Italy have recalled Stephen Varney and included Tommaso Allan in their squad for their Six Nations campaign but must do without injured Louis Lynagh for the tournament.
Coach Gonzalo Quesada on Friday named 30 players for the campaign, which they begin against Scotland at Murrayfield on Feb. 1.
Welsh-born scrumhalf Varney had been dropped for the November internationals, where they narrowly beat Georgia but lost to both Argentina and New Zealand, but after his move from Gloucester to Vannes in France has won a recall.
Allan, whose 81 caps make him the most experienced player in the squad, is also back after he had withdrawn from selection after the first game of last year’s Six Nations against England, citing a desire to spend more time with his family.
He returned in November as a substitute against Argentina in the 50-18 loss in Udine but was then injured for the next two tests against Georgia and New Zealand.
Zebre winger Simone Gesi has won a chance to add to his solitary cap against Scotland in the 2023 Six Nations as he wins a place after Lynagh had surgery for a knee ligament injury that rules him out for the next few months.
Prop forward Giosue Zilocchi returns after injury in November while fellow frontrower Luca Rizzoli won a call-up in place of loosehead Mirco Spagnolo, who received a five-week ban for his dismissal playing for Benetton against Zebre in the United Rugby Championship on Dec. 28.
Also among the pack, lock Andrea Zambonin misses out because of injury.
“We are aware that huge challenges are coming for us. We have a united and solid group even if there are players missing due to injuries,” Quesada said as he named the squad.
“Let’s start again from the good things shown in November and from what we worked on but were unable to bring to the field as we wanted,” he added.
Squad
Backs: Tommaso Allan (Perpignan), Juan Ignacio Brex (Treviso), Ange Capuozzo (Toulouse), Matt Gallagher, Alessandro Garbisi (both Treviso), Paolo Garbisi (Toulon), Simone Gesi (Parma), Monty Ioane (Lyon), Leonardo Marin, Tommaso Menoncello (both Treviso), Martin Page-Relo (Lyon), Jacopo Trulla (Parma), Stephen Varney (Vannes)
Forwards: Lorenzo Cannone, Niccolo Cannone, Riccardo Favretto, Simone Ferrari (all Treviso), Danilo Fischetti (Parma), Alessandro Izekor (Treviso), Dino Lamb (Harlequins), Michele Lamaro (Treviso), Gianmarco Lucchesi (Toulon), Sebastian Negri (Treviso), Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Francais), Marco Ricconi (Saracens), Luca Rizzoli (Parma), Federico Ruzza (Treviso), Ross Vintcent (Exeter Chiefs), Giosue Zilocchi, Manuel Zuliani (both Treviso).
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
