Italy have named a 33-strong squad – including seven uncapped players and a recall from the Test wilderness for Paolo Odogwu – to prepare for the summer tour that features a two-game series away to the Springboks.
Before taking on South Africa in Pretoria on July 5 and Port Elizabeth on July 12, the Italians will begin their trip with a June 27 game versus Namibia in Windhoek.
Ahead of that departure for the southern hemisphere, Gonzalo Quesada has unveiled the squad that will start preparations in L’Aquila on June 14. Amongst the newcomers are Pablo Dimcheff, the French-based Colomiers hooker with Calabrian grandparents.
There are four other uncapped forwards, all with Zebre connections. Prop Muhamed Hasa, hooker Tommaso di Bartolomeo, lock Matteo Canali and David Odiase, who is joining the Parma-based United Rugby Championship club in the summer from Oyonnax.
The uncapped pair in the backs consists of Zebre out-half Giovanni Montemauri and Mirko Belloni, the Rovigo back-three player.
“We’re trying to increase the depth of the squad”
Benetton winger Odogwu, who had been called up to the England squad when Eddie Jones was in charge, made his Italy debut in the lead-up to the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The last of his six caps came against New Zealand at the finals in France.
Having previously torn his ACL at Wasps, a ruptured achilles with Benetton ruled him out of availability for the 2024 Guinness Six Nations, preventing him from building on his Test breakthrough with the Azzurri.
Another injury meant he also missed the 2025 tournament and although he lasted just 11 minutes of Benetton’s season-ending URC loss at Munster last Friday, he has been included by Quesada for next month’s squad assembly.
The head coach said in a statement: “The management of the athletes on one side – and the desire to give opportunities to some young players – are the two fundamental aspects that we have taken into account in choosing the squad for the next summer tour.
“There are players who have had very high minutes in the last two seasons: we have taken into account their recovery and how to best manage the group. This is also an important opportunity for some athletes to compete at this level, as well as a reward for the commitment shown during the season with their performances.
“The staff on the next tour will have the opportunity to work with a group made up of a mix of young and experienced athletes. Next season will be very important, the last before the World Cup: we aim to have a general idea of who we can involve towards the Rugby World Cup 2027 and try to increase the depth of the squad we have available.”
SUMMER TOUR TRAINING SQUAD
Forwards: Danilo Fischetti, Muhamed Hasa, Marco Riccioni, Mirco Spagnolo, Giosuè Zilocchi, Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Pablo Dimcheff, Giacomo Nicotera, Matteo Canali, Niccolo Cannone, Riccardo Favretto, Andrea Zambonin, Lorenzo Cannone, Alessandro Izekor, Sebastian Negri, David Odiase, Ross Vintcent, Manuel Zuliani
Backs: Alessandro Fusco, Alessandro Garbisi, Stephen Varney, Giacomo Da Re, Giovanni Montemauri, Giulio Bertaccini, Leonardo Marin, Tommaso Menoncello, Federico Mori, Marco Zanon, Mirko Belloni, Simone Gesi, Monty Ioane, Paolo Odogwu, Jacopo Trulla
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Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/springboks-v-italy-seven-uncapped-players-named-in-33-man-azzurri-squad-along-with-an-ex-wasps-star-last-capped-in-2023
