Italy coach John Kirwan has named a preliminary squad of 38 players for a training camp in preparation for this season's Six Nations championship. Kirwan's options have been limited after recent injuries to key players, including captain Alessandro Troncon and stand-off Francesco Mazzariol.
The squad will first train at Brescia on January 13 before meeting again at Rovato's Stadio Nuovo on January 27. The Azzurri open their 2004 campaign against world champions England in Rome on February 15.
Provisional Italy squad:Forwards: M Castrogiovanni (Ghial Calvisano), S Costanzo (Benetton Treviso), G Faliva (Benetton Treviso), A Lo Cicero (Lazio & Primavera), R Martinez (Benetton Treviso), S Perugini (Ghial Calvisano), C Festuccia (SKG Gran Parma), G Intoppa (Ghial Calvisano), F Ongaro (Benetton Treviso); C Bezzi (Arix Viadana), M Bortolami (Safilo Petrarca Padova), C Checchinato (Benetton Treviso), S Dellape' (Benetton Treviso), A Pavanello (ARD Rovigo); D Dal Maso (ARD Rovigo), A De Rossi (Ghial Calvisano), R Mandelli (Ghial Calvisano), S Orlando (Benetton Treviso), S Palmer (Benetton Treviso), S Parisse (Benetton Treviso), A Persico (Leeds Tykes), M Phillips (Arix Viadana), M Zaffiri (Ghial Calvisano).
Backs: P Griffen (Ghial Calvisano), M Mazzantini (Arix Viadana), S Picone (Benetton Treviso), P Travagli (Benetton Treviso); R De Marigny (Overmach Rugby Parma), R Wakarua (Admo Leonessa Brescia), V Zullo (Ghial Calvisano); M Barbini (Safilo Petrarca Padova), M Dallan (Benetton Treviso), A Masi (Arix Viadana), C Stoica (Montpellier); M Bergamasco (Stade Francais), G Canale (Benetton Treviso), D Dallan (Benetton Treviso), N Mazzucato (Ghial Calvisano).
Filed by Shane Murray
