add five to prepare for Uruguay test

Kieran Crowley has called up five players from Italy ‘A’ to his senior squad as they prepare for this weekend’s test against Uruguay. The Azzurri were well beaten by Argentina in Treviso on Saturday and are looking to rebound at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in Parma.

World Cup loose forward Braam Steyn has earned an immediate recall along with loosehead prop Cherif Traoré. Also added are three uncapped players in flyhalf Leonardo Marin and wingers Pierre Bruno and Iliesa Ratuva Tavuyara. The latter originally hails from Fiji and qualifies for Italy on residency.

Former New Zealand u20 hooker Hame Faiva could also make his test debut against Los Teros. The 27-year-old signed for Benetton in 2017. Former Argentina representatives Ivan Nemer and Juan Ignacio Brex continue in the squad. Nemer, 23, earned his first cap against New Zealand earlier this month.

PROP
Pietro Ceccarelli (Brive, FR) – 16 caps
Danilo Fischetti (Zebre) – 14 caps
Andrea Lovotti (Zebre) – 47 caps
Ivan Nemer (Benetton) – 2 caps
Marco Riccioni (Saracens, UK)  – 17 caps
Cherif Traoré (Benetton) – 11 caps

HOOKER
Luca Bigi (Zebre) – 39 caps
Hame Faiva (Benetton)  – uncapped
Gianmarco Lucchesi (Benetton) – 8 caps

SECOND ROW
Niccolò Cannone (Benetton) – 15 caps
Marco Fuser (Newcastle Falcons, UK) – 35 caps
Federico Ruzza (Benetton) – 24 caps
David Sisi (Zebre) – 17 caps

BACK ROW
Renato Giammarioli (Zebre) – 5 caps
Michele Lamaro (capt., Benetton) – 9 caps
Giovanni Licata (Zebre) – 12 caps
Sebastian Negri (Benetton) – 35 caps
Giovanni Pettinelli (Benetton) – 1 cap
Braam Steyn (Benetton) – 45 caps

SCRUMHALF
Callum Braley (Benetton) – 11 caps
Alessandro Fusco (Zebre) – 1 cap
Stephen Varney (Gloucester, UK) – 9 caps

FLYHALF
Carlo Canna (Zebre) – 53 caps
Paolo Garbisi (Montpellier, FR) – 12 caps
Leonardo Marin (Benetton) – uncapped

CENTER
Juan Ignacio Brex (Benetton) – 7 caps
Tommaso Boni (Zebre) – 11 caps
Luca Morisi (Benetton) – 35 caps
Marco Zanon (Benetton) – 7 caps

OUTSIDE BACKS
Pierre Bruno (Zebre) – uncapped
Monty Ioane (Benetton) 8 caps
Matteo Minozzi (Wasps, UK) – 24 caps
Federico Mori (Bordeaux, FR) – 11 caps
Edoardo Padovani (Benetton) – 29 caps
Iliesa Ratuva Tavuyara (Benetton) – uncapped