Italy November international squad

[psychic duck]

Fixtures
10 November -

Tonga, Stadio Mario Rigamonti, Brescia
17 November -

New Zealand, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
24 November -

Australia, Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence

Loosehead Prop
Alberto de Marchi (

Treviso, 2 caps)
Andrea Lo Cicero (

Racing-Métro, 95 caps)
Michele Rizzo (

Treviso, 5 caps)

Hookers
Leonardo Ghiraldini (

Treviso, 45 caps)
Davide Giazzon (

Zebre, 2 caps)

Tighthead Props
Martin Castrogiovanni (

Leicester, 88 caps)
Lorenzo Cittadini (

Treviso, 13 caps)

Locks
Joshua Furno (

Narbonne, 5 caps)
Quintin Geldenhuys (

Zebre, 30 caps)
Francesco Minto (

Treviso, Uncapped)
Antonio Pavanello (

Treviso, 10 caps)

Flankers
Mauro Bergamasco (

Zebre, 92 caps)
Paul Derbyshire (

Treviso, 16 caps)
Alessandro Zanni (

Treviso, 66 caps)

Number 8's
Robert Barbieri (

Treviso, 24 caps)
Sergio Parisse (

Stade Français, 88 caps)

Scrum Halves
Tobias Botes (

Treviso, 5 caps)
Edoardo Gori (

Treviso, 16 caps)

Fly Halves
Kris Burton (

Treviso, 17 caps)
Luciano Orquera (

Zebre, 27 caps)

Centres
Tommaso Benvenuti (

Treviso, 20 caps)
Gonzalo Canale (

La Rochelle, 77 caps)
Luca Morisi (

Treviso, 2 caps)
Alberto Sgarbi (

Treviso, 20 caps)

Wingers
Mirco Bergamasco (

Racing-Métro, 87 caps)
Tommaso Iannone (

Treviso, Uncapped)
Giovanbattista Venditti (

Zebre, 7 caps)

Full Backs
Andrea Masi (

Wasps, 69 caps)
Luke McLean (

Treviso, 38 caps)

 

[LittleGuy]

What happened to Andrea Lo Cicero's retirement? Did he delay it for a year?

Looks like the usual Italian side, the Tongan game will be interesting and I'm sure they will be looking to redeeem themselves for their performance against Oz in 2011.

 

[Draggs]

Lo Cicero is one of my favourite Italian players.
Captain of the Draggs Classy Gentleman XV.

 

[Amobokoboko]

As mentioned before the usual squad. Perughini stepped down (pity) They do lack a bit in their second row but I hope they can give us some good games.

 

[Big Ewis]

maaan, I love Parisse, but poor dude srs...it's back to representing Italy again, with a bunch of guys who do their jobs half way through and just don't have the level. In almost each game I've seen Italy play as of the past few years, he's the one highlight. He does it all. It must be the most frustrating thing in all of rugby. Being Sergio Parisse. With all the work he puts in for 80min, and he'll see his team lose by 2 points because some guy kicked the ball 150° away from the post...
God speed to Italy, they've given some fantastic performances before against the AB's, they're capable of keeping the scoring low...

What do you guys here predict for the score ? (I know there's Tonga first)

 

[LittleGuy]

Lo Cicero is one of my favourite Italian players.
Captain of the Draggs Classy Gentleman XV.

Andrea is awesome, perhaps worthy of being selected to his Edness and Friends XV. I'm glad he's staying around really pumped to see him get 100 caps.

 

[Draggs]

Andrea is awesome, perhaps worthy of being selected to his Edness and Friends XV. I'm glad he's staying around really pumped to see him get 100 caps.

I'll second this motion.
I found it fantastic that he plans on becoming an Olympics sailor.
Wish there was an English translation of his book.

 

[Draggs]

How could anybody not love the man?

 

[LittleGuy]

How could anybody not love the man?

I believe it's impossible to say No to that face.

 

[London_Italian]

This is nearly the strongest squad we could assemble at this current time (Where is Simone Favaro?) and although I've just willingly bought tickets for Italy vs Australia in Florence....I really do fear for us in these 3 Autumn internationals. I can see us losing (narrowly) to what looks like a very decent Tongan squad. As well as being buried by the pace of both the All Blacks and Australia.

 

[Taranus]

Apart from Parisse are there any players to keep an eye on in the Italian squad? I think I heard Gori was a player to look out for a few years ago but I don't know whether he has developed any further?

 

[madflyhalf]

Apart from Parisse are there any players to keep an eye on in the Italian squad? I think I heard Gori was a player to look out for a few years ago but I don't know whether he has developed any further?

Surely Rizzo and if stays fit for longer than 10' Antonio Pavanello who's a very good tighthead lock!

Among the backrows, Paul Derbyshire is a talent, but yesterday it has been confirmed that he's out for the autumn internationals (pity), and Vosawai is in.
Robert Barbieri is in a superb form, don't know nothing why Favaro is omitted, but he would be as well another player to watch.

In the backs, Gori surely, but also Morisi! Benvenuti has to confirm himself at the highest level, he can be our best centre since long time!


About Parisse.
Everything has been said about him, but sometimes he's highly overrated: look how he works and you'll find that you spot him among the backs, often doing chip kicks, seagulling wide and more so.
He's surely our best player, but IMO he scores and does all those things (of which some are defenitely not 8-man typical ones), due to 2 guys (named Zanni and Barbieri or Zanni and Favaro) who are sistematically working tirelessly at the breakdown and in the tight, game.

I'd like to see Parisse rested for some minutes (maybe not in these AIs), with Barbieri 8, Favaro 7 and Zanni 6.

And Parisse won't last forever, Italy need to find another leader and give the captain some deserved rest. This scares me much.

 

[Taranus]

Thank you madflyhalf, really helpful and I will keep an eye on Morisi and Benvenuti are they likely to be the starting centres?

 

[London_Italian]

Thank you madflyhalf, really helpful and I will keep an eye on Morisi and Benvenuti are they likely to be the starting centres?

You'd like to think that Benvenuti will start for us....probably alonside Canale though?
I'd like to echo what madflyhalf said when he stated that maybe Parisse should be given a rest at some point. The man is a class act, but he wont be around forever so maybe it is worth trying out the human tank Barbieri alongside Favaro and Zanni in the back row.

As for Gori i still feel as though there is more to come from him.....but he is only 22 so give it time

One area we are short in though is a quality fly half. Imo both Burton and Orquera aren't up to international level......should we maybe try Mclean there instead with Masi at full back?